U.S. Navy Transfers Three More Parcels to Roosevelt Roads: 3,307 Acres Now Handed Over

The United States Navy this week formalized the transfer of three additional parcels to the Roosevelt Roads Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) in Ceiba, marking another concrete step in the transformation of the former naval base that has been underway for more than two decades. With this transfer, approximately 3,307 acres have now been handed over — 93% of the total planned — leaving roughly 345 acres pending federal environmental remediation ¹.

The transferred lands correspond to Sites 731, 734, and 735 in the AOC F area, totaling 2.3 acres combined. The transaction was executed through Quitclaim Deeds under the federal Economic Development Conveyance (EDC) mechanism, the program that determines when properties meet requirements for transfer to the local redevelopment authority ².

Carlos J. Rios Pierluisi, LRA Executive Director and Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC), emphasized that each transferred property represents "tangible progress" in the redevelopment effort. "Our responsibility is to receive them, manage them strategically, and prepare them for investment opportunities, economic growth, and job creation for Puerto Rico," he stated ¹³.

On the federal side, Liz Barris, director of the Navy's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program, acknowledged the impact of the collaboration and pointed to the "impressive new ferry terminal" already operating in the area as evidence, directly benefiting eastern communities ².

Roosevelt Roads was one of the largest naval installations in the Caribbean until its closure in 2004 under the BRAC process. The original complex spanned 8,720 acres divided into several blocks: approximately 3,400 acres under LRA administration for economic redevelopment, 1,600 acres of airport land transferred to the Ports Authority, 3,400 acres designated as an ecological reserve under the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA), and roughly 86 acres assigned directly to federal agencies including the Army, Customs and Border Protection, and the National Guard ⁴.

The 2014 master plan guides the redevelopment with an emphasis on maritime activity, tourism, innovation, and job creation for the island's eastern region. The project has $90 million in disaster recovery funds available for development and community improvement initiatives, and the land includes nine subzones with development potential ⁴.

What This Means for You

If you live in eastern Puerto Rico — Ceiba, Naguabo, Fajardo, Humacao — this redevelopment is literally your economic future. Every piece of land that passes from federal to LRA hands is a piece that can become a business, a job, infrastructure, or community space. The ferry terminal already operating there is proof that the concept works.

But keep your eyes open: they have been at this process for 22 years and there are still 345 acres to resolve. Environmental remediation — cleaning up decades of military contamination — has no fixed deadline. And having available land does not automatically mean projects will arrive. What it does mean is that the door is open for the private sector, local entrepreneurs, and area municipalities to push for these spaces to be activated.

Checklist

1. Visit rooseveltroads.pr.gov to view the map of available subzones and the current master plan
2. If you are a business owner or investor, contact DDEC to explore opportunities in the nine development subzones
3. Ceiba and Naguabo residents: attend LRA public meetings to stay informed about plans for land in your community
4. Check whether your municipality is coordinating with the LRA on infrastructure or community service projects on the transferred parcels
5. If you are interested in the maritime or tourism sector, research available incentives under the Economic Incentives Act for projects in redevelopment zones

What Comes Next

The remaining 345 acres continue under environmental investigation, remediation, and federal closure procedures. According to the Navy, transfers will continue progressively as each parcel meets requirements. There is no established deadline for completing all transfers, but the pace has accelerated in recent years.

The next focus will be on how the LRA and DDEC mobilize private investment toward the subzones already available. With $90 million in recovery funds at stake and 93% of the land now in local hands, the pressure now falls on Puerto Rican authorities to demonstrate they can turn land into real opportunity.

Sources:

• ¹ NotiCel: https://noticel.com/ultima-hora/20260730/el-navy-transfiere-tres-parcelas-para-continuar-el-redesarrollo-de-roosevelt-roads/
• ² El Vocero: https://www.elvocero.com/gobierno/marina-transfiere-tres-nuevas-parcelas-a-la-lra-para-avanzar-el-redesarrollo-de-roosevelt-roads/article_73db9ce7-c224-46e5-acbf-32a443c3bd1e.html
• ³ Metro PR: https://www.metro.pr/noticias/2026/07/29/marina-de-ee-uu-transfiere-tres-parcelas-adicionales-para-el-redesarrollo-de-roosevelt-roads/
• ⁴ Roosevelt Roads LRA: https://www.rooseveltroads.pr.gov/