Albergue Caritativo Tricoche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Albergue Caritativo Tricoche
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 Location in Puerto Rico
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| Location | At the grid formed by Arenas (N), Tricoche (S), Bertoly (E), and Union (W) streets Ponce, Puerto Rico |
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| Area | 1.3 acres (0.53 ha) |
| Built | 30 May 1873 to 11 December 1878 |
| Architect | Julio Vizcarrondo Spanish Royal Corps of Engineers. |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical and 19th Century Civil Architecture |
| MPS | 19th Century Civil Architecture in Ponce TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000769 |
| Added to NRHP | 14 May 1987 |
The Albergue Caritativo Tricoche is also known as Hospital Tricoche. In English, its name means Tricoche Charitable Shelter or Tricoche Hospital. This important building is located on Calle Tricoche street in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is part of the city's historic area.
The Spanish Royal Corps of Engineers designed the building. Its style is from the 19th century and is called civil architecture. When it was finished in 1878, it was considered one of the most beautiful and largest public buildings in Puerto Rico.
The hospital got its name from Valentin Tricoche. He was a kind person from the 1800s who owned land in Ponce. Mr. Tricoche left money in his will to build this hospital. He wanted it to help the poor and those in need.
Building work began on May 30, 1873. The Spanish Royal Corps of Engineers gave the building to the city government in September 1876. It officially opened to the public on December 11, 1878. The building was made in the Classical revival style. By 1885, the hospital grew and added a new part. This new section was called "Hospital Civil de Ponce". This helped people tell it apart from the original hospital.
This historic building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 14, 1987. This means it is a special place worth protecting.
Contents
History of the Tricoche Hospital
The Albergue Caritativo Tricoche started in 1878. It was made possible by a gift of money from Mr. Valentin Tricoche. He left these funds to the City of Ponce in his will. He wanted the money to build a hospital and shelter. This place would help the poor and needy people of Ponce.
Growing Needs and Expansion
Just seven years after opening, by 1885, the hospital was very successful. So many people needed help that it became too small. The city of Ponce was growing, and more space was needed. Because of this, they started building an addition. This new part was called "Hospital Civil." This name helped people know it was different from the first building.
People like Ermelindo Salazar, Bartolo Mayol, and Francisco Maria Franceschi helped raise money. They collected funds from the public to build the new part. Enough money was gathered to build one section of the addition. The entire new building was not finished until 1896.
Changes Over Time
By 1885, the city had finished a one-story building. It was in the neoclassical style. This building covered a whole city block. It stayed mostly the same until 1918. That year, an earthquake damaged part of its southern side.
The damaged part was rebuilt in 1928. During this work, a second story was added to the south side. The new part looked similar to the original building from 1885. The first floor and main entrance were also fixed to look like they did originally.
Since then, only small changes have been made to the building. These changes were usually to follow new rules from the Department of Health. Or they were made to serve the community better. One main change was adding a new emergency entrance. This was on the southern side, facing Bertoly Street. This new entrance did not make the building more valuable. But it also did not harm the building's original look. This was because it was designed to fit in well. The second floor added in 1928 also fit in nicely. It was clearly separated from the older part of the building.
The Hospital Tricoche helped the people of Ponce from 1878 until it closed in 1986. For 108 years, it gave excellent free medical care to the poor and needy.
In 1972, the city decided to rebuild the hospital. But after thinking more about it, they changed their minds in 1974. They decided to build a new hospital somewhere else. This new place would be away from busy areas and have enough parking. A new hospital was built on Avenida Las Americas between the mid-1970s and early 1980s. However, the city could not find enough money to get it ready and open it. So, in 1984, they agreed to sell the new building. They sold it to the Hospital Dr. Pila for $10.37 million. Hospital Dr. Pila moved into the new building three years later. Tricoche Hospital closed in 1999 and has not been used since.
What the Hospital Looks Like
Hospital Tricoche takes up a whole city block. It is bordered by Calle Arenas to the north, Calle Tricoche to the south, Calle Bertoly to the east, and Calle Union to the west. It is just a few blocks north of Ponce's main town square.
Original Design and Features
The oldest records show that the building was constructed in 1885. It was a one-story building with two identical open areas inside, called courtyards. This original layout is still there today. The southern half of the building was changed in 1928. This happened after the 1918 earthquake damaged that part. During this repair, a second story was added to the southern half.
The southern side of the building is set back from the street. It has a fence and a front yard. Its main feature is the entrance portico. This is like a porch with columns. It has flat Tuscan pilasters (flat columns) and three arches. The middle arch sticks out a little. This portico is part of the original building from 1885. Above the portico, there is a border and a low wall with the building's name. Other decorations on this level include parts that stick out. There is also a rounded border over a window that is set back. This window has louvered (slatted) windows with rounded tops and clear glass above them. There is also a flower-like decoration in the middle.
In contrast, the first floor of this south side has large rectangular windows. These windows have wide, flat frames and a simple border on top. They also have rectangular windows with fake rounded arches and fake keystone decorations. All these parts are from the original 1885 building.
Rear and Corner Details
The back half of the building still has its original one-story design. It has many rectangular openings with wide, flat moldings and top cornices (decorative borders). In the middle of the north side (facing Calle Arenas), there is a simple triangular top part called a pediment. It has the date "1885" on it. The Calle Arenas side of the building has a certain rhythm in how its pilasters and sections are arranged. Two pilasters stand on each side of the central ones. The wall sticks out slightly wherever the pilasters are on this side. The bottom of this back part is raised on a podium (a raised platform). The pilasters have a decorative top part called an entablature, with a simple frieze and architrave.
The corners on this back part of the building are rounded. This is a bit unusual for buildings of this style. After a recent update, most windows and doors were made to look similar. They usually have louvered (slatted) designs. The new addition on the side has arched openings facing the street and glass windows. This addition does not add to the building's old architectural value. But because of how it is placed and its size, it does not harm the main building's original look either. Even with the changes made in 1928, the building is still a wonderful example of Spanish architecture in Ponce and the neoclassical style.
Recent Updates
In 2009, the mayor of Ponce, Francisco Zayas Seijo, shared some news. He said that the city had spent $1 million to remove harmful materials from the hospital. He hoped this money would help the hospital open again.
In the summer of 2019, the Ponce Municipal Legislature approved a plan. This plan was to either rent out or sell the building.
