Hato Rey District
Hato Rey is a former ward located in the northwest part of the dissolved municipality of Río Piedras. It now stretches over three wards of the municipality of San Juan: Hato Rey Central, Hato Rey Norte, and Hato Rey Sur. Because of its location, many Puerto Ricans travelling to Old San Juan must drive through Hato Rey.
The Hato Rey name means “the king’s cattle farm (hato)”. In the 18th century, cattle would roam among the sugar cane fields in the area. Its proximity to residential areas in San Juan, Río Piedras, Miramar, etc. made it a perfect location from where to produce what its residents would eat. The area also used to be known as “Las Monjas” (the nuns) due to a convent that used to be located in the area in the 19th century.
The Northern portion of Hato Rey is a startling contrast between the ward of the very poor and La Milla de Oro (The Golden Mile), a stretch that effectively covers only one mile but that is home to the headquarters of many large local and international banks that are one of the most important centers of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean’s economy and some upper middle class condominiums (earning that area’s nickname the “Wall Street of the West Indies”). Important buildings in Hato Rey include the Banco Popular headquarters, Plaza Las Américas, and Roberto Clemente Coliseum. Puerto Rico’s FBI headquarters are also located in Hato Rey. Because of the area’s closeness to the airport, major airlines, such as Avianca, have had their offices in Hato Rey.