The City of Key West was pleased to gather last Thursday on Stock Island to break ground on the new John Jones Navigation Center. Representatives of the City, the County, and Keystar Construction picked up shovels where the new homeless shelter is now being built. The new facility will provide shelter for about 150 people as well as on-site accessibility to services to help get people back into the mainstream.
The new facility is named for the late Assistant Manager John Jones who, in the early 2000s, responded to a growing issue of homeless individuals camping on private and public property. Working with local agencies, he created the Keys Overnight Temporary Shelter, or KOTS.
The new facility will include updated infrastructure such as staff offices, a food preparation area, fire-safety sprinkler system, lighting, site security fencing, climate control, improved plumbing, energy-efficient operations, and accessibility. The new building footprint will cover approximately 10,422 square feet.