Complex sentence: Claiming the island as their colony, the French administration retained Antananarivo as its capital (transcribing its name as Tananarive) and chose Antaninarenina as the site for the French Governor General's Residency, which was renamed Ambohitsorohitra Palace upon independence and transformed into presidential offices.
Split into simpler sentences: Claiming the island as a colony, the French administration retained Antananarivo as its capital and transcribed its name as Tananarive. They chose Antaninarenina as the site for the French Governor General's Residency; upon independence it was renamed Ambohitsorohitra Palace and converted into presidential offices.