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Irish Post
27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Construction work begins on landmark social housing project in Dublin
THE sod was turned this week on a much-anticipated social housing project in Dublin. Construction work has officially begun on Blackbird Park in Cabra, north Dublin for the Focus Housing Association development, which is part of the homeless and housing charity Focus Ireland. When completed, the 2.03-hectare site, which was gifted to the charity by the Dominican Sisters, will provide homes for 95 families in need, as well as two community rooms and a public green area and children's play space. Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain joined Ireland's Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne and local councillors at the sod-turning event. (L-R) Pat Dennigan, Focus Ireland CEO, Sr Stan, Focus President and co-founder, Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain and Housing Minister James Browne at the event 'Dublin City Council is delighted to support and work with Focus Ireland and Focus Housing Association to deliver these much-needed homes, which will provide secure, permanent housing for individuals and families in a wonderful part of the city,' Ms Blain said. Minister Browne added: 'I'm delighted to be here today in the constituency of Dublin Central to turn the sod at this important housing scheme which showcases the positive impact of environmental regeneration can have on our housing situation. 'As we work towards addressing the challenges, to resolving and increase the supply of housing, all forms of housing an achieving the targets outlined under a new Housing for All plan, developments such as The Blackbird Park site in Ratoath Road, Cabra will alleviate some of the pressure on the housing market and provide quality and sustainable homes for families, young people and the wider community.' Minister for Housing, Local Government, Heritage, James Browne addresses the sod-turning event Speaking at the sod-turning ceremony, Pat Dennigan, CEO of Focus Ireland, said the development is their largest housing scheme to date. 'These energy-efficient, sustainable, and high-quality homes will be provided to families and individuals most in need and is only possible because of the generous donation of land received from the Dominican Sisters, Cabra to Focus Housing Association,' he explained, 'This year, marks Focus Ireland 40th Anniversary, however, we don't see it as something to celebrate when so many people are affected by the current housing situation and upward challenges of homelessness in our society. 'Therefore, developments like Blackbird Park are the type of scheme helping us meet our new build social housing delivery targets and allowing us to strengthen social cohesion and grow community life for long-term homeless families and individuals struggling to find a place to call home.' He added: 'In every town and city nationwide, there is under-utilised land in urban and built-up areas including empty, derelict buildings of which could be used to relieve significant housing demand and help bring lasting resolution to the housing shortages. "If used well, they can be a source of urban renewal and value for the surrounding community.' Many of the families and individuals who will get homes at Blackbird Park have been 'stuck' on Dublin City Council's social housing waiting list for many years, according to Focus Ireland . 'They are set to become part of a vibrant and inclusive community, close to wonderful community schools and other amenities such as hospitals, community sports and recreational facilities,' they explained. 'At Focus Ireland we say every project makes a difference, every donation counts, every home delivered changes lives. 'Each success brings us closer to our goal—ensuring that every person in this country has the right to a secure, decent quality home, and a great place to live. 'In so doing, our team is proud to be actively involved in shaping the future of housing in Ireland, providing high-quality homes that will make a real difference to people's lives.' See More: Blackbird Park, Cabra, Dublin, Focus Ireland
Dublin Live
22-05-2025
- Business
- Dublin Live
Construction begins on 95 social homes in north Dublin
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Construction commenced this week in Cabra for Focus Housing Association's housing development at Blackbird Park. The project will see 95 A2-rated social homes delivered at the 2.03-hectare site on Dominican Sisters lands off Ratoath Road. The Dominican sisters gifted the land to Focus Housing Association will be delivered in collaboration with Dublin City Council, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage and the Housing Finance Agency. The 95 A2-Rated social homes will comprise of 14 two-bedroom apartments, 21 two-bedroom apartments, 13 two-bed duplex, 13 three-bed duplex and one four-bed duplex dwellings across five three-storey blocks. The development will also include two community rooms for future tenant use and considerable public open space of over 7,300m², including a public green area and children's play space. Speaking at the sod-turning ceremony, Pat Dennigan, CEO of Focus Ireland, said: 'Focus Housing Association is honoured today to deliver Blackbird Park in due course. This represents our largest housing scheme to date, and, I'm privileged to say developed and designed by Focus Housing