Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton A prospective buyer has emerged for this property, located at 102 Center St., which is currently owned by the City of Warren Redevelopment Authority.

The City of Warren Redevelopment Authority is taking action to resolve a couple of properties they own.

RDA Chair Tricia Durbin read a letter at a meeting this week from Keith Kophazy, offering $250 to purchase 102 Center Street. She said the letter also offers a timeline for repairs and maintenance of the property.

Code Official Jessica Roudybush told the RDA that she has spoke with Mr. Kophazy a few times and said he “felt that it needed some pretty extensive work inside. He’s right. It does. (He is) willing to take it on if he can obtain it for a reasonable price in consideration of what he was going to have to put into it.”

She said he works as a contractor and is currently rehabilitating a Buchanan Street property.

Durbin, citing his letter, said the timeline includes renovations starting this November and extending through February 2020.

“We don’t have any particular objection from the Codes Department,” Terry Williams, director of codes, permits and recreation services, said, noting the prospective purchaser is “responsible for the properties he does own” and “lives very close” to 102 Center St.

Williams said the RDA would need to enter into an agreement with the buyer that puts that timeline to paper and includes language indicating that the property would revert back to the RDA if the timeline isn’t adhered to.

The property had been listed by a local realtor and City Planner David Hildebrand said there has been “little or no interest in” the property.

“I think it would be good to go ahead and talk to him and talk about the agreement and make sure he is agreeable to whatever timeline is set out,” Durbin said.

RDA member David Cantrell said it would be important for the potential purchaser to be in monthly contact with the RDA regarding progress made on this property.

“If he’s willing to take this one,” he added, “I think we should let him take a shot.”

The RDA agreed to proceed with the potential agreement to sell the property.

At 908 and 910 Pennsylvania Ave. E., Williams said there has also been “little to no interest” in that property and added that there are “significant property maintenance issues with that property.”

She said that city Department of Public Works crews removed the back deck off the structure but noted there are “numerous additional issues that will need some resolution in the near future.”

She added that complaints have been received from the neighborhood about the condition of the structure.

So what to do with the property?

City Manager Nancy Freenock said she met with the Economic Opportunies Council (EOC) specifically on this property and was informed it could be converted to five apartments, but that renovation would cost roughly $100,000 each and is “cost prohibitive.”

Williams said that if the RDA was to look into demolishing the structure, an asbestos inspection would need to be conducted and that it is “too large of a project for DPW to do the entire thing.”

Durbin suggested — and the RDA voted to move ahead — with procuring additional information on the cost to demolish.