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 (say: Ahl-BER-geh Cah-ree-TAH-tee-voh Tree-CO-cheh), also known as Hospital Tricoche, is a very old and important building in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It's located in the city's historic area on Calle Tricoche street. This building was designed by the Spanish Royal Corps of Engineers.
It was built in the style of 19th-century civil architecture, which means it looks like many grand buildings from that time. When it was finished in 1878, it was considered one of the most beautiful and largest public buildings in all of Puerto Rico!
The hospital got its name from Valentin Tricoche. He was a kind person in the 1800s who owned land in Ponce. In his will, he left money specifically to build this hospital. He wanted it to be a place that helped the poor and those in need.
Building the hospital started on May 30, 1873. The Spanish Royal Corps of Engineers handed it over to the city government in September 1876. Finally, it opened its doors to the public on December 11, 1878. The building was designed in a style called Classical Revival, which means it looked back to ancient Greek and Roman designs.
By 1885, the hospital was so busy that it needed more space. So, an extra part was added, called "Hospital Civil de Ponce". This helped tell it apart from the original hospital that Valentin Tricoche's money built. This historic building was officially added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 14, 1987.
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A Look at Its History
The Albergue Caritativo Tricoche was created in 1878. This was possible because Mr. Valentin Tricoche left money to the City of Ponce in his will. He wanted these funds to build a shelter and hospital for the poor people of Ponce.
Growing Bigger to Help More People
Just seven years after it opened, in 1885, the hospital was helping so many people that it ran out of room. Ponce was growing, and more space was needed. So, they started building an addition. This new part was called "Hospital Civil" to show it was separate from the first building.
People like Ermelindo Salazar, Bartolo Mayol, and Francisco Maria Franceschi helped collect money from the public for the new part. They gathered enough funds to build one section of the addition. The whole new part wasn't finished until 1896.
By 1885, the city had built a large, one-story building. It covered an entire city block. This building stayed mostly the same until a big earthquake in 1918. The earthquake damaged part of the southern side of the hospital.
Repairs and Changes Over Time
The damaged part was rebuilt in 1928. During this repair, a second story was added to the southern side. The new part was built to match the style of the older building. 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 health rules or to serve the community better. One main change was adding a new emergency entrance on the southern side. This new entrance was designed to fit in with the building's look. The second floor added in 1928 also blended well with the original design.
Hospital Tricoche served 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 the city.
In 1972, the city decided to rebuild the hospital. But in 1974, they changed their minds. They decided to build a brand new hospital somewhere else. This new location would be less crowded and have more parking.
A new hospital was built between the mid-1970s and early 1980s. However, the city couldn't find enough money to open it. So, in 1984, they sold the new building to the Hospital Dr. Pila for $10.37 million. Hospital Dr. Pila moved into the new building three years later. Tricoche Hospital itself closed down 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's just a few blocks north of Ponce's main town square.
Original Design and Later Additions
The oldest records show that the building was built in 1885. It was a one-story building with two identical open courtyards inside. 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 the repairs, a second story was added to the southern side.
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 porch, which has three arches. The middle arch sticks out a little. This porch is part of the original 1885 design. Above the porch, there's a flat top with the building's name. Other decorations include windows with special shapes and designs.
The back half of the building is still one story tall. It has many rectangular windows with simple frames. On the north side (facing Calle Arenas), there's a simple triangular shape at the top with the date "1885" on it. The Calle Arenas side has a repeating pattern of flat columns and sections.
The corners of 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. The new addition on the side has arched openings and glass windows. While this new part doesn't add to the building's historic value, it doesn't harm its overall look either. Even with the changes made in 1928, the building is still a great example of Spanish architecture and the neoclassical style in Ponce.
What's Happening Now
In 2009, the mayor of Ponce, Francisco Zayas Seijo, said that $1 million had been spent to remove harmful materials from the hospital. He hoped this money would help the hospital open again.
In the summer of 2019, the Ponce city council approved a plan. This plan allows the city to either rent out or sell the historic hospital building.
