ˌɔn dᵻsˈɛmbɚ sˈɛvəntˌiːn, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks, ðə ɡˈʌvɚnɚɹ ʌv pwˈɛɹɾoʊ ɹˈiːkoʊ, sɛɡˈʌndoʊ də lˌæ poːɹtˈɪlə, sˈɛt ðə fˈɜːst stˈoʊn ʌvðɪ əfˈɪʃəl bˈɪldɪŋ tə hˈaʊz lˈɛpɚz, wˌɪtʃ wʌz kəmplˈiːɾᵻd ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi θɹˈiː.
On December 17, 1876, the governor of Puerto Rico, Segundo de la Portilla, set the first stone of the official building to house lepers, which was completed in 1883.