The town of Cary purchased a historic downtown home near the Cary Arts Center last week. The $600,000 purchase won the town a 2,200-square-foot building on 0.4 acres of land.

Cary plans to team with a private firm to renovate the house and lease it out. The town hasn't announced its specific plans, but could bring a commercial business onto the town-owned site.

The Jones-Foy House, which according to property records was built in 1890, has been periodically vacant for the last two years.

Cary paid for the purchase out of its $8 million yearly budget for downtown capital projects. The town soon will solicit proposals from businesses interested in renovating or occupying the property.