Most critics of a plan to turn Davis Square Apartments into student housing cited noise created by high-spirited Thiel College students.

But Betty and Stanley Izenas, who have lived at 35 Alan Ave. in Greenville for 34 years had something else on their minds Monday.

"We have college students behind us and between us," Mrs. Izenas told the Greenville Zoning Board of Adjustments. It gets noisy, but "we are more concerned about the value of our property," she said.

"There’s not much we can do" about future property values in the neighborhood, said Norbert Mechenbier, zoning hearing board chairman.

"I will not say this will enhance the area, but it will not deteriorate from the area," Mechenbier said.

The zoning hearing board approved the apartments as a nonconforming use in a residential zone that does not permit multi-family dwellings.

Their approval gives Greenville Collegiate Properties, a partnership of Thiel alumni, the go-ahead to convert two of the buildings into apartment-style dormitories that will be leased to the college.

The partnership, which recently bought the three Davis Square Apartments buildings from George-White Properties, Hermitage, requested the variance.

The apartment buildings were in use before zoning went into effect, said George Pangas, borough zoning and code enforcement officer.

Mechenbier said he was expecting to see Davis Square residents at the hearing, but none attended. Earlier in the hearing, he said he was reluctant to decide on the variance until he knew something would be done for the tenants.

Greenville Collegiate Properties gave Davis Square tenants until the end of the summer to move out of 43 and 45 Davis St. Those buildings would become student housing after Aug. 1, said Roseanne Gill-Jacobsen, Thiel vice president for student services.

Davis Square’s location is an extension to the college campus, said Dr. Richard Rugan, Thiel vice president for administrative services.

The new owners will spend $120,000 to tie smoke alarms and security into the college public safety department and to wire the apartments for Internet access and cable television, Rugan said.

"Will there be a fence?" asked William Stanley Jr., 36 Alan Ave. He got no answer.

Instead of putting student resident leaders in charge, two adult members of the college staff will be head residents at each of the two buildings, Mrs. Gill-Jacobsen said.

The apartment-style housing will be for upperclassmen who are not on misconduct or academic probation, she said.

"Students know they must earn the right to live there, and they can earn the right not to live there," Rugan said.

But the seven residents of the neighborhood and other neighborhoods were not impressed.

A 90-year-old woman, living on Ridgeway Avenue, can hear college students’ stereos without using her hearing aid, said William LeBarron of Jamestown, who spoke on the woman’s behalf. "This will just be double the noise," he said.

Beth Parkinson, 10 Henry Road, Otter Creek Township, said she thought it was odd that the purchase of the apartment buildings was completed before the zoning hearing.

"If they don’t get this, they’re not going to tell the people they evicted, ‘Hey, come on back because our petition was denied,’ " she said.

If the zoning change were denied, Greenville Collegiate Properties would be able to rent the apartments to any student without college supervision, said Daniel Wallace, lawyer for the college.

The owners were not represented at the hearing.

"This is a done deal. There’s nothing we can do about this," Mrs. Izenas said.

"Who is running this town -- Thiel or the city of Greenville?" her husband asked.