 When the building reverted to Panamanian control on October 1, 1979, all those services were terminated.The building later housed one of the first Panamanian stores to set up shop in the former Canal Zone, a 24-hour convenience store aptly named "24 Horas", but the building remained for the most part vacant and neglected.In 1979, about half of the neighborhood became the property of the Republic of Panama, while the remainder continued to be held by the Panama Canal Commission (the new incarnation of the Panama Canal Company/government).