Puerto Rico Preservation Plan

Number of Pages:  77
Approved:  December 28, 2005
Planning Cycle:  5 years

Contact Information:

Nydia Préstamo
State Historic Preservation Office
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 9066581
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00906-6581
(787) 721-3737; fax (787) 723-3622 or -1883
E-mail: nprestamo@prshpo.gobierno.pr
Web site: www.oech.gobierno.pr

Salvaguardar nuestro patrimonio histórico y dirigir la coordinación de esfuerzos en favor de su conservación e integración apropiada en el desarrollo del país, para el disfrute y beneficio de ésta y futuras generaciones.

Promover y coordinar la identificación y conservación del patrimonio histórico, así como su integración apropiada en las iniciativas de desarrollo del país, con el fin de proteger la integridad del recurso histórico, prolongar su presencia, influencia, rendimiento y disfrute. Instar a la participación conjunta en estos esfuerzos al fomentar el entendimiento y la apreciación de la aportación del recurso histórico a nuestra formación individual, definición colectiva y a la calidad de vida de las comunidades.

To conserve…for you, for us, for your people

Conservar…por ti, por nosotros, por los tuyos
Between the historic and the old…

Entre lo histórico y lo viejo…
The State Historic Preservation Office: Who are we? What do we do?

Oficina Estatal de Conservación Histórica: ¿Quiénes somos? ¿Qué hacemos?
To plan for historic conservation

Planificar la Conservación Histórica
Process of Evaluating and Revising the State Plan 2001-2005 and Preparing the New Plan

Proceso de Evaluación y Revisión del Plan Estatal 2001-2005 y Elaboración del Nuevo Plan
Achievements of the State Plan 2001-2005

Logros del Plan Estatal 2001-2005
Notable Issues for Historic Conservation in Puerto Rico

Asuntos Relevantes para la Conservación Histórica en Puerto Rico
State Historic Preservation Plan for Puerto Rico 2006-2010 - Vision and Mission

Plan Estatal de Conservación Histórica de Puerto Rico 2006-2010- Visión y Misión
Goals and Objectives for 2006-2010

Metas y Objetivos para el 2006-2010
Planning Cycle

Ciclo de Planificación
Sources Consulted

Fuentes Consultadas
Appendix A. Studies Used as Reference by the SHPO

Anejo A. Estudios Utilizados como Referencia por la OECH
Appendix B. Historic Contexts Identified to Date by SHPO Activities

Anejo B. Contextos Históricos Identificados hasta el Momento por las Actividades de la OECH
Appendix C. Puerto Rican Properties Included in the National Register of Historic Places

Anejo C. Propiedades de Puerto Rico Incluidas en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos
Appendix D. Approaches to Appropriate Treatment of Historic Properties

Anejo D. Acercamientos para la Intervención Adecuada en Propiedades Históricas
Appendix E. Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Properties

Normas del Secretario de lo Interior para la Rehabilitación de Propiedades Históricas
Appendix F. Section 106- Review and Compliance

Anejo F. Sección 106- Revisión y Cumplimiento

PLAN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
Public Participation Strategies:

• Ongoing dialogue with government agencies and with professional, cultural, and educational organizations;
• Public opinion and citizen participation in regular SHPO activities;
• Distributed the 2001-2005 State Plan for review and comments;
• Discussion forums at Archaeology Month and Preservation Month events;
• Questionnaire distributed at SHPO facilities, events, visits, and through the mail, with about 500 responses received.

• Synthesis of historic property data.

ISSUES, THREATS, & OPPORTUNITIES

• Greatest threats to resources, according to questionnaire responses are: insensitive demolition and construction; urban sprawl; lack of citizen awareness; limited legal protection; and private developments;
• Need to educate our government and citizens about the importance of historic preservation;
• Need for collaboration and coordination between agencies;
• eed to increase survey and inventory activities and development of historic contexts;
• Need to increase nominations to the National Register;
• Need for improved legal mechanisms for resource protection, including demolition and construction permit regulations;
• Need for technical education in conservation of historic materials and traditional construction techniques, as well as in appropriate treatment practices;
• Need to pay attention to the economics of historic preservation;
• Need to expand opportunities for citizen participation in preservation activities.

