Hawai’i Army National Guard Gets $35M for Facilities Upgrade

By Maui Now Staff

Hawai’i has received $35 million in federal funding to construct a Combined Support Maintenance Shop for the Hawai’i Army National Guard.

The project will consist of building a new maintenance shop and renovating two existing facilities.

The affected buildings, constructed in the 1940s and 50s, require upgrading to meet current HIARNG mission needs.  State officials say the construction of a new maintenance building in Kalaeloa will allow the shifting of maintenance operations from Diamond Head to Kalaeloa, with the added potential benefit of reducing some traffic congestion on roadways.

Governor Neil Abercrombie announced the release of funds, which were leveraged from the US Department of Defense following the state’s release of $1.65 million in January to supplement construction of the project.

“Construction on this project is already underway and federal support to see this through shows how important these facilities are for the health and safety of the public,” said Gov. Abercrombie.

The estimated completion date of the project is fall 2013.

State Adjutant General Darryll Wong said, “These funds will go a long way to supporting the core mission of the Guard.”

Lt. Governor Brian Schatz who is charged with seeking federal resources said the project will also help the economy.  “It will provide an infusion of cash into Hawai’i at the perfect time,” he said.  “We need to be increasingly agile and aggressive in pursuing federal funds and this project’s success encourages us to do that.”