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Government

NPS San Juan National Historic Site

San Juan, PR

Project Overview

MFS Construction provided Design/Build services for the National Park Service (NPS) at the San Juan National Historic Site (SAJU) in Puerto Rico following extensive damage caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The Category 4 and 5 hurricane brought destructive winds, storm surge, and displaced debris, resulting in significant harm to infrastructure throughout the historic site.

San Juan, PR

Project Details

MFS delivered design development documents and supplied all labor, materials, and subcontractor management required for the successful repair and restoration of multiple structures. The project aimed to return these assets to their original condition while incorporating resiliency measures to withstand future storm events.

Key structures included Santa Elena El Polvorin, El Abanico, and the Visitor’s Center and Museum at Castillo San Cristóbal. MFS also repaired streetlights and stone pavers along Calle Norzagaray, which connects Castillo San Cristóbal and Castillo San Felipe del Morro. The team worked closely with NPS to maintain a strict schedule from design through completion and provided regular progress meetings and reports. All designs incorporated environmental and sustainability considerations in compliance with NPS requirements and hazard mitigation standards.

As part of the project, MFS developed construction drawings to repair and replace damaged light fixtures and poles along Calle Norzagaray, upgraded the light sources to energy-efficient LEDs, and maintained the historic pole design. At the headquarters building, a 128-square-foot skylight was replaced with a glass/polycarbonate panel, and an 833-square-foot section of the brick roof at the Guardhouse at El Abanico was repaired using historical techniques. Approximately 3,500 square feet of metal roofing at the Santa Elena El Polvorin site was replaced with a corrosion-resistant system designed for greater resilience. Additionally, about 528 square feet of aluminum storefront and doors were replaced with impact-rated, insulated glazing to enhance durability and sustainability.

These efforts preserved one of Puerto Rico’s most significant historic sites, which served as the “front door” to the Spanish colonies in the New World for more than 250 years and played a vital role in Spain’s global presence.

Stats

  • Owner:
    National Park Services (NPS)
    • Client:
      National Park Services (NPS)

Services Provided

  • Our project management and construction teams are capable of performing design-build projects to reduce the overall project schedule by overlapping the project’s design and construction phases.