Interested in living at Allegheny Point?

You aren't alone.

As construction of the apartments for seniors progresses in downtown Warren, interest seems to be on the rise among those who may want to live there.

"We're getting a lot of questions," said Paula Fornwalt, who is handling inquiries being received about Allegheny Point at a toll-free number (1-800-735-3068.) Susquehanna Valley Development Group recently posted on the front of the building.

Asked if she foresees any difficulty in filling the apartments adjacent to Soldiers and Sailors Park, Fornwalt said, "Not at all."

Most of the questions, said Fornwalt, deal with who will be eligible to live at Allegheny Point when the apartments open later this year.

Age and income will determine who is eligible.

To rent a unit at Allegheny Point, said Fornwalt, tenants must be at least 62 years of age and the age requirement applies to all the tenants of an apartment.

For two people to qualify financially for a one- or two-bedroom apartment, the combined household annual income can be no more than $23,280 per year.

Sources of income, said Fornwalt, "include anything ‹ Social Security, pension, dividends, bank interest."

For a single person, the maximum allowable yearly income is set at $20,400.

Rent, adjusted to income, will include all utilities except telephone and cable television, said Fornwalt.

Although there will be a community room and the Warren Senior Center will be located on the lawn level of the building facing Breeze Point Landing, Fornwalt said there will not be meals or any level of medical care available at Allegheny Point. While the apartments will be handicapped accessible, she said, they will be not be for people not capable of independent living.

There will be an on-site laundry and the building will have an airlock security entrance system. All tenants will have a key to the common entrance.

Allegheny Point will offer 20 one- and two-bedroom housing units. The street level of the 44,000 square foot building will include commercial space.

Those who do not meet the income guidelines for Allegheny Point occupancy, Fornwalt said, may be interested in a second downtown apartment building -Liberty Street-West.

Liberty Street-West will include office space as well as 18 to 24 market rate apartments which will be open to anyone, regardless of age or income. The building will be four stories high in the front and five stories high on the the side facing the Allegheny River.

Georgetta Bishop, director of the Warren Couynty Housing Authority, said the authority continues to receive many phone calls from residents who believe the housing authority is involved with the new downtown housing.

Bishop said the housing authority can only answer housing questions regarding Conewango Towers, Canterberry Court, Brokenstraw Village, the Rouse Manor Apartments, Allegheny Valley and Tidioute Towers.

Questions about the new downtown housing, said Bishop, should be directed to the toll-free number (800-735-3068) or City of Warren offices.