by: Blake Capella , (The College of New Jersey: Class of 2020. Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering, Minor in Physics. Bonner Institute for Civic & Community Engagement: Environment Team Intern.)
Organization Summary:
APRODEC, Inc. (Alliance for Economic Development of Ceiba) it is a non-profit corporation, registered in
the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, on October 21, 2003, with the number
43592. It is certified as a 501 (c) 3 and holds a tax-exempt status within Puerto Rico. APRODEC was
founded in response to unsustainable developmental practices within the eastern region of the island.
Accordingly, APRODEC’s mission is to promote local, sustainable economic development in ways which
raise the quality of life of the island’s residents, foster the growth and empowerment of local
communities, and above all, address the systematic issues recognized by the community. APRODEC will
accomplish this by producing new jobs, undertaking environmentally sustainable projects, providing
cultural and recreational community spaces, and supporting new social initiatives. After years of
competition with international development firms and the Puerto Rican government, APRODEC secured
a contract to repurpose the abandoned tactical command complex within the former Roosevelt Roads
Naval Station, abandoned since 2004, to create The Eco-tourism Center of the East. The Center seeks to
support the community by providing space for cultural, ecological, scientific, and agro-ecological
tourism, and by recovering and raising awareness of the area’s historical, anthropological, and natural
resources. The Center will create new avenues for economic development through a microenterprise
initiative, allowing the local economic ventures to expand beyond the eastern region, and consequently,
revitalize the area’s economy. All of these efforts are manifestations of APRODEC’s primary goal: the
environmentally sustainable social, cultural, and economic development of the eastern region of Puerto
Rico.
Project Summary:
The proposed project is the restoration of Roosevelt Roads Naval Station’s tactical command center,
located in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, to create a 60,000 square foot Eco-tourism Center of the East. The Center
will serve as a self-sufficient buisness center focusing on historical and anthropological studies, local
economic initiatives, and the promotion of the local ecology and culture. The first phase of the project is the rehabilitation of the first floor of the northwest wing of the building and the adjacent pavilion (el
Mirador). This area will support the following services: a 24-bed hostel, a Cafeteria, a Bicycle Rental
Center, an Education Center, four handicap accessible rooms, a Handicraft Shop and a Business Training
Hall.
The Center is totally disconnected from the local electrical grid and therefore relies completely on
photovoltaic panels. Current setup. However, this setup will not suffice as the project progresses.
Looking at the typical power draw of a medium-sized buisness and the sun-hours of a typical Puerto
Rican building, we will eventually need more than forty-eight 330W solar panels, with the accompanying
equipment.
APRODEC, and the Ecotourism Center of the East, have already demonstrated the benefits of a selfsufficient community space. During hurricane Maria, APRODEC collected and disseminated donations
acting as a liaison between donor organizations and the wider community. In response to the island’s
weak electrical grid, The Ecotourism Center of the East is developing itself to serve as a communitybased emergency center capable of providing access to living quarters, power, water, and a community
kitchen or cafeteria to local residents or refugees in any emergency, despite the likelihood of network
failure.
Overall, the Center represents social change, a space which allows the community to develop new skills
and creating its own economic engine. A space which creates opportunities for volunteering and
community development in an environment of equity and inclusion, all while providing an example of
sustainable development.
Leave A Reply