Historic Structures
San Gerónimo Powderhouse
Hurricane Maria | Puerto Rico
As an architect with experience in restoration, I joined recovery efforts in Puerto Rico to assess historically significant structures that had been damaged by Hurricane Maria. In 2017, the devastating storm battered a number of historic buildings across the island, including the San Gerónimo Powderhouse – a historic landmark ammunition storage building dating back to the late 1700’s. The brick and masonry structure that originally served military purposes, also housed Puerto Rico’s Museum of National History during the 1930’s, and later, the island’s zoo.
Intense wind and rain from Hurricane Maria significantly deteriorated San Gerónimo, leaving the original doors, ironwork, and stucco surfaces in need of major repair. A standard site inspection could not accurately assess the site and scope of work needed to restore the structure. As a licensed design professional, I produced specialized drawings and applied my skills in AutoCAD to quantify the dimensions of the building and more precisely capture the damage. I also made recommendations – in consultation with the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, on optimal materials and specialized techniques to return the structure to its original condition. In a small way, my work contributed to restoring a piece of the island’s history.