Big castle book 2 $1,900,000

To schedule a showing please call:

787-422-2222

The Spanish Revival house. As a style,

the revival was applied to all previously

existing housing typologies. Stairs

became somewhat prominent elements,

as did garden gates and carports. The

latter, whether integrated into a building’s

mass or free-standing, reflected the

popularity of the automobile. In many

instances, a patio was incorporated into

the house. It was an

element

acknowledged at the

time, and especially in

larger residential

work, as “the

outstanding feature of

the plan.”. Enclosed or

semi closed patios

became the core

around which the

house was organized,

an example being the Ubaldino Ramirez

de Arellano house in Mayagüez, where a

courtyard and two axes perpendicular to

each other organize the spatial sequence

and establish two important vistas, one

facing the countryside, the other

overlooking the sea. This house is

representative of one of the Spanish

Revival’s most significant residential

endeavors, that of the villa on the

outskirts of town, which underlined the

period’s dual concern with buildings as

objects and a mature handling of

traditional space. This is particularly

important given the widespread

conception of Spanish Revival architecture

as devoid of any clear concerns for spatial

sequence. Sequence, however, was the top

priority in structures such as the Castillo

Serrallés and the Castillo de Mario

Mercado, both dating from the early

thirties.

Pedro de Castro

designed the former;

Francisco Porrata Doria

was the architect of the

latter. Called “castles” (as

in Hearst’s Castle), each

of these villas sits on a

hill overlooking the

adjoining town and

nearby sea. The

spectacular siting, all alone on lots that

know no end, reinforces the sculptural

quality of these structures, highly

articulated in both plan and elevation. At

first, whim and effect may seem to have

guided the design. However, both

examples evidence a spatial sophistication

unsurpassed by other projects on the

island or, for the matter, any of Addison

Mizner’s comparable revival efforts in

Florida. In the Castillo Serrallés, symmetry

and asymmetry are cleverly juxtaposed.

Following is an extract from the book “Puerto Rico 1900 – Turn-of-the-Century Architec-

ture in the Hispanic Caribbean 1890-1930” written by Architect Jorge Rigau, pages 188 –

204:

Castillo Serrallés in Ponce, Puerto Rico

In The Castillo de Mario Mercado

(an enormous, castlelike house with an

access reminiscent of that of La

Alhambra), the same theme is handled in

an even more complex manner. Not one

but two axes run parallel to one another,

organizing in a unique way the

asymmetrical building, which was

camouflaged during World War II to

elude a German attack that never

materialized. The main

spatial sequence is a

linear one, based on

the continuous shift

from one axis to the

other. Important

spaces, openings, steps,

and stairs line up, but

not in immediate

succession.

Here, one moves

from one space to the other, with always

one of the two axes as reference.

Examples like these Castillos should

encourage a new reading of the Spanish

Revival as a style concerned with space as

an abstract element, and not just a trifling

or perfunctory expression. St.

Petersburg’s Casa Coe da Sol could be

said to share a parti with the Castillo

Serrallés, and the William M. Wood house

in Palm Beach bears some similarities to

the Castillo de Mario Mercado; but

neither of the two Mizner projects can

claim as elaborate or fully developed a

spatial sequence as their Puerto Rican

counterparts.

Whether they were designed for rich

sugar barons or for less wealthy revival

devotees, façades were handled as an

interplay of solids and voids, of walls and

openings. One such sugar baron was Mario

Mercado, who owned

all the valley land that

could be seen from the

Castle. Also, owned and

operated “Central

Rufina”, the areas’ sugar

mill, which could be

seen and controlled

from the Castle as well.

Elevations were the

product of balance, but

never of total

symmetry, for the absence of the latter,

according a well-known text of the time,

“would add interest to design”.

Asymmetrical elevations, pregnant with

local symmetries, added to the picturesque

effects pursued, making the house “take its

place as part of the landscape”, all of which

was related to the overstated concern for

contrasting horizontality and verticality.

Watchtowers placed against a flat,

two-story volume had their lower scale

A One-of-a-Kind investment.

Castillo de Mario Mercado - Guayanilla, Puerto Rico

MAJESTIC CASTLE with great historic value. UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE (Appearing in

several pages of Architecture Books). Known as "El Castillo" (The Castle) for its great size

and position at the top of the hill from which you dominate 360 degree views of the

Caribbean Sea, the flat lands of the Sugar Cane Mill ("Central Rufina") belonging to the

original owner of the Castle, and the inland mountains. The views from any one of the

various terraces in each of the four stories of this beautifully restored Castle and its

landscape are breathtaking. Perfect for enjoyment as a first or second home as well as

vacation property. It also serves those investors in the Hospitality Industry: Hotel (Castle

has 6.2393 "cuerdas" (one cuerda equals approximately .97 acre) of well maintained land

ideal for development); Excellent for Bread and Breakfast, Inn or Guest House; Ideal for

Private Clinic or Rehabilitation Center; Serves even as Corporate Headquarters or

Executive mansion. Excellent for Private Museum (because of its history) with VIP

Restaurant; Ideal for the filming of movies or TV Series, etc, etc. Your imagination will

burst with income producing ideas at the moment you visit this charm of the Caribbean.

