Governor Releases Funds for Nahiku Community Center

By Wendy Osher

Governor Neil Abercrombie announced the release of $250,000 for the planning and design of a community center on two acres of land in Nahiku on Maui.

The funds are in addition to the $240,000 that Maui County has also appropriated for the project, and another $280,000 towards the project in the 2013 fiscal year budget.

“The long-awaited Nahiku Community Center is steps closer to fruition as the county and the state move ahead to release funding for the design and construction of the community center,” said Senator J. Kalani English in a statement.

English, who represents the Hāna, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, and Kaho‘olawe communities said, “The much-needed center will greatly benefit everyone as it will serve as a gathering place for the community. I commend everyone involved — the State, county and community—in working together to make this project a reality.”

The newly announced state funding is part of a larger $26.8 million appropriation for various Capital Improvement Projects at school facilities across the state.

Other Maui Schools included on the list are:

• Lahaina Intermediate School, where $86,500 has been released for additional construction to relocate or construct temporary facilities to meet enrollment shifts and other needs; and
• Molokai High School, Molokai, where $171,207 has been released for additional construction for accessible route, bleachers, scoreboard, restrooms and accessibility improvements for the women’s softball field.  The changes are necessary to meet federal gender equity requirements.

In announcing the release of funds, Governor Neil Abercrombie said, “By prioritizing these school projects, we are making an investment in the education of our keiki while creating local jobs.”

Gov. Abercrombie said the Project Labor Agreement plan that was announced last week, “provides a model for collaboration with labor unions on some of these projects to prevent potential conflicts that might otherwise cause unnecessary delay.”

In addition to the Maui projects listed above, other projects listed below were included in the funding release after being identified as a priority by the state Legislature:

