Gessner Engineering CEO Johanna Gessner, left, gives Rachael Altman a tour during an open house of the company’s new building, which was formerly the Bowie School in Downtown Bryan, on Friday.

After years of sitting vacant, the former Bowie Elementary School is getting a new purpose. On Wednesday, Johanna and Thomas Gessner and GVBM LLC purchased the century-old building that has sat idle ...