Interior demolition work could begin next week at the Courtyard by Marriott-Threefoot building site in downtown Meridian, officials said Tuesday.

After installing a construction debris chute on the side of the Threefoot building last month, work is expected to resume when project developer Ascent Hospitality, LLC receives a permit from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality for asbestos abatement.

Barring any issues, the permit should be ready by Monday, said Larry Holden of Ascent Hospitality.

Holden said the project should be finished in about 18 months.

The first step is asbestos abatement and interior demolition, which should take about six months to complete.

“They’re going to be working pretty hard — there’s a lot of cleanup work today,” said Meridian Mayor Percy Bland, who added that general labor jobs will be available to local workers. “They’re going to be looking for people who can come in and do stabilization work.”

Bland said jobs will be advertised at Meridian Community College and at the WIN Job Center.

According to John Tampa, president of Ascent Hospitality, the company initially committed to spending at least $14 million to renovate the building. That number has now increased to about $22 million, Tampa said.

The hotel will have about 130 rooms, with a restaurant, a Starbucks coffee shop and 1,100-square feet of retail space on the ground floor. Valet parking will also be available for guests.