The City of Warren Redevelopment Authority continues to refine its offer to a developer aimed at preserving the former Brick House building on Liberty Street.

Last month, the RDA agreed to a loan of up to $250,000 with Tom Christeson, whose DewBoi Properties firm has proposed the Weldelboe Hotel, an 18-room boutique hotel in the former Watt Office Building on Liberty Street.

Randy Rossey, the city’s director of codes and planning, told the RDA that Christeson is more interested in a fixed loan rather than some other arrangement, such as a revolving line of credit or construction loan.

Christeson told the RDA last month that 75 percent of the building can be saved. “The original building seems pretty solid,” he said. But a back portion has a 20 foot hole in the roof and “is completely not salvageable.”

“I foresee it being part of the hotel,” he said. “There’s a lot of possibilities but that’s really the ultimate goal.”

The RDA agreed to put together a negotiating team — members Michael Boyd and Gary Sawtelle — to work on final terms to bring to the next meeting.

BEECH STREET PROPERTY DISCUSSED

The RDA for the first time also discussed a property at 306 Prospect St. that has worked its way through the city’s blighted property process.

Scott Taylor, zoning and ordinance enforcement official, said the property is owned by an LLC and that he has “no open line of communication with them.”

He said the property is currently tied up in a civil suit out of Allegheny County.

“This property here I fell would be a prime candidate for potential demolition if the city is able to acquire it,” he said. “The rehabilitation costs for that property are going to far surpass” what is reasonable. “It is a very nice lot.”

Solicitor Andrea Stapleford said that the case is tied to predatory lending and that the RDA would need to wait and see the outcome of the case before moving forward.