The Key West City Commission passed a resolution recently requesting that the U.S. Navy and the federal delegation that represents Florida and elected officials to consider developing the western vacant parcel at Sigsbee Park for base housing of its military personnel and civilian employees.
The U.S. Navy owned and operated 166 units of townhouse-style housing on the western 18-acre parcel at the Sigsbee Park facility within the City of Key West. The units sustained significant damage as a result of Hurricane Wilma in 2005, which rendered many, if not all, of the 166 units uninhabitable. The units sat in disrepair for 16 years until the Navy demolished the 166 units in May 2021. Between the demolition of Sigsbee housing in 2021 and the recent closure of two barracks on Truman Annex, Navy personnel were issued enhanced housing allocations to secure rental housing in the civilian market.
Commissioner Donie Lee proposed the resolution at the Oct. 10 City Commission meeting, and he wants to have the request go beyond Naval Air Station Key West command staff, as they already support the proposal to develop more housing on base, he said…