Katie Halloran’s Quiet Revolution

What We Lose When We Lose Good People

Katie Halloran’s resignation as Key West’s Planning Director isn’t just a personnel change — it’s a turning point. Over five years, she helped reshape the city’s planning culture, delivering civic spaces, affordable housing, and climate-resilient infrastructure that now define our downtown. This story isn’t about the politics behind her exit — others are covering that. It’s about the work she did, the projects she helped deliver, and the planning philosophy she championed — one rooted in the public good and in treating every resident with equal respect, whether they held power or not. From Duval Street to Bahama Village, her legacy is visible in the places we walk, gather, and live.

Halloran’s quiet revolution wasn’t just about policy — it was about presence. I observed at public meetings like those for the Duval Street Resiliency project, she stood in the background, letting her staff, consultants, and elected officials take the spotlight. She led by empowering others, shaping outcomes without seeking credit.

Her departure leaves a void — a big one — and a challenge. In this story, we’ll explore the work she did, the planning philosophy she championed, and the projects she helped deliver — and we’ll ask what comes next.

The Quiet Architect Behind Big Wins

Halloran’s department was instrumental in moving forward a slate of downtown projects that have reshaped Key West’s urban landscape. These seven projects — spotlighted in an article last summer: “Progress On Seven Projects Equals Big Wins for Downtown”— are tangible examples of that progress:

• Mallory Square Master Plan — Planning completed; implementation status pending. The plan includes a 7,000-square-foot shade structure, water play area and redesigned gathering spaces to make the square usable throughout the day — not just at sunset. Halloran emphasized the need to make it welcoming for locals on lunch breaks, not just tourists.

“Mallory Square is an iconic destination… but outside of an hour and a half before sunset, nobody wants to sit there for more than five or ten minutes even though we have this invaluable view of the ocean.”

• The Lofts at Bahama Village — Affordable housing with bike infrastructure; opening this month. The Lofts project broke ground in September 2024 and delivers 126 units of affordable housing on land donated by the Navy — a decades-long dream finally realized under Halloran’s leadership.

“More residents living downtown is a win. It helps locals save money by biking, walking, and using transit.”

• Frederick Douglas Community Center — Opened March 6, a new civic space for Bahama Village. Includes a music program, Black Educators History Museum, and community gathering space. Halloran’s department helped secure funding and navigate permitting to get it built.

“This space is about honoring Bahama Village’s legacy while giving the next generation a place to grow.”

• Duval Street Resiliency and Revitalization (Duval4All) — Planning phase complete; next steps TBD. Planning phase completed with robust public input, including surveys and open houses. The project integrates stormwater management, elevated street infrastructure upgrades, shade structures, and pedestrian safety — all framed around climate resilience.

“We want this process to be transparent and community-driven. Duval Street belongs to everyone.”

• Clinton Square Park — Opened last June; pedestrian-friendly upgrades. Features seating, shade trees, lighting, and historic markers. Planning helped navigate approvals from HARC, Parks & Rec, and Engineering.

“This is about reclaiming public space for people, not just cars.”

• Historic Diesel Plant — Adaptive reuse and preservation. Currently in pre-RFP phase. Planning led the groundwork for adaptive reuse, including groundwater management and historic preservation coordination.

“We’re looking for partners who understand the site’s history and its potential to serve both locals and visitors.”

• Southernmost Point Plaza — Construction beginning this week. Includes seawall repairs, plaza redesign, and stormwater upgrades. Planning helped coordinate with Community Services and Engineering.

“This isn’t just a photo op — it’s a chance to make the space safer, more accessible, and more resilient.”

These seven visible wins reflect a broader philosophy: walkable, climate-conscious urbanism. But they didn’t happen in a vacuum. Behind them are quieter, foundational changes that made these projects possible. As longtime HARC Planner, Enid Torregrosa put it:

“For years, City Hall (derisivly) called Planning the ‘arts and crafts department.’ Katie ended that culture.

She requested public involvement and transparency throughout the vetting process. Now planning was the leading department for design and development for city capital projects affecting the community. Many directors resented this shift, but she was committed to implement what was logically the correct practice in any healthy government. ”

Enid highlights how the Planning Department prior to Ms. Halloran’s arrival wasn’t a player in the big projects and was even ridiculed by the others. But the quieter, foundational work with her team described below made the success of those seven projects possible:

• Comprehensive Plan Updates — Halloran’s department advanced targeted updates to the Comprehensive Plan — especially around climate resilience and infrastructure — though a full rewrite remains overdue.
• Land Development Regulation (LDR) Reforms — Halloran’s team defended and refined Key West’s inclusionary housing code, resisting efforts to dilute affordability mandates and updating key definitions and standards.
• Public Engagement Infrastructure — Projects like Duval4All and Mallory Square Master Plan, among others showcased a commitment to public input, with surveys and open houses shaping the planning phase.
• Climate Adaptation Integration — Planning projects increasingly incorporated climate adaptation — from stormwater upgrades to elevation strategies — in coordination with the City’s broader Adaptation Plan.
• Cross-Departmental Coordination — Planning collaborated with departments like Engineering and Sustainability to deliver shared goals. The departments that tried to silence her work is well documented.