1. Educate the community about the importance of historic properties, and the opportunities and benefits of their conservation.
   Educar la comunidad sobre la importancia de las propiedades históricas, las oportunidades y beneficios de su conservación.
2. Promote and coordinate the identification, documentation, and evaluation of the nation's archaeological and architectural resources.
   Promover y coordinar la identificación, documentación y evaluación de los recursos arqueológicos y arquitectónicos del país.
3. Foster the inclusion of historic properties in governmental registers that offer local incentives and regulate adequate treatment, as well as promote new methods to improve their protection.
   Fomentar la inclusion de propiedades en los registros gubernamentales que incentivan y regulan su tratamiento adecuado, así como promover nuevas medidas para su mejor protección.
4. Obtain the integration of historic preservation as an essential element in sustainable development and effective revitalization of communities.
   Procurar la integración de la conservation histórica como elemento esencial para el desarrollo sustenable y la revitalizión efectiva de las comunidades.
5. Assist and educate the community about the programs, practices, and appropriate techniques for conserving historic resources.
   Asistir y educar a la comunidad sobre los programas, prácticas y técnicas apropriadas para la conservación del recurso histórico.

1. Community Education.
   • Develop an aggressive public service campaign in the communications media;
   • Promote the importance of resources included in the National Register;
   • Encourage interpretive studies of historic resources to foster their appreciation;
   • Obtain universal access to information about historic resources by disabled persons;
   • Provide guidance to communities on the appreciation of their assets and the identification of buildings and particular urban qualities that merit conservation, in order to promote their development;
   • Highlight those historic resources included in government registers that house functions or activities that promote our daily interaction or contribute to place naming, as examples of the energetic force and contribution of resources to community life.
2. Identify, document, and evaluate archaeological and architectural resources.
   • Update the historic resource inventory through documentation and evaluation of the condition of National Register properties;
   • Include municipalities and government agencies into conservation activities, through coordination of general reconnaissance survey and intensive inventory of properties in their jurisdiction;
   • Train community groups in the requirements and procedures for identifying properties of possible historic value;
   • Promote intensive property inventory in those communities where potential historic resources have been identified;
   • Establish volunteer groups to rescue historic resources, develop education about them and their conservation and appropriate management;
   • Promote the education and participation of young professionals in identification, documentation, and evaluation of historic properties;
   • Facilitate public and agency access to information generated by identification, inventory, and nominations, through the web.
3. Include historic properties in government registers.
   • Expand the historic resource inventory included in the National Register and the Register of Historic Sites and Zones;
   • Give special attention and quick response to National Register nominations prepared by citizen initiative;
   • Promote new methods and revised regulations, procedures, and laws that control or provide incentives for resource conservation in order to make them more effective;
   • Seek the viability and use of federal incentives in Puerto Rico for all properties listed on the National Register.
4. Integrate historic preservation in sustainable development and community revitalization.
   • Promote historic preservation as an essential element for community revitalization and development;
   • Foster the evaluation, consideration, and inclusion of historic properties in government activities through their appropriate integration in initiatives of various public agencies;
   • Publicize development initiatives that affect historic properties and communities;
   • Seek the formation of planning and development strategies that consider and integrate conservation of the patrimony;
   • Develop community programs for the rescue, rehabilitation, and integration of historic resources in response to the needs of the community;
   • Foster activities that drive development of heritage and cultural tourism as alternatives to economic development;
   • Promote programs of incentives for new enterprises that use historic structures.
5. Community assistance in conservation techniques.
   • Promote and seek active public participation in conservation programs that provide services to communities;
   • Educate about conservation practices and treatments for property owners, tenants, users such as skilled and professional staff who manage historic properties;
   • Provide training to skilled and professional construction employees in techniques for the appropriate management, repair, and replacement of historical material;
   • Promote appropriate rehabilitation practices to facilitate access to historic resources by impaired persons;
   • Promote and offer technical assistance and assessments to owners and tenants of historic properties.

FEATURES OF NOTE:
Puerto Rico's Plan is entirely in Spanish for increased public and professional understanding and use. Each goal contains a list of SHPO actions that will contribute to achieving the goal.