Félix Saurí Vivas | |
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Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico | |
In office 1895–1895 |
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Preceded by | Eduardo Armstrong |
Succeeded by | Juan José Potous |
Personal details | |
Born | c. 1850 Ponce, Puerto Rico |
Died | 25 December 1915 Ponce, Puerto Rico |
Nationality | Puerto Rican |
Children | Rafael |
Residence | Casa Saurí, Ponce Puerto Rico |
Occupation | businessman, hacienda holder |
Profession | politician |
Félix Saurí Vivas (c. 1850 – 25 December 1915), also known as Félix Saurí y Vivas, was a Puerto Rican businessman and Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico, in 1895.
Saurí Vivas was a Ponce businessman and hacienda holder. He became mayor of Ponce in 1895.
In 1882, Saurí Vivas built a two-story home, which later became known as Casa Saurí, in downtown Ponce, across from Plaza Munoz Rivera, in today's Ponce Historic Zone. The house is said to be the third-oldest residence still standing in Ponce. It is located at the corner of Calle Union and Calle Reina. In 1912, his home was used as the first site of Liceo Ponceño, Puerto Rico's first girls-only school.
After Liceo Ponceño vacated the home around the 1950s-1960s, the house was occupied for several years by various small businesses, including a travel agency and a toy store. Subsequently, it was vacant for several years. Then, in 2006-2009, the 1882 Casa Saurí was meticulously renovated and adapted as part of a new hotel, the Ponce Plaza Hotel and Casino, which opened in 2009. The hotel design included a four-story addition located next to the house, and a parking garage.
In addition to leaving the majestic house in downtown Ponce as his legacy, mayor Félix Saurí Vivas is also honored at Ponce's Park of Illustrious Ponce Citizens. His remains are located in Cementerio Católico de Ponce.