“We’re trying to make it easier for people to live and work downtown,” Halloran said in 2022, when asked about the city’s push to streamline permits and support infill development.

Strategic Planning with Teeth

Halloran’s tenure coincided with the adoption of two major citywide frameworks: the Strategic Plan and the City’s climate resilience goals – sometimes referred to as a Climate Action or Adaptation or Climate Change Plan. But unlike many cities where such plans gather dust, Key West’s Planning Department used them to guide real decisions. Zoning changes prioritized infill development and walkability. Permitting processes were streamlined to support affordable housing and adaptive reuse. Public space investments — from Clinton Square to Southernmost Point Plaza — were shaped by climate resilience goals.

The result was a planning culture that didn’t just talk about sustainability — it embedded it in the city’s physical form. Halloran didn’t just check boxes — she made the rules match the vision. Here’s what Elisa Levy, the person who started and helped implement the first few years of the City’s Strategic Plan, told me when I asked her about Katie:

“Katie has been the heartbeat behind so much of the city’s progress. She was instrumental in creating the first strategic plan in over a decade, and she poured herself into projects that mattered most to our community. The affordable housing project known as the ‘3.2 acres’ (now the Lofts at Bahama Village) is just one example. Katie not only helped get it off the ground, she fought to make sure it stayed true to its purpose—affordable and accessible for the people who call this place home. She also threw her energy into the city’s climate change plan, the revitalization of Mallory Square and Duval Street, and nearly every other major initiative in the plan. Katie doesn’t just dream big—she has the grit, the brilliance, and the determination to bring those dreams to life.”

Transparency and Integrity Under Fire

Even amid controversy, Halloran demonstrated a commitment to transparency. In a 2022 incident involving a permit application for her family’s home, she proactively recused herself and documented the process to avoid any perception of impropriety. That kind of ethical foresight is rare — and worth defending.

But the 2022 example wasn’t an isolated case. Halloran’s resignation letter — described by local media as thoughtful and measured — reveals a pattern of proactive ethics and transparency. She raised concerns about questionable development review practices, helped launch the Corradino Report, and submitted a formal complaint to Human Resources about the City Manager. She also supported the Grand Jury investigation and expressed hope that its recommendations would be implemented.

Transparency wasn’t just about ethics — it was embedded in her planning philosophy. Halloran’s department created public-facing web pages for major projects like Duval4All, hosted surveys and open houses, and coordinated with outside consultants to ensure fair permitting processes. Here’s how longtime HARC Planner Enid Torregrosa put it:

“Katie is an outstanding professional with a strong ethics core. Her love for our community and passion for what is correct, and fair is what drives her in all decisions. She is an exemplary leader that elevated the Planning Department to the level where it should have been in the city.”

Her commitment to transparency, integrity and ethics wasn’t abstract — it’s visible in every staff member she interacted with. Here’s what Dan Guzilio — who worked with Halloran — and has nearly 40 years of community planning experience said to our friends at Above the Fold by Ted Lund:

“I can say without reservation that Katie Halloran is as fine a public servant as anyone that I have met throughout my career. She is incredibly hard-working, exceptionally competent, and immovably honest. Unfortunately, under current City management, those are not the character traits that are valued.”

What We Owe Her — and What Comes Next

Katie Halloran made Key West a better place to live, work, and play. Her planning legacy is especially visible downtown, where her department helped deliver civic spaces, affordable housing, and climate-resilient infrastructure. We’re grateful for her service — and for the vision she brought to our city’s most vital neighborhoods. She put the public good first — treating all residents with equal respect and care — even when it made her unpopular with those who expected special treatment.

But with her resignation, the work isn’t done. We need leaders to step up and 1. fix what ails city hall so good people like Katie stop leaving and 2. we owe it to her to finish what she started — especially the Mallory Square Master Plan, the Historic Diesel Plant reuse, and the Duval Street Resiliency and Revitalization project. Duval Street is our main street, our economic engine, and our cultural heart. It deserves the kind of thoughtful, community-driven planning Halloran championed — and it deserves to be finished.

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Author’s, Note: PLEASE CHECK THE COMMENTS FOR MORE TESTIMONIALS
Author’s, Note: I didn’t know Katie Halloran personally. We’re not friends, not even on Facebook. But over the past five years, I’ve covered many of the projects she helped lead. When I asked for updates or quotes, she responded — not with spin, but with substance. Even as a department head, she made time to help inform the public. That’s where this story comes from: not insider access, but a front-row seat to the work.

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Chris Hamilton is the founder of Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown, a local advocacy group championing sustainable mobility and vibrant public spaces. Subscribe to the blog and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Substack for updates. All stories are cross posted at KONK Life News. Originally from Washington, D.C., Chris spent over two decades leading nationally acclaimed initiatives in transit, biking, walking, and smart growth for Arlington County, VA’s DOT. Since moving to Key West in 2015, he has embraced a car-free lifestyle downtown, dedicating his time to non-profits and community projects. Explore all Streets for People column articles here.