Rustic floors, 9 bedrooms, 9 1/2 bathrooms, 4 kitchens, its own water well and cistern;

16,268 square feet of construction with an impressive view of Guayanilla Harbor;

beautiful gardens with fruit trees; Private Electric Gated Entrance and private road going

up to the Castle. Huge wine cellar space located in a conveniently and naturally cool

basement used as a storage/repair room also.

Above: Backyard landscape with swimming pool and sea view.

Below: Gated Entrance on Road 127.

Above: Front Gardens showing former fountain.

Below: Another view of the backyard landscape.

Above: Foyer or Former Reception Area with Covered Terrace.

Below: South View. Observe the ship docks.

Above: Wood ceilings in the Living Room. Below: View to the West

from one of the many Terraces, where Road #2 is seen.

Above: South View from first level Terrace. Below: Swimming

Pool and Putting Green on the background.

Above: Sea View and Guayanilla Harbor. Below: Original

concrete trellis on the second floor overlooking East.

Above: Facade of the back view. Below: South side of the front

facade.

Above: Original car garage pending remodeling.

Below: Water reservoir system (has its own water well).

Above: “The Eye of the Fishermen Monument” at the Fishermen’s

Villa. Below: Guayanilla harbor and fishing activities.

First, Second and Third floor

layout distribution. Basement

distribution exists, but is not

included.

Above: Perimeter Layout of the Properties’ lot size, according to

surveyor. Below: Same approximate layout applied to Google’s

Above: View of Guayanilla Bay & the oil refineries from Google’s

Satellite. Below: Closer view of the Castle from Google’s

Below: Front Cover of Architect Jorge Rigau’s Book about the Turn-of-the-

Century Architecture in the Hispanic Caribbean. Pages 196 through 203 in this

book are dedicated to describe the history of the architecture of Mario Mercado’s

Castle. Some pictures about the previous deteriorated condition of the Castle and

Above: 7 on Architect Jorge Rigau’s book. Front garden

in its abandoned state before remodeling.

on Architect Jorge Rigau’s book. Above: Aerial view.

Below: Part of the front facade.

on Architect Jorge Rigau’s book. Above: Front of reception

area behind front garden. Below: Part of the front facade.

on Architect Jorge Rigau’s book. Drive-through VIP reception

on Architect Jorge

Rigau’s book.

Left:Water reservoir tower at

highest terrace.

Below: VIP Reception terrace.

on Architect Jorge Rigau’s book. Above: Observation

deck from the highest terrace. Below: East side terrace with

Above: Page 203 on Architect Jorge Rigau’s book. East side

Guayanilla Sites & Attractions

Photographs from Top to Bottom:

“Ojo del pescador”, “Bahía de la Villa

Pesquera”, Attraction Castle, Cavern &

Port.

Guayanilla Sites & Attractions

Photographs from Top to Bottom:

Seashore Drive, Boardwalk &

“Kioskos”, Cave, “Central Rufina” &

Hiking Trail.

Copyrights ©: Unauthorized use of this marketing material (such as but not limited to photocopying, faxing, scanning, duplicating, reprinting,

use on a website, and using this material in your marketing as a Broker/Realtor as if this material were your creation, even though it might have

been handed to you by the owners of the property) without the expressed written consent of Benjamín Rodríguez López, D/B/A Bengie

Rodríguez & Associates is strictly prohibited. Violators will be prosecuted.

For more information about the Castle and the interactive photos please visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y-OB_FfkfQ

http://www.bengie.com/Guayanilla/Puerto_Rico/Multifamily_Dwellings/Playa_Ward/Agent/

Listing_142362914.html

LOGROS PROFESIONALES / PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

First Puerto Rican REALTOR® to achieve a Seniors Real Estate Specialization(SRES).

Awarded 2005 REALTOR® OF THE YEAR by the Sales & Marketing Executives

Association (SME).

Awarded 2004 REALTOR® OF THE YEAR by the Mayagüez Board of REALTORS®.

Highest Grade in 1998 Real Estate Broker Bar Exam in Puerto Rico.

Awarded 1994 EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR by the Sales & Marketing Executive

Association in Communications Industry.

First Puerto Rican REALTOR® to achieve a Luxury Homes Marketing Specialization

(LHMS).

Copyrights ©: Unauthorized use of this marketing material (such as but not limited to photocopying, faxing, scanning, duplicating, reprinting,

use on a website, and using this material in your marketing as a Broker/Realtor as if this material were your creation, even though it might have

been handed to you by the owners of the property) without the expressed written consent of Benjamín Rodríguez Realty, D/B/A Bengie

Rodríguez is strictly prohibited. Violators will be prosecuted.

To schedule a showing please call:

787-422-2222

Big castle book 2 $1,900,000

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