TT govt complex mulled as historic place

The Trust Territory Government Complex on Capital Hill, now home to several CNMI government agencies, is being eyed for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places because of its “unique role in the history of the nation” from post-war years up to when the United Nations Trust Territory was dissolved in 1976.

Documentation is also needed on whether or not the complex should be considered a Cold War resource.

Procurement and Supply director Herman S. Sablan and Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Cecilia T. Celes issued a request for proposal for the “documentation” of the complex and “preparation of its nomination” to the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of historic places in the United States worthy of preservation.

“The Trust Territory Government Complex should be documented and nominated to the National Register of Historic Places at the national level of significance because of its unique role in the history of the nation, particularly regarding political, economic and social relations between the United States government and the Western Pacific region,” Sablan and Celes said in the RFP.

All proposals must be submitted to the procurement and supply director by March 13.

After World War II ended, former Japanese possessions in the Western Pacific were governed as a United Nations Trust Territory, with headquarters in Palau.

In 1962, the Trust Territory government was moved to Saipan, where it remained until the Trust Territory government was dissolved in 1976.

Residents of the Northern Mariana Islands elected to enter into a commonwealth relationship with the United States.

The RFP said it is important to document the historic resource while it is mostly intact in order to plan for its future management.

“The integrity of several individual buildings is threatened by renovations that are necessary to carry out normal government functions, but may not meet the Secretary of the Interior’s standards. The integrity of the complex is threatened by intrusions and landscape modifications,” it added.

The Trust Territory Government Complex is located along a 2-km long stretch of road (now Isa Drive) on Capital Hill.

It contains approximately 100 buildings with associated streets, water tanks, utilities and landscaping.

Today, the buildings house various CNMI government agencies, including the Office of the Governor, the Department of Finance and Post Office.

The complex buildings were built sometime after World War II, probably in the late 1950s and early 1960s, according to the RFP.

Approximately 80 of the buildings adhere to a common plan, while others follow a few other standard plans.

A copy of the complex plan is reported to be in the National Archives, and there may be additional copies at other locations.