CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Longtime Charleston Pat Maroney says he’s humbled a housing facility made for residents with special needs carries his name.
“All of our efforts, the whole Maroney family, has been to help others. So I think it’s for the Maroney family,” Maroney said Friday at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Thomas Patrick Maroney Unity Apartments in downtown Charleston.
The 13-one bedroom accessible apartments were built by the West Virginia AFL-CIO.
“It’s our objective that we provide housing to people that are in need and give them a comfort in life that maybe they aren’t able to live right now,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue said.
Every apartment is wheelchair accessible. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin said the complex will promote independent living.
“For people who have some disabilities, can live alone and also afford a quality place such as this,” Manchin said.
Maroney, the longtime general counsel for WV AFL-CIO and former West Virginia Democratic Party chairman, said the location at the corner of Lewis and Shrewsbury streets is tough to beat.
“It’s very accessible to churches. It’s very accessible to hospitals. It’s very accessible to the farmer’s market out here for food. It’s in a great area,” he said.
Manchin said the complex was appropriately named.
“Pat Maroney has been involved with improving peoples’ lives his entire life. He’s dedicated to that,” Manchin said.
The project was financed in part with funding from the Housing and Urban Development Authority, or HUD, through Human Resources Development and Employment, a private, non-profit corporation, dedicated to providing housing for those with disabilities, the elderly and families. HRDE operates similar complexes in Morgantown, Fairmont, South Charleston, Cross Lanes and Parkersburg.
More information on the Human Resource Development and Employment Inc., and complexes in West Virginia is available at www.hrdewv.org.