The historic site has $3.6 million to manage repairs and mitigation measures
San Juan, Puerto Rico – Residents of the municipality of Coamo and its visitors will soon be able to enjoy the renovated facilities of the historic Los Baños Hotel and Inn, following an allocation of nearly $3.6 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to repair damage after Hurricane María.
Los Baños, known for its hot springs, today celebrated its groundbreaking ceremony and construction is already underway. Funds for the repairs were awarded to the Puerto Rico Land Administration, a government entity that already has nearly $11.9 million for 10 projects.
For the Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro R. Pierluisi, “the reconstruction and modernization of our infrastructure is the foundation of the future of Puerto Rico. And making these projects and improvements the basis for sustainable economic development is the goal that we all share here. For our administration, as well as for the municipality of Coamo and all surrounding communities, it is essential to rebuild, modernize and preserve the hotel in this important historical and tourist site, given the damage it suffered after Hurricane María. I thank FEMA for their continued support in helping Puerto Rico rebuild stronger and more resilient than ever before. You can count on us returning for the reinauguration because I have no doubt that the Hotel Baños de Coamo will once again be a great asset for Coamo and for all of Puerto Rico.”
For his part, Deputy Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Andrés García Martinó added: “Through these funds, which today are already translated into ongoing renovations, we support socioeconomic development in the towns of the mountain, which offer a great recreational attraction for its residents and visitors. This is great news and another step forward in the rebuilding of Puerto Rico.”
Los Baños Hotel was built around 1847 and currently has 48 guest rooms. The facilities include gazebos, ballroom, bistro, café, bar, a central courtyard and the hot springs pools.
The repairs to the structure will include an electromechanical assessment of the rooms and air conditioning replacements. Also, one of the pools will be shallowed from 10 to 5 feet to follow compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), among other works. This project includes $2 million to upgrade the roof system of the facilities and install storm shutters, in order to mitigate hazards from wind and wind-driven rain.
The mayor of the municipality of Coamo, Juan Carlos García Padilla, added: “The hotel is a spearhead of economic development, it brings many people to our town. By bringing traffic, it brings consumption and that is very important. The hotel was the first hotel built in the country and had its evolution over time. It is a hotel with a lot of history, many people used it, especially in the forties, fifties and sixties. It will definitely be part of the economic engine of the city.”
The municipality of Coamo has nearly $81.4 million from the agency for more than 170 projects that will improve the lives of its residents and promote the socioeconomic development of the town. For nearly 30 public building projects, the agency destined around $1.6 million.
To date, FEMA has awarded some $30.5 billion for nearly 10,700 Public Assistance projects aimed at rebuilding a Puerto Rico that is more resilient to future weather events.
For more information about Puerto Rico’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4339, fema.gov/disaster/4473 and recovery.pr. Follow us on our social media at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico, Facebook.com/COR3pr and Twitter @COR3pr.