Association with support and guidance from ABK Architect's, and A2 Architects and JFOC Architects. "These energy-efficient, sustainable, and high-quality homes will be provided to families and individuals most in need and is only possible because of the generous donation of land received from the Dominican Sisters, Cabra to Focus Housing Association. "This year, marks Focus Ireland 40th Anniversary, however, we don't see it as something to celebrate when so many people are affected by the current housing situation and upward challenges of homelessness in our society. Therefore, developments like Blackbird Park are the type of scheme helping us meet our new build social housing delivery targets and allowing us to strengthen social cohesion and grow community life for long-term homeless families and individuals struggling to find a place to call home." Speaking at the sod-turning at Blackbird Park Minister for Housing, James Browne said, 'I'm delighted to be here today in the constituency of Dublin Central to turn the sod at this important housing scheme which showcases the positive impact of environmental regeneration can have on our housing situation. "As we work towards addressing the challenges, to resolving and increase the supply of housing, all forms of housing an achieving the targets outlined under a new Housing for All plan, developments such as The Blackbird Park site in Ratoath Road, Cabra will alleviate some of the pressure on the housing market and provide quality and sustainable homes for families, young people and the wider community through CALF, HFA funds. "I want to commend Focus Housing Association and Focus Ireland, who, working with the State – at local authority level with Dublin City Council, with the Housing Finance Agency and with my own Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, have been able to get this development over the line. Partnership and cooperation with approved housing bodies (AHBs), such as Focus Housing Association, is vital as we improve delivery speed and work to meet new Housing for All targets.' Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
West Michigan Catholics watch as pope remains hospitalized
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Local faith leaders are guiding Catholic worshippers through uncertainty as Pope Francis' health remains tenuous. 'There's of course a certain sadness,' Rev. Robert Sirico, pastor emeritus of in Grand Rapids, said. 'You have a father in his final days, probably. So there is concern.' The Diocese of Grand Rapids and are turning to prayer as they consider daily updates on the pope's battle with double pneumonia. Pope Francis shows slight improvement as he battles pneumonia Sirico recently helped the city's youngest parishioners begin to sort through their feelings. '(Grand Rapids Diocese) Bishop (David) Walkowiak has asked all Catholic parishes to be in prayer for the Holy Father. There's a lot of rosaries that have been led,' Sirico told News 8. 'I just came from Mass with the children. I talked to them about losing a parent and needing to be close to him in prayer. So the children are praying for him.' For some, the distinctive style and politics of Pope Francis make dealing with his potential passing complicated. 'I think his legacy is yet to be determined,' Sirico said. 'It is true that this is a very distinctive pontificate. What he did in any formal statement having to do with doctrine or hot-button issues was always to affirm the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church, but what he attempted to do was reach out with great compassion to people who would feel alienated by that message. In doing so, I think Francis emulated the example of Christ. It's no secret a lot of people disagreed with a lot (he) said or did, but even then, there is an affection for the role he has played and the good he has attempted to do.' 'Old and new coming together': Former home of Dominican Sisters becomes senior housing Last year, Pope Francis made changes to the traditional burial rites for a pope. He moved to eliminate the requirement for three coffins of cypress, lead and oak as well as the elevated bier for public viewing. He instead elected to be viewed in a simple, zinc-lined wooden coffin at ground level. He will also be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. He said the changes are to reflect and emphasize the Roman pontiff's funeral is that of a shepherd and disciple of Christ, and not of a powerful man of this world. None of those proceedings will begin, though, until the mourning bell at Saint Peter's Basilica is rung. For now, Catholics continue to pray. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Old and new coming together': Former home of Dominican Sisters becomes senior housing
