Cidra to renovate historic town hall as museum & tourist center.

Renovations at the old town hall in Cidra will focus on renewing the electrical system, sealing the roof to prevent leaks, restoring the staircases, and rehabilitating the wooden ceiling with its central skylight, seen here.

By THE STAR STAFF

Cidra has begun the rehabilitation of the old town hall in the eastern-central mountain municipality’s urban center, a historic structure that has remained unused since 2007 and will now be transformed into a museum, tourist center and service space, with an approximate investment of $180,000, well below the initial projection of close to $1 million.

“We evaluated each component of the project to address the essentials without compromising the building’s integrity,” Cidra Mayor Delvis Pagán Clavijo said in a Wednesday press release. “We were able to significantly reduce the investment and direct resources to work that guarantees the structural stability, safety and functionality of the space for the public.”

“We cannot allow buildings of historical value to become an obstacle,” he added. “This rehabilitation seeks to breathe new life into one of Cidra’s most emblematic structures and put it at the service of the people with a use that combines culture, services, and community support.”

The mayor noted that the intervention is part of a strategy to rescue disused structures within the town center and reintegrate them into local economic activity.

The building showed significant deterioration, with structural wear, failures in essential systems, and conditions that compromised its preservation. Given this situation, the municipality opted for a comprehensive rehabilitation with a restoration focus, aimed at conserving its historical value while correcting deficiencies and adapting it for new public uses.

The project will preserve the original structure in its entirety, including elements from the last renovation, carried out in 1979. The work focuses on renewing the electrical system, sealing the roof to prevent leaks, restoring the staircases, and rehabilitating the wooden ceiling with its central skylight. The aesthetic restoration includes the use of historical colors from the 1930s, in keeping with the original design.

The initiative is funded through municipal funds and legislative allocations obtained in the district. It is also part of a broader urban revitalization plan that includes improvements to the Teatro Iberia Centro Cultural Cidreño, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Once completed, the former town hall will house a museum of Cidra’s history, a services office, and a tourist center. It will also be the headquarters of the Cancer Sponsors initiative, a municipal program supporting cancer patients.