Times Observer file photo by Josh Cotton Construction fencing marked the first vestige of the future for the vacant lot at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Liberty Street. A 40-apartment senior living facility was supposed to begin construction in 2023, but was later stopped. A request for proposals for the site will be discussed next week.

City officials are ready to start discussions about what should happen next for the site that was to be home to senior housing on Pennsylvania Avenue West.

During Monday’s City Council meeting, there was brief discussion about the property formerly known as the Hudson Project. Ron Peterson addressed the council about the status of the property at 231-237 Pennsylvania Ave. W. that was formerly the Hudson Project.

“Regarding the Hudson project, I’m curious where we’re at with that,” Peterson asked.

Mike Holtz, city manager, said the property is back in the hands of the Redevelopment Authority. Randall Rossey, director of codes and planning, said the project will be discussed during Wednesday’s meeting of the Redevelopment Authority.

“The RDA is in the process of formulating an RFP for the purpose of marketing that property,” Rossey said. “They’ll be discussing that at the upcoming RDA meeting.”

The Eagles Crest property at Liberty Street and Pennsylvania Avenue ended in August after community opposition to the project grew, and lawsuits challenging funding for the project were filed in federal court. The project would have created a building with 40 units of senior housing – 35 one-bedroom and five two-bedrooms, as well as a variety of amenities – open to those aged 62 and older with income requirements. The target properties for the project are the empty lot and vacant buildings at 231-237 Pennsylvania Ave. W.

Council members also affirmed the 2022 Warren County Emergency Operations Plan as the City’s official plan. This plan is reviewed annually, with updates required in odd-numbered years to reflect personnel and city-specific changes.

A police pension ordinance was passed to consolidate multiple amendments into one clear document. The last full update was in 2002, and this restatement ensures consistency in pension policies. Similarly, the Municipal Employee Pension Plan was amended to align with the new IBEW contract, effective Jan. 1, 2025.