The Standard-Times
Published 4:56 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2024 | Updated 5:03 p.m ET Jan. 5, 2024
Former Holy Family High School converted into housing Former Holy Family High School in New Bedford was converted into housing by CMK Development Partners.
NEW BEDFORD — The first residents are moving into the former Holy Family High School, now known as 121 North, next week.
CMK Development Partners owners Colleen and Gerry Kavanaugh, the couple behind the Holy Family project, faced challenges throughout the project, and Gerry credits Colleen for taking the reins during a difficult time.
“Colleen took this project from the permitting process through design, now to construction, and now into occupancy,” he said. “She deserves an enormous amount a credit because we would not be here without her.”
Colleen Kavanaugh writes a welcome message on the blackboard which was salvaged from the former Holy Family High School building which has been converted into housing. The Blackboards are being used as splash guards in the kitchens of the apartments PETER PEREIRA / The Standard-Times
Gerry said they never gave up on the apartment project at Friday’s ribbon-cutting and tour of the newly-renovated former school.
“We took a dilapidated, abandoned building the Archdiocese didn’t take care of, they let it just deteriorate, and now we have a great community asset with housing units for people,” he said.
Of the 15 apartments, 11 are one-bedroom apartments and four are studio apartments. One of the units on the first floor is handicap-accessible.
Gerry Kavanaugh, CEO of CMK Deveopment Partners, speaks about the development of the former Holy Family High School on North Street in New Bedford which his firm has converted into a new housing development, as seen on the illustration. PETER PEREIRA / The Standard-Times
Kavanaugh also thanked Carl Faber of Bay Coast Bank for the bank’s role in funding the project with a combination of public and private funding.
Mayor Mitchell supports project
Mayor Jon Mitchell said it’s a great project in two respects, one, that it preserves the former Holy Family High School, and two, that it preserves an important part of the history of the city.
Ribbon cutting at the former Holy High School building which has been converted into housing. PETER PEREIRA / The Standard-Times
“This was destined for the wrecking ball, and Holy Family High School for the better part of 80 or 90 years was a big part of the fabric of the city,” he said. “It’s been closely associated with all the Irish immigrants who came to the city.”
Painters put the final touches on the stairwell at the former Holy family High School building which has been converted into housing. PETER PEREIRA / The Standard-Times
The high school closed in 1985, and Mitchell said everybody just assumed it was going to be knocked down at some point because there had been no clear use for it, and then the Kavanaughs stepped forward. Gerry Kavanaugh’s mother attended Holy Family High School.
Mitchell said the nature of the housing market is different in New Bedford than in larger cities, and people live in the city for different reasons, and the city and its Office of Housing and Community Development is doing its part working through its new housing plan to facilitate the creation of as many new income-restricted and non-income restricted units as possible. He said seeing it’s been the result of hard work.
“A lot of people over the last several centuries have passed on it,” he said. “This was not easy. It’s hard work, and it’s hard work that requires a whole lot of smarts and attention to detail.”
Slate coasters with the former Holy Family High School building were given out to atendees of the opening of the building which has been converted into housing PETER PEREIRA / The Standard-Times
Federal funding played a role
Congressman Bill Keating likened the funding process to “knitting different fabrics of funding” together to help the project come to fruition. Federal programs including the American Rescue Plan Act helped make the project possible.
“This is a great example of not only stitching together various funding mechanisms and expertise, it’s also a great example here in New Bedford of how they utilize federal money,” he said.
Mayor Jon Mitchell speaks at the opening of the former Holy Family High School building which has been converted into housing. PETER PEREIRA / The Standard-Times
Keating said New Bedford stands as an extraordinary example of how to leverage different funding sources to reach its goals. Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at kgallerani@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @kgallreporter. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.