Dublin City councillors have backed a plan to turn the old Magdalene Laundry on Sean McDermott Street in Dublin into a centre for third-level education.
The plan also includes social housing for older people and a memorial for the victims and survivors of institutional homes.
Councillors voted to block the sale of the site to a Japanese hotel chain in 2018.
Social Democrats councillor Gary Gannon says the local authority outlined its plans at a meeting yesterday.
"It is going to be some sort of third level education facility and we have been in talks with different colleges," said Mr Gannon.
"Remember, Dublin 1 has one of the lowest access to third level rates in the whole country.
"It is only 21% of people get any form of college education so that will make a massive difference."
There will be a memorial for the surviovors of the Magdalene Laundries.
"The memorial for me is really important to me," said Mr Gannon.
"The plan on approaching that is very unique. They are planning on developing the memorial in consultation with the survivor community and the local community as well.
"We don't know what the memorial is going to look like yet. We just know that it is going to be something substantial and that it will be developed in consultation with those who matter the most."