The University of Hawaii at Manoa campus is plagued with over $400 million worth of deferred maintenance projects. According to school officials, over 80 percent of the buildings on campus are in need of some type of repair or renovation. This means that some classes are going to be forced to move off campus while construction is being completed.
According to Stephen Meder, the assistant vice chancellor for physical, environmental, and long-range planning, the school is currently at 99 percent occupancy, and as a result, other buildings off campus and not directly affiliated with the university will need to be used. Meder stated, "We're looking at the protocol to addressing the deferred maintenance with modernization of the buildings to be able to bring the campus into the 21st century and support the missions of this campus. I really think this is a turning point. We are on the threshold of change."
Tom Apple, the Chancellor at Manoa, stated that the school may offer more evening and online classes to help alleviate the fact that there will be less available space during construction. The school is requesting that state lawmakers help provide revenue bonds for the renovation projects, which would take approximately six years to complete. The University of Hawaii is proposing that they would repay that debt over the next thirty years through revenue raised by tuition increases.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 1-11-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
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