The Degetau Federal Building

THE SOMBER FEDERAL OFFICE BUILDING  AND COURTHOUSE AT CHARDON STREET IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO,  WITH ITS STARK ARCHITECTURE, MULTIPLE FENCES, ALARMS, CHECKPOINTS AND SECURITY ZEALOTS SEEMS SO SEPARATE,  ALOOF AND JUST PLAIN DIFFERENT FROM THE ISLAND'S INFORMAL  CULTURE....IT SEEMS TO SAY TO THE PASSERBY......  PRETEND WE ARE NOT HERE AND DON'T GET TOO NEAR.

The building's name comes from Federico Degetau, born in 1862  in Ponce,  Puerto Rico (and of German descent). 

Besides being the first Resident Commissioner in the U.S. (hence the relationship with the Federal Government) Degetau was also a Spanish licensed lawyer educated in Barcelona and Madrid;  distinguished poet and writer.  He was an active member of the PR Autonomist party; and on behalf of Puerto Rico,  he vigorously worked  to secure more independence from Spain; being one of the commissioners sent to Spain by Luis Muñoz Rivera to seek independence. That's where he wasd when the U.S. invaded Puerto Rico duing the war. His attention focused on the U.S when  the Island became a U.S. Territory.

He became mayor or San Juan  and later deputy  to the General Courts in Spain; where he  happened to be during the U.S. invasion of Puerto Rico.

Despite the dramatic changes  in the Island, Degetau continued immersed in public service.  He was appointed by the U.S.  as  Puerto Rico's Secretary of Interior.   In 1900 he was elected Resident Commissioner and re-elected in 1902. He  served in the Fifty-sixth  and Fifty-eight Congress; from 1901 to 1905.  Degetau died in 1914  at the age of 52. 

Ironically, while he participated in the quest to obtain autonomy from Spain, as a member of Congress, Degetau attempted to procure U.S. citizenship for Puerto Ricans.   

While the  the grey federal  building may look unsympathetic,  it nevertheless  stands in honor of a Puerto Rican committed to  justice and  diversity  of the human race.