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — What was once the home of the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids has taken on a new life: senior housing. Among the first residents of Academy Manor is a sister who has known the building for decades. Sister Kateri Schrems has been a Dominican sister for more than 60 years. She told News 8 that the sisters taught at her school in Saginaw and had a strong influence on her life. '(The sisters) gave a scholarship to Aquinas for one graduating senior,' she said. 'And that's how I got the tuition to go to college at Aquinas.' In 1958, her sophomore year of college, she entered the congregation. Near the beginning of her time as a sister, Schrems spent a year living in the Marywood Motherhouse — the massive neoclassical building at Fulton Street and Lakeside Drive near Aquinas College that was the home of the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids for about a century. The Motherhouse hosted events, welcomed visitors and housed many of the sisters. Dominican Sisters in Grand Rapids persist despite population decline, physical transition 'I have memories of doing a lot of things in a group and in a community,' Schrems said of that early year living in the Motherhouse. The sisters prayed together, ate meals as a community and worked to keep the building clean. Schrems didn't stay in Grand Rapids for the next 60 years. She told News 8 that she moved around quite a bit over the years, working as a teacher and school principal. In 2013, she returned to Grand Rapids. Two years after that, she moved back into the Motherhouse. 'I've been in the community 60-some years in Grand Rapids,' Schrems explained. 'It's time to be where I have been involved for most of my life, almost all of my life.' But , the sisters decided in 2020 to sell their longtime Motherhouse and move elsewhere. PK Companies and Third Coast Development would transform the historic Motherhouse into a mixture of affordable and market-rate senior housing. 'It was a very big effort between the sisters and the company to try and just hold their heritage and their morals and values to a T,' said Kristen Guel, director of marketing for PK Housing. 'And so it was very important to them to partner with somebody who was going to use the space for what we're using it for, which is low-income housing for seniors that need it.' 'There's such a cry for affordable housing these days in general,' Schrems said. 'And the building needed a good overhaul of the infrastructure for anybody to continue living in it. We could have continued, but we would have been piecemealing the changes and the repairs and the structures in order to accommodate the needs of older citizens.' 'Beacon of hope': Historic GR church raising money to fix bell tower Schrems told News 8 that she and the other sisters moved out of the Motherhouse in 2022 so that construction could begin. She moved into a small apartment building in the Grand Rapids area. Meanwhile, the Dominican Sisters chose a new Motherhouse: the former Marywood Health Center, which is just across the street from the old Motherhouse. In October 2024, the first few residents moved into the new 55+ apartment community known as . It includes 109 units, about half affordable and half market-rate. Some are studio apartments; others are one- or two-bedrooms. 'We actually are about halfway filled,' Guel said. The goal is to be completely full by April or May. Among the first residents was Schrems, who moved into Academy Manor in December. Though her previous apartment was 'a very nice place,' she told News 8 she wanted 'to be on the grounds and to be near the Motherhouse.' 'If I just looked at comfort at my age, I'd still be (in the previous apartment). Because it's no fun moving, and it doesn't get easier as one gets older — at least that's my experience,' Schrems said. 'But I have no regrets about doing it because of the light that I have in the windows. I have south windows and west windows and glorious sunsets, but I can also almost see a full sunrise. And I have trees. It's a glorious, glorious view.' Guel told News 8 that developers kept several elements of the former Motherhouse, like much of the exterior, the chapel and the terrazzo flooring. 'That's just really cool because you can see all the hand-laid tile accents,' she said. 'It's a really cool piece of history.' People who are familiar with the Dominican Sisters' campus have been appreciative, according to Guel. 'It's been a really interesting time taking people around and showing them what we've turned it into. They really enjoy it,' she said. 'And then we get to hear all of their stories from their time there as well, which is just a really neat thing. Because you get to hear the old and the new coming together, and it elicits a lot of emotions from people.' They're even working on a 'legacy room' that will incorporate memorabilia from the sisters, Guel said. Schrems lives in the west wing of the U-shaped building, in what was once the library for an on-site school. She says she feels very comfortable there. 'Even though I didn't live here many years and I didn't teach here, I have come here for 60-some years to events and worship,' she said. 'It's our home.' When she walks the halls, it's a trip down memory lane. She recalled one hall that was known as De Profundis Hall, which translates to 'out of the depths.' 'Right now, there's just one apartment there. I don't think anyone's living there yet,' Schrems said. 'And that's where we always stopped and prayed a certain prayer in memory of all the deceased people in our lives.' The sister is pleased that she can share some of the building's history with its new residents. 'It's kind of nice to have been among the earlier ones that moved in,' she said. 'And just now catching up with people as they move in, sharing a little bit of background.' Schrems said though there's still some work going on within Academy Manor, she's looking forward to the future. 'I'm just eager for it to become everything it can be to serve the people who end up having housing here,' she said. 'It'll be good when it is full.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
