Demolition work begins at Roosevelt Roads to clear site for new marine innovation center
By THE STAR STAFF
The central government has begun demolishing the former U.S. Coast Guard pier facilities at Roosevelt Roads in Ceiba, marking the first visible step toward developing a new Marine Business, Research & Innovation Center (MBRIC), a project the administration says will anchor the island’s emerging blue‑economy strategy.
Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced the start of demolition on Sunday alongside Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) Secretary and Roosevelt Roads Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) Executive Director Carlos J. Ríos Pierluisi. The work, funded with more than $100,000 from DDEC, is expected to take between 15 and 30 days.
The demolition will clear the site for the MBRIC, a 53,990‑square‑foot facility designed as a hub for marine research, workforce development and collaboration among private companies, universities and scientific organizations. The center aims to position Roosevelt Roads as a regional anchor for innovation tied to the Caribbean’s ocean‑based industries.
“For decades, people have talked about redeveloping Roosevelt Roads, and everything has remained up in the air,” González Colón said. “We have already begun demolishing several structures to enable a new Roosevelt Roads. This will allow us to attract investment and strengthen Puerto Rico’s role in the blue economy, which already generates more than 63,000 local jobs.”
The governor emphasized that expanding marine‑related industries -- from research to port infrastructure, could drive long‑term economic growth for Ceiba and the eastern region.
Ríos Pierluisi said the project represents a strategic shift for Roosevelt Roads, transforming the former naval base into an engine for innovation and high‑value employment.
“The MBRIC will be much more than new infrastructure,” he said. “It will be a space where innovation, research, education, and industry converge to strengthen the blue economy, develop local talent, and create new investment opportunities.”
The LRA began preliminary remediation work on June 29, removing and disposing of lead‑based paint and other materials required before demolition could begin.
According to the agency, the project’s design is 90% complete. Architectural plans for the main building are finished, with remaining work focused on exterior utilities and parking areas, expected to wrap up by year’s end. The government anticipates publishing the construction bid in early 2027 and starting work later that year. If the timeline holds, the center would be completed in 2029.
González Colón’s administration has framed the MBRIC as a cornerstone of its economic development agenda, aiming to attract new industries, expand applied research, and build a specialized workforce aligned with global marine‑sector growth.
“This project is an investment in Puerto Rico’s future,” Ríos Pierluisi said. “Roosevelt Roads has the potential to become a regional reference point for marine innovation, and we are taking firm steps to achieve it.”
The demolition marks the beginning of what officials describe as a long‑term effort to create an ecosystem where academia, industry and research institutions collaborate to expand Puerto Rico’s competitiveness in the blue economy.
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