On January 22, 2018, work on the renovation and upgrade project for the Chancery building of the U.S. Embassy located on Lauro Müller St., which hosts the diplomatic mission in Uruguay, will begin. The Chancery building, designed by famous architect I. M. Pei and inaugurated in 1969, is nearing its 50th anniversary and requires a redesign of its spaces, as well as upgrades to ventilation, air conditioning, and fire prevention systems, accessibility, elevators, and IT wiring, among other areas. With this renovation, the Chancery building will meet the high quality and safety standards currently required by the U. S. Department of State for facilities around the world.
The Chancery building’s renovation and upgrade project will be led by U.S. firm Perini Management Services, Inc., which will hire local qualified labor. These workers will operate under Perini Management Services, Inc., not the U. S. Government. The work will be done inside the building, and the outer appearance will be maintained in order to keep the original design by Pei and preserve its iconic presence on the Rambla in Montevideo. However, the work will not go unnoticed for Embassy neighbors, because during the project there will be circulation of trucks and cranes, temporary constructions, movement of people foreign to the neighborhood, and noise from machines operating in the area. In addition, some of the public areas around the Embassy may be temporarily affected by the logistics of the project.
Please note that, from the time the construction work starts on January 22, all visitors to the Embassy –including people who require services from the Consular Section– must use the main entrance on 1776 Lauro Müller St. The Consular access on Pasaje Piera will be closed to the public during the project.
The Embassy’s Renovation Project in Figures:
- The project’s estimated duration is 40 months.
- Nearly 350 local workers will rotate throughout the project.
- The demand of hotel rooms and housing in the area is estimated to increase temporarily due to the arrival of workers from the United States.
- Both local and imported materials will be used; nearly 400 containers will be imported.
- Perini will lease cranes, trucks, and other machinery locally for the project.
The U.S. Embassy has an e-mail address available for questions, comments, and suggestions during the project: MVDreformaembajada@state.gov
For additional information about the Embassy’s renovation Project, click here.
