A study has shown what Hermitage and Mercer County Housing Authority officials suspected: There is a need for affordable senior housing in the city.

The study by Barone, Murtha, Shonberg and White of Pittsburgh says officials would be justified in building a 75-unit complex in Hermitage.

While senior apartments have been built in town in recent years, they are available to people who can afford to pay the market rate.

"There's not a lot of options for elderly, low-income residents of Hermitage who want to stay there," said authority Executive Director L. DeWitt Boosel.

Although Hermitage City Manager Gary Hinkson said city officials had no particular number of units in mind, a lone, 75-unit complex seems to fly in the face of design elements commissioners have discussed.

Seniors have told the commissioners they like single-floor buildings with areas to plant gardens, Hinkson said.

Many homes in the city are single-story designs, he added.

"It might be a design more familiar to the people of the area," Hinkson said.

Unless developers can secure a large piece of ground to build on, a 75-unit complex implies a multi-story building.

Although no specific proposals have been discussed or designs made, Hinkson said apartments could be built on several sites, and the construction phased to build a smaller number of units at a time.

"It's good to know the need would be for at least 75," Hinkson said.

The study, which the authority paid for, recommended all of the apartments have one bedroom, while 43 would have a study that could be converted to a second bedroom.

Eighty percent of those interested in the apartments would be current Hermitage residents, many looking to leave behind the cost and responsibility of maintaining a house, the study found.

The remaining 20 percent of demand is projected to come from residents of Farrell, Sharon and Sharpsville.

The study identified 10 possible construction sites in the city and officials have started discussing them.

A key consideration in choosing a site will be its proximity to services, such as grocery stores and medical facilities, Boosel said.

The project's next step is to secure a site, either through purchase or option to buy, he said. The site will dictate what can be built.

Boosel said no cost estimate has been put together.

The authority does not expect to apply for funding until the first quarter of next year.

"We can't even put an application together until we have site control," Boosel said.

More than likely, funding will come from a number of sources, he said.

Hermitage has set aside $440,000 for the project, which could be used for any aspect, including planning and construction, and will help developers secure other funding, Hinkson said.