The developer of a proposed downtown senior living facility slated for the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Liberty Street has said that construction will start in August.

But there remains a contingent that is seeking to halt the project.

And a procedural historic review — currently open for public comment, according to a member of the Warren City Council, is the target vehicle to accomplish those ends.

The target properties for the project are the empty lot and vacant buildings at 231-237 Pennsylvania Ave. W. The properties came into the possession of the city in 2009 for $0, according to county assessment records, and were sold to the firm in 2018 for $19,496.

A recent meeting — not open to the public — was held on the proposal pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that requires the effects of historic properties when they’re funded by federal dollars.

The state awarded over $92.5 million in funding and tax credits back in November to 33 projects that will create an additional 1,518 rental units.

The award for this project — called Eagles Crest — includes $1,426,575 in PennHOMES loan funding, $416,667 in state Housing Tax Credits and $1,335,095 in federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), according to an award document from the state.

“If this property is demolished,” Warren City Councilwoman Wendy McCain said in a letter to the Times Observer, “this piece of our heritage will be gone forever and can never be replaced.”

Much of the city’s downtown is part of a Historic District as part of the National Register of Historic Places.

“Our community has voiced the importance of historic buildings in every study done by the city,” McCain said. “Therefore, saving this building is important.”

She claimed that there was an offer to purchase the buildings “from a successful local business owner” before the city sold the properties to Hudson. “Today, there are three local business owners interested in purchasing, rehabilitating and placing a new business in the building. Is it too late? It is not.”

McCain added that the developer “is required to determine if there is another location in Warren County…. Do you think there are any other locations within Warren County that might better serve the intended audience?”

She said that the state Department of Community and Economic Development will be accepting comments on the project until May 19 via email to ra-dcedcdbghomequestions@pa.gov.

See page A-4 for McCain’s full letter.