NATCHEZ – The manager of an apartment complex located at the old Carpenter No. 1 School building is looking for a few good tenants.

The North Union Street building, which has been vacant since the 1980s, has been converted into 38 apartments for those 55 and older.

As of Friday afternoon, Site Manager Stacy Starks had only received two applications for apartments at the complex.

Tenants will probably begin moving into the complex just after the first of the year.

&uot;Everybody else has just called, but they’ve not made an appointment to come fill out an application,&uot; Starks said.

&uot;I’ve sent out an application and another man came and got one, but they haven’t turned them in yet,&uot; she said. &uot;I’ve had quite a few inquiries, but no one follows up.&uot;

As of mid-November, when crews were still busy renovating the building, it was reported that 12 applications had been received.

But Starks said James Johnston, the city’s community development director and coordinator of the project, may have been referring to the number of applications he had received.

Johnston could not be reached for comment Friday.

Apartments are available to those 55 and older who have incomes of no more than $12,550 for one person, $14,350 for a two-person family and $16,150 for a three-person family.

Rent will be $258 a month for a one-bedroom unit and $324 for a two-bedroom unit.

The price includes water, sewer and trash service, but the tenant pays electric bills.

The $1.8 million restoration of Carpenter School No. 1 is being financed by the city, Adams County, United Mississippi Bank, the Natchez Council on Aging, local investors and out-of-town investors and developers.

Other partners are the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority in McComb and the Public and Indian Housing Division of Housing and Urban Development.