The Suffolk County Legislature has voted to delay the sale of the now-closed John J. Foley Nursing Home for another six months.

The move gives lawmakers time to discuss converting the nursing home into a jail or drug rehab center. The drug rehab center is being proposed by Legislator Jay Schneiderman.

Schneiderman says he believes the building could play a big role in helping people on Long Island recover from substance abuse.

The nursing home has been closed since June 2013. The resolution to halt the sale of the property came after a study done by the county. The data revealed that turning it into a jail would cost about $146 million, while turning it into a rehab center would cost about $18 million.

Whatever happens to the building, Schneiderman says it should not be run by the county.

"[The sale] would be done through the private sector, a nonprofit, but we might provide the building to them at little or no cost," Schneiderman told News 12.

Civic leader Maryanne Johnston says she wants to keep the private sector out of the sale.

"I want it to be a county-run rehab center. Not just available to those who have insurance and can afford it," said Johnston.

The county executive's office has said that the vacant building still costs $1 million each year to maintain.