The building was erected from plans by Timoteo Luberza in 1863, who modeled it after
Les Halles, the market of
Paris in France. At the time it was built, it was the largest and most modern marketplace in Puerto Rico. It has undergone four major additions and/or remodelings since then: in 1903, 1941, 1980–89, and 2006. A meat storage was also added.
1941 Enlargement In 1941, it was again enlarged per plans by Ponce-born architect
Pedro Mendez Mercado.
The Juan Bigas building Starting in 1981, and for the next 26 years, Plaza del Mercado shopkeepers operated out of a new building at the grid formed by Calle Guadalupe, Salud, Estrella and Mayor streets, two blocks east of the historic Plaza del Mercado Isabel II. The new building, called the Plaza del Mercado Juan Bigas building, was inaugurated in 1981 to replace the aging, but historic, Plaza del Mercado Isabel II building. It cost $10 million to build. It is the building with the largest footprint in Ponce. Inside of it are some of the ruins of the old Teatro Apolo. (Teatro Apolo was located at the corner of Calle Salud and Calle Guadalupe.) On 28 June 2010, Governor
Luis Fortuño signed the Senate Resolution Number 191, transferring ownership of the Plaza del Mercado de Ponce Juan Bigas building to the Ponce Municipal Government. The remodeling of the old Plaza del Mercado Juan Bigas building to be used for municipal government services will occur at a cost of $6.828 million. A 27 July 2011, news report stated work on the Bigas building would commence in October 2011 at an expected cost of $15 million. A 26 June 2013 news report indicated that renovations had been completed and the first two floor of the facility would reopen by the end of July 2013. The agencies due to occupy the structure are: the Oficina de Permisos (Office of Permits), Ordenación Territorial (Office of Territorial Planning), Vivienda Municipal (Office of Municipal Housing), the
Archivo Histórico de Ponce, Office of the Federal Ryan White Program and the Banco Municipal (Municipal Bank). The name of the facility is Ponce Servicios. The facility reopened as "Ponce Servicios" in August 2013.
1980-1989 Remodeling In 1980, the building was once more remodeled. The 1980 remodeling lasted 9 years - until 1989. Its Art Deco style was further enhanced, after the design of architect Pedro Méndez Mercado. At this point the structure was turned from a fruits-and-vegetables market plaza into a handcrafts shopping plaza.
1992 Remodeling In 1992 Plaza del Mercado Isabell II was turned into a multi-use building that included parking, businesses, and private office space. This 1992 reconstruction was part of the
Ponce en Marcha project. It was designed by architect Miguel A. Carlos and built by Vissepo Construction. In 1993 the design and building project received the Award for Building Excellence of the Puerto Rico Association of General Contractors and the Association of Pre-mixed Concrete Manufacturers.
2006 Restoration to today The building was restored once more in 2006 at a cost of $4 million. ==Uniqueness==