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Thursday, February 2, 2011

Resident Commissioner Participates in Groundbreaking Ceremony at La Casa Degetau

AIBONITO, PUERTO RICO – Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi and Aibonito Mayor William Alicea Perez participated this morning at a groundbreaking ceremony that marked the beginning of the restoration of La Quinta Rosacruz, better known as La Casa Degetau.

At the event, the Resident Commissioner presented a U.S. flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol in honor of Don Francisco Degetau on January 19, 2011. The flag was framed with a certificate of authenticity, and it will remain at Casa Degetau in commemoration of today’s groundbreaking ceremony.

The restoration of Casa Degetau was made possible through a $400,000 grant made by the Commissioner of Municipal Affairs. The source of funding for this grant was the federal Community Development Block Grant program. An additional $400,000 has been authorized by the government of Puerto Rico through a special fund for culture, recreation and the arts.

“I feel honored to support the restoration of La Casa Degetau, the residence of Federico Degetau, who represented us as Puerto Rico’s first Resident Commissioner in Washington. This is yet another way to promote and preserve our rich history. I want to congratulate Mayor Alicea and the people of Aibonito, who have spent years fighting to make this restoration a reality. Their perseverance has brought this project to fruition,” said Pierluisi.

The restoration project consists of the preservation of the principal structure of the Degetau family home. The restoration will include repairs to the architectural design damaged with the passage of time. An elevator will be added to improve access to the second floor. In the exterior area, a roofed gazebo will be built for outdoor activities. Finally, there will be a study area added, to be used to conduct academic research on Don Federico Degetau and his successors in Congress.

Don Federico Degetau spent a large part of his retirement at La Quinta Rosacruz after he completed his service as Resident Commissioner in 1905. As the first Resident Commissioner, Degetau occupied the position for four years, during which he proposed the extension of U.S. citizenship to residents of Puerto Rico and advocated statehood for the Island.

“With every year that passes, the Office of the Resident Commissioner becomes more important for the well-being of our people. As our bond with the United States grows stronger, the decision-making process in Washington becomes even more crucial for Puerto Rico’s future. I am honored to occupy this position, and humbled by the responsibility of commemorating our first Resident Commissioner, a great Puerto Rican by the name of Federico Degetau.”

The restoration of Casa Degetau is expected to be completed in eight months.