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Tienda-Almacén Siempreviva
Tienda-Almacén Siempreviva now known as Casa Sigma Mayagüez is a historic building located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Built at the beginning of the nineteenth century and designed in the neoclassical Creole style, it is a representative example of the typology of a ground floor masonry building for residential use in a good state of conservation. The property is part of a very particular set of still-standing structures, which are said to have been built to house the residence facilities of the Spanish officers. The houses are located on what is now Ernesto Ramos Antonini Street, towards Pilar Defilló Street (former "Los Mangos" Avenue) to Pablo Casals Street, and were built during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Their construction followed the rules and ordinances established by the Cabildo, for the rebuilding of the Villa de Mayagüez, following the Great Fire of 1841. The ordinances dictated various aspects of new construction, including plot size, height, construction materials, and perimeter walls (height and materials), and even specified the use of a document outlining approved facade designs. The new lots were distributed giving the owners a term of four to six months to manufacture. It was forbidden to add a wooden roof, to prevent future fires from spreading easily. These ordinances marked a transformation and evolution in the urban fabric and architecture of Mayagüez. Most likely because of the ordinances its architecture has the particular characteristic of having the highest interiors on the island.[1] The structure operated for many years as the warehouse for La Siempreviva fabric store. In 2004, and after the store closed, the building was designated as a historical building and inducted into the Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones by the Puerto Rico Planning Board.[2] In 2022, after many years in disrepair, it was purchased and work began on its reconstruction. Once reconstruction is completed, one of its intended uses is to serve as the gathering space for the Phi Sigma Alpha fraternity.[3] References
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