Río Piedras State Penitentiary
Encyclopedia
The Río Piedras State Penitentiary, also known as Puerto Rico Island Penitentiary or Oso Blanco (or White Bear in English
), was a correctional facility located in Río Piedras
, Puerto Rico
. The institution opened in 1933 under the government of James R. Beverley, and came to substitute the Puerto Rico Prison established by Spaniards in the 19th century.
In 2004, the Government of Puerto Rico
ordered the eviction of the state prison because it was deemed too expensive to readjust the structure to newer and modern facility standards.
, Francisco Roldán, to design the structure. In a new approach to rehabilitation policies, Roldán added a softer design in contrast to the harsh structures that used to be the prisons of the era.
The construction began officially in 1927 with the overview of a professional contracting agency and the use of prisoner workforce. The total cost of the project was $779,822. The prisoners were also used to cultivate the surrounding grounds in an effort to promote their contribution in the economy of the island.
The building bears a neo-moorish
architectural style with touches of art deco
accentuated by the main entrance to the complex. There, two female statues guard it from both sides, with a detailed arch that reads above a quote from the known Spanish
feminist and sociologist, Concepción Arenal
, that reads "Hate the crime and pities the criminal".
The complex featured 332 cells
and 12 pavilions
, a clinic, a psychiatric hall, a library, classrooms, workshops, a mess hall with capacity for 500 inmates, a kitchen and restrooms, all organized around an interior patio.
The structure also features guerites in the outer facade with bland-colored tiles to contrast its look with its austere appearance.
It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in 2003.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
), was a correctional facility located in Río Piedras
Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
Río Piedras is a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Founded in 1714, it has been the home of the University of Puerto Rico's main campus since 1903, earning the town the popular name of Ciudad Universitaria...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. The institution opened in 1933 under the government of James R. Beverley, and came to substitute the Puerto Rico Prison established by Spaniards in the 19th century.
In 2004, the Government of Puerto Rico
Government of Puerto Rico
The Government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. Its current powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution...
ordered the eviction of the state prison because it was deemed too expensive to readjust the structure to newer and modern facility standards.
Building
In 1926, the Federal Government hired the architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, Francisco Roldán, to design the structure. In a new approach to rehabilitation policies, Roldán added a softer design in contrast to the harsh structures that used to be the prisons of the era.
The construction began officially in 1927 with the overview of a professional contracting agency and the use of prisoner workforce. The total cost of the project was $779,822. The prisoners were also used to cultivate the surrounding grounds in an effort to promote their contribution in the economy of the island.
The building bears a neo-moorish
Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
architectural style with touches of art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
accentuated by the main entrance to the complex. There, two female statues guard it from both sides, with a detailed arch that reads above a quote from the known Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
feminist and sociologist, Concepción Arenal
Concepción Arenal
Concepción Arenal was a Spanish feminist writer and activist.Born in Ferrol, Galicia, she excelled in literature and was the first woman to attend university in Spain...
, that reads "Hate the crime and pities the criminal".
The complex featured 332 cells
Prison cell
A prison cell or holding cell or lock-up is a small room in a prison, or police station where a prisoner is held.Prison cells are usually about 6 by 8 feet in size with steel or brick walls and one solid or barred door that locks from the outside. Many modern prison cells are pre-cast. Solid doors...
and 12 pavilions
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
, a clinic, a psychiatric hall, a library, classrooms, workshops, a mess hall with capacity for 500 inmates, a kitchen and restrooms, all organized around an interior patio.
The structure also features guerites in the outer facade with bland-colored tiles to contrast its look with its austere appearance.
It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2003.