Roth now is working as a partner with the Eastern West Virginia Community Action Agency and will get his own financing for the building, Clark said.
"We can assist Roth with anything we can do to help him get financial assistance like tax-credit programs and the Neighborhood Investment Program," Clark said. The Community Action Agency will manage the apartment building, he said.
"The private-public partnerships are a whole new ball game for us," Clark said. "The $500,000 will result in a $4 (million) to $5 million project."
Small Cities Block Grants are available to help "low- to moderate-income people," he said. "This is a win-win situation. The county would own it, and it is good from our perspective."
If Roth fails to get financial assistance, the county could work with another developer to get the senior housing built, Clark said.
Roth, who has been vacationing in Berkeley Springs for the last 12 years, knows the area, Clark said.
"He pursued CSX," he said.
The county will lease part of the property to Roth for the senior housing apartment building, he said. Roth will sign a minimum 55-year lease with the county. Clark said the long-term lease for the building is in exchange for a new senior center that Roth will build on the first floor of the apartment building.
The senior housing will consist of 50 apartments, Clark said. The lease with Roth will keep his involvement with the project.
Clark said he and the commissioners plan to visit other Roth projects.
Clark said the senior housing project will be good for Morgan County, which has a high population of older people.
"There are old folks living out in the woods and I have received calls from some regarding the housing project," Clark said. "They would do well near town."
Clark said he likes the senior idea rather than low- and moderate-income housing.
"This is focusing on the age of the population, and this provides a safe living environment," he said.
"With Community Action and the fact that the property is county-owned, it gives the public a voice as to how the property will be utilized in the future," Clark said. "It should give them a little reassurance that it will be a good development."
"A nearby bike and walking path may be constructed in the future," he said.
"The north end of town seemed to need an upgrade and that might be a good place to get started," Clark said. "It needs a little shot in the arm."
