The lay-out for riverfront townhouses in downtown Warrenwill get a second look from the developer of "Impact Warren."

Warren City Council chambers overflowed on Monday night as about 75 citizens came to a question and answer session on Warren's $50 million downtown revitalization project.

Well over half of the questions dealt with the 24 riverfront townhouses which Susquehanna Development will build along the river.

David Sobina was among those who suggested the townhouses be moved back away from the riverfront so they do not directly abut Breeze Point Landing - a public park and walk developed by the city at a cost of $1 million.

"If they're not going to go away," Sobina said of the townhouses, "can you reconsider how they're laid out and move them back away from the river?"

Bob Yoder of Susqhuehanna Development said, "We can take a look but my only question is how far back would you consider back?"

Karen Davis said she does not feel the townhouses should be built "until we completely fill Allegheny Point and Liberty West," two other housing components of "Impact Warren."

The townhouses, said Davis, will interfere with the view of the downtown riverfront and eliminate an area where public events have been held since development of Breeze Point Landing.

Herman Grishaver said, "I think there's a feeling that prime riverfront is being gobbled up by ordinary houses" and wondered if plans can be scaled back to include fewer townhouses.

"If we go to less than twenty-four," said Yoder, "the (state) agency is going to take their money back."

In response to a question from Mark Davis, Yoder said that if the townhouses are not built, some state funding for other aspects of "Impact Warren" could be jeopardized.

"The push (from the state) is to bring people back downtown," said Yoder. If the townhouses are not built, said Yoder, "We will have some domino effect" with some other state funding being withdrawn from "Impact Warren".

Warren Mayor Mark Phillips said that if the city were to tell Susquehanna at this point that the townhouses can not be built, the city would be liable for expenses Susquehanna has incurred
up to $1 million.

"Impact Warren" architect Tom Harley said that he designed the project to put 75 families into new housing in downtown Warren.

"To eliminate anyone of these groups, makes it a much less interesting place to live," said Harley.

Craig Scalise told council and "Impact Warren" officials, "I'm one-hundred and ten percent with everything you're doing, but it just seems like you're dropping townhouses on a prime piece of real estate."

Harley said, "But right now you're parking on it."

Scalise said he would like to see the site for the townhouses shifted to another part of the riverfront, possibly east of the Loranger property on Clark St.

Joan Oviatt made the same suggestion about shifting the townhouse site.

Considering the city is attempting to attract visitors, said Oviatt, "To constrict the view of the riverfront is probably not something you want to do. Can you at this point switch to the other end?"

Yoder said, "We explored that two years ago. There's not enough room."

If the townhouses are built on a portion of the former Loranger property, said Yoder, "You lose a conference center and motel."

Bernard Hessley questioned the transfer of the public property where the townhouses will be built to the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry, which will in turn make the property available for the townhouses.

City solicitor Greg Hammond said, "There's nothing in the Home Rule Charter that prevents it. We're permitted to make those transfers by our charter."

Hessley asked what the city will receive from Susquehanna Development in return for what was public property.

"What fee was paid by the developer for an exclusive contract?" Hessley asked.

Phillips said no fee was paid, "but the develop is willing to take the business risk" and the landlocked city will have 24 new houses which will be "tax paying entities. It's something we should factor into the equation as well."

Hessley asked Yoder, "What is the consideration from the city to you?"

Yoder replied, "None."
What "Impact Warren" has done, said Yoder, has brought millions of dollars in grants, investments and construction jobs to the community.

"Mr. Yoder, you're not doing this for nothing," said Hessley. "What does the city get for allowing you to build townhouses on public land? If it's nothing, say nothing."

At that point, council member David Wortman acknowledged that everyone understood that Susquehanna Development has some expectation of making a profit as a result of "Impact Warren."

"Without the possibility of a payback, it just doesn't work," said Wortman.

Yoder fielded a number of other questions about the townhouses.

Once construction starts, he said, they will be completed within one year.

The cost of the individual townhouses has still not been determined, said Yoder, and will not be set until it is determined how extensive pile driving will have to be to support the riverfront buildings.

Dennis Bonace asked what the city's total investment is as opposed to the developer's.

"I don't want to pick up the paper six months from now and read we have a big, unknown debt," said Bonace.

Yoder said the city's total investment is $2 million involved in financing the parking garage. "Everything else is financed by me or Susquehanna," said Yoder. "If it doesn't work, they're going to take my house."

But so far, said Yoder, Susquehanna "has more applications for Allegheny Point than units" and a considerable amount of interest Liberty West and the townhouses. Persons interested in housing should continue to submit application, however, said Yoder, because some prospective tenants are not qualified and others change their minds.

Other than the comments about the townhouses, most of the comments offered at the question and answer session were positive, including those offered by Howard Fyock, owner of Baker's Cleaners, who said he intends to either relocate or expand his business into retail space in one of the new "Impact Warren" buildings.

Fyock said of the downtown and riverfront project has been "a long time coming."