Friday, March 14 marked the completion of a 20-year mission to build affordable housing on the site of the former St. Bede’s Catholic Church in Key West.
More than 30 years ago, there were two Catholic parishes on the 2- by 4-mile island — St. Mary Star of the Sea (now the Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea) and St. Bede’s.
Changes in island demographics combined the two parishes, and left a large property at 2700 Flagler Avenue that for years was the site of the Star of the Sea soup kitchen, staffed by the inimitable Dorothy Sherman until her death. It was the predecessor to the Star of the Sea food pantry and outreach mission that now helps the entire county through food pantries and prepared meals.
Following that, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami made it its mission to build affordable housing on the site. The first 37 of 47 units opened in 2021 for Key West workers.
The final 10 units are reserved for disabled residents as permanent supportive housing.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski rode his motorcycle from Miami to Key West on Friday, March 14 to celebrate the ribbon-cutting on those final 10 units — and then to celebrate the confirmation of about 60 eighth-graders at the Basilica School that evening.
The final 10 units are all spacious efficiencies with accessibility features for disabled residents, including extra-large bathrooms, with roll-in showers for wheelchairs. The housing complex also features ramps, a shared laundry facility, outdoor picnic pavilion and common areas.
Peter Routsis-Arroyo, executive director of Catholic Charities in Miami, spoke at the ribbon cutting and detailed the organization’s $3.1 million investment in the 10 units to ensure they were made with concrete block structures for longevity.
