Home/Contents Masthead

Vol. 35, Number 7—July 2003 Old San Juan Courthouse Honored for Careful Restoration The General Service Administration has recognized the restoration and historic renovation of the José V. Toledo U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, with a 2002 GSA Design Award. It is one of eight courthouse projects recognized in a 2003 ceremony for outstanding public architecture and design, and the only building in the category of Historic Preservation to receive an Honor Award. The GSA Design Awards program began in 1990 and is held biennially. The original Spanish Colonial Revival courthouse building in Old San Juan was completed in 1914 to house a courthouse and post office, and in 1940 an Art Moderne wing and towers were added. However, in recent decades, the structure had deteriorated badly. The courts vacated the building when the Hato Rey facility was built in the 1980s. However, with encouragement from Judge Juan Torruella, the first circuit judge from Puerto Rico, Justice Stephen Breyer and others, GSA decided to restore the courthouse. Finegold Alexander and Associates of Boston designed the final project. Exterior roofed galleries were reopened, clay tile roofing restored, and interior lightwells given new skylights. Wherever possible, original materials were reused. On the fifth floor of the 1940s addition, the historic ceremonial courtroom was fully restored, as was the original roof overhang. Mechanical systems were installed and seismic upgrades — a retrofit which involved the drilling of new foundation piles in the existing basement — were completed. Over 69,000 square feet of courtrooms and offices were modernized to meet current security requirements, and the building is fully ADA-compliant. It is completely wired to contemporary court standards. The courthouse now houses the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, some chambers and a courtroom for the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, U.S. Marshals Service offices, and the U.S. Post Office. "This exceptional restoration," GSA noted, "maintains the maximum amount of historic fabric while integrating current security and programmatic requirements. The project has been a catalyst for the preservation of other historic buildings in Old San Juan." Other courthouse 2002 GSA Design Awards were received by U.S. Courthouse, Eugene, Oregon, the "On the Boards" Award; The James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Martinsburg Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, Martinsburg, West Virginia; the "First Impressions" Awards; A booklet for the Jacob Weinberger U.S. Courthouse, San Diego, California and a tenant guide for the Sandra Day O'Connor U.S. Courthouse; for graphic design; the U.S. Courthouse in Camden, New Jersey; for historic preservation, restoration and renovation; and the James H. Quillen U.S. Courthouse, Greeneville, Tennessee, for construction excellence.

Published monthly by theAdministrative Office of the U.S. CourtsOffice of Public Affairs One Columbus Circle, N.E.Washington, DC 20544 — (202) 502-2600