The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1951-07-17
Housing Authority Votes
To Name New
Units George Whiting Allen !"
DIR. MdIOney.
Franklin Deldn0
Roosevelt, Other
Names Suggested

The new key West hous
ing project will be named
George Whiting Allen
after one of key Vests
most respected citizens. il
was decided unanimously
at a meeting of the Key
West Housing Authority
yesterday afternoon.
The name George Whit
ing Allen" was submitted
by The Citizen i'm an edi.
IOrial ON July 9, and by I9
individual Key Westers.
Kermit Levin, executive
secretary of the Authority
told The Citizen today.
Runners up in the poll conduc-
TED by the Authority were DR..
John B. Maloney, whose nsgse
was submitted by IS persons ard
Franklin DelaRo Roosevelt. who
had six hackers.
The Allen family. through San,
Goldsmith, offered 10 buy Inc
bronze plaque on which Allen
name VIII be engraved. Gold.
smith spoke st yesterdays meet
ing backing Up the proposal that
the project be named after his
fsther-in-law.
The selection Of the name Tor
the AZ unit low rent housing mo-
sect cUirrsed w4th The Gav
ground was broken for constfalc.
ton. Joseph Moretsi, contractor
has brought IN some al his crews
already to start work which he
promises win be completed by
February. 1852
In nominating George ~ Al
lens name for the housing pro-
ject The Citizen said in its edit
orial Of july 9:
# he had done only this single
thing-helpe6 influentiallY Ia
bring the railroad to Key West
his name would be outstanding
as the best one to give TO the II
units, the Federal Housing Auth
GRITTY has decided to construct in
Key West at cost Of more. than
81, 600, 900.
About thirty names or subjects
were submitted TO the Housing
Authority, Levin said. Eight 81
the names were individuals.
One Of the reasons the board
members decided on Aliens nalne.
was that the land used to belong
in part 70 Allen. The project ste
is between Fogarty avenue. FIRST
street, Vivian Lane ands George
street.
George Allen, as far back As
1891, was active ia trying To IN
terest uoneyed men to build
railroad to Key West iIe-5nnnea
ed that sctivity when the late
Henry NJ. Flagler extended the
East Coast Railway to Miafni.
Aliens advocacy was one Of
the major factors that resulted n
FlagleT's having a survey made
of the chain ST Florida KEYS rQrs~
ming from Key Largo 70 Key
West AS . result Of this survey.
Flaglcr decided to construct the
extension.
Allen was one Of the organic
ers Of the First National Bank IN
KY West and served as its presi-
dent until he died. As head 81
the bank, he was active - pzvs-
noting many civic improvements
and also IN injecting life into Tho
business progress Of Key West
For is years from 1897 to 1913.
Allen served as collector of cus-
toms in Key West. During ffas
entire tire, the main offire III
customs N Florida was estail5ss5-
ed in this city After be retired
from office in 1913. TAMPA BE-
came the head of the customs
service IN the state, solely BE-
cause the two United States sen
ators from Florida urged Taoving
the office from Key West 70 Tam.
pc, according 70 The Citizen ed
itorial. Allen was also weli known
IN the State Of Florida. lie made
. good race for Governor in 1916
zssfe~ Sidney Taffs ss,ar s.Y.<fe,a