21/10/2026
Restoring More Than a Building: The Structural Rehabilitation of Iglesia La Resurrección in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Some projects carry a significance that extends far beyond their size, complexity, or construction value. The ongoing restoration of Iglesia Metodista La Resurrección in Ponce is one of them.
Designed by renowned Czech architect Antonín Nechodoma and inaugurated in 1908, this historic church has been part of Ponce’s architectural and cultural heritage for over a century.
The 2020 earthquakes caused significant structural damage, particularly to its historic bell tower, threatening both the building’s integrity and the preservation of this important community landmark.
As part of a FEMA-funded disaster recovery initiative, our team is undertaking a comprehensive structural rehabilitation program that combines modern strengthening technologies with the sensitivity required to preserve a historic structure.
The work includes the rehabilitation and stabilization of the damaged bell tower using specialized CINTEC anchoring systems, along with structural strengthening through glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates and embedded steel reinforcement.
After nearly two years of involvement and an extended interruption during 2026 due to funding challenges, we’re pleased to see construction moving forward again.
What makes this project meaningful is not its magnitude, but its purpose.
For generations, this church has been a place of faith, gathering, and belonging. Restoring it means preserving not only its architecture, but also its role in the community.
As engineers and preservation professionals, we’re privileged to help protect structures that tell the stories of our communities.
Because the greatest impact of our work isn’t always measured in engineering complexity, but in the lives and communities it touches.