• Hilo High School, Hawai’i Island, $3,000,000: Additional construction for new gymnasium, which will also serve as an emergency shelter for the community
• East Kapolei Middle School, O’ahu, $2,500,000: Design for new East Kapolei Middle School, needed to accommodate projected demand in the Kapolei area
• Iliahi Elementary School, O’ahu, $1,500,000: Design and construction for playcourt cover to allow Iliahi Elementary to conduct P.E. classes and school events regardless of weather
• Kalaheo High School, O’ahu, $1,500,000: Design and construction for drainage and turf improvements and field expansion for the athletic field
• Keoneula Elementary School, O’ahu, $1,375,000: Design, construction and equipment for four new portable classrooms to relieve overcrowding
• Pearl Ridge Elementary School, O’ahu, $1,150,000: Design and construction for electrical upgrades to support the use of technology
• Ala Wai Elementary, O’ahu, $1,000,000: Design and construction for electrical upgrades to support current electrical needs as well as the use of technology
• Mililani High School, O’ahu, $1,000,000: Design and construction for fiber-optic backbone and network cabling replacement and upgrades to meet advanced technology needs
• Salt Lake Elementary School, O’ahu, $1,000,000: Design, construction, equipment and works of art for renovations to convert two large open plan classrooms into four separate classrooms with permanent separation walls and fire exits
• Leeward School District, O’ahu, $974,000: Relocation or construction of temporary facilities for Kapolei Elementary (two), Campbell High (two) and ‘Ewa Makai Middle (four) Schools to meet enrollment shifts and other needs
• Kanoelani Elementary School, O’ahu, $950,000: Design, construction and works of art for electrical upgrades
• Pearl City Highlands Elementary School, O’ahu, $950,000: Design and construction for electrical upgrades
• Various schools, statewide, $885,700: Relocation or construction of temporary facilities to meet enrollment shifts and other needs at Olomana, Kapolei High, Kapolei Middle, Campbell High, Leilehua High, Ewa Makai Elementary, Solomon Elementary, Kapolei Elementary, Farrington High on O’ahu; Holualoa Elementary on Hawai’i Island; and Lahaina Intermediate on Maui
• Kaneohe Elementary School, O’ahu, $780,000: Design, construction and works of art funds for modifications to meet ADA accessibility guidelines, including those for walkways, ramps, parking stalls, elevators, building interiors and exteriors
• Mililani Middle School, O’ahu, $750,000: Design and construction to repair leaking through metal roof seams
•  ‘Ewa Elementary School, O’ahu, $700,000: Partial construction for an eight-classroom building to meet growth and enrollment needs, including seven general education classrooms, one computer lab, one faculty center, two utility closets, restrooms and mechanical/electrical/communications rooms
• Lehua Elementary School, O’ahu, $600,000: Design and construction for parking lot expansion to provide adequate parking for staff and visitors, including drainage, sidewalks, ADA accessibility and other improvements
• Momilani Elementary, O’ahu, $600,000: Design and construction for electrical upgrades to support current electrical needs as well as the use of technology
• Castle High School, O’ahu, $585,000: Design and construction for replacement of lighting and sound systems at Ronald Bright Auditorium
• Mililani Mauka Elementary School, O’ahu, $501,000: Design and construction for covered walkways between administration, cafeteria and classroom buildings, including security rails to prevent vandals from climbing on the walkway roof for access to two-story buildings
• Moanalua High School, O’ahu, $500,000: Additional construction for accessible route, bleachers and relocation of storage facilities for the women’s softball field (necessary to meet federal gender equity requirements)
• Waimanalo Elementary and Intermediate School, O’ahu, $500,000: Irrigation systems for three playfields to provide safer playing surface for users
• Stevenson Middle School, O’ahu, $450,000: Additional construction for a multipurpose educational facility to support science curriculum
• Nanakuli High School, O’ahu, $400,000: Additional construction for replacement dugouts, bleachers, perimeter fencing, batting cage and accessibility improvements for the women’s softball field (necessary to meet federal gender equity requirements)
• Kaneohe Elementary School, O’ahu, $331,300: Additional construction funds for fire lane and waterline improvements for library to comply with the fire code
• Aina Haina Elementary School, O’ahu, $255,000: Design and construction for parking lot to accommodate staff and visitors; project includes 23 to 28 parking stalls and landscaping
• Puohala Elementary School, O’ahu, $250,000: Design for structural assessment to address separation of walls in buildings to address settling issues in four main campus buildings
• Central Middle School, O’ahu, $200,000: Design to address termite damage and foundation issues
• Washington Middle School, O’ahu, $180,000: Design and construction for electrical upgrades for the school kitchen, cafeteria and Building B, to support current electrical needs as well as the use of technology
• Kapolei High and Campbell High Schools, O’ahu, $179,000: Additional construction for temporary restroom facilities due to increased enrollments and to provide temporary facilities while new buildings are constructed
• Mililani Ike Elementary School, O’ahu, $150,000: Construction to repair rusted columns supporting covered playcourt
• Holualoa Elementary, Hawai’i Island, $112,000: Additional construction to relocate or construct temporary facilities for Holualoa Elementary to meet enrollment shifts and other needs
• Kaelepulu Elementary School, O’ahu, $95,000: Additional construction to create an accessible route from the parking lot to Building C, to comply with ADA
• Olomana School, O’ahu, $88,000: Design and construction to extend the PE portable classroom and provide adequate space for various PE activities
• Waipahu Elementary School, O’ahu, $80,000: Equipment for a new eight-classroom building that will include a special education classroom, six general education classrooms and a computer resource classroom
• Kapolei Middle School, O’ahu, $78,978: Additional construction for temporary facilities to meet enrollment shifts and other needs
• Mililani Uka Elementary, O’ahu, $75,000: Construction for new, age-appropriate playground equipment for upper elementary students
• Leilehua High and Solomon Elementary Schools, O’ahu, $58,000: Additional construction funds to relocate or construct temporary facilities statewide to meet enrollment shifts and other needs (six at Leilehua; two at Solomon)
• La’ie Elementary School, O’ahu, $27,669: Additional construction funds for the expansion of the cafeteria