SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO- If you’ve been to the Port in Old San Juan, you most likely came across the U.S. Customs House. It’s not hard to miss. It’s the large bright pink building. That’s where most of the Customs and Border Protection operates out of. The building is going through a multi-million dollar renovation trying to preserve its historic charm while also making sure it’s keeping up with modern times.
“Right now this is where we have our field operations,” said Jeffrey Quinones, with CBP in San Juan. “Field operations handles anything that has to do on the ports of entry, so from this field office we operate 9 ports of entry.”
This 65-thousand square foot building was built in the 1920s in a similar Spanish revival style you’ll see in Old San Juan. The building itself stands out in many ways, like it’s paint color.
“A lot of people ask us why it’s painted pink,” said Quinones. “And its painted pink because in 1937 the collector of customs was appointed by the FDR administration, her name was Jeanette Springstead Whittemore. She was the first female to be appointed collector of customs and she liked pink, so she decided to paint every single customs house on the island pink.”
Before 9/11, the building was used for activities and social events like weddings. There’s even an old apartment inside where the old collector of customs would live. But throughout the decades, the building needed a makeover.
“The renovations started right around 2014 but were interrupted because of [Hurricanes] Irma and Maria,” said Quinones. “The federal government has invested 65-million dollars in renovation of this building. We’re working on the roof; we’re working on some structural areas that we’ll need a little bit more care.”
Their goal is to keep it’s historic charm but make sure it’s up to current, modern standards.
“It requires a lot of work and we’re fortunate our contractor has been very patient in adapting this building,” said Quinones.
Quinones believes the renovations will be finished by this year.
