Governor Neil Abercrombie has released $7.5 million in general obligation bonds to finance construction of the Pālamanui campus in West Â鶹´«Ã½.
Combined with the in January by , a partnership between Hunt Companies Â鶹´«Ã½ and Charles R. Schwab, this amount brings the total funding on hand to nearly $17.2 million for West Â鶹´«Ã½’s first permanent campus.
The university expects to go out to bid on construction of Phase 1A, the Culinary Arts Building, and Phase 1B, the Health Science and Student Services Building, by the end of August or early September. Architectural design firm has completed the plans and final design documents, enabling the bid process to begin.
The two phases will encompass 23,100 square feet of classroom, laboratory and support spaces for 700 students.
“The expansion of UH in West Â鶹´«Ã½ fulfills a need for its growing community,” stated Abercrombie. “Pālamanui will not only create new jobs but unique academic opportunities in the science and agricultural fields.”
“The community on the west side of the Big Island has waited long and patiently for us to arrive at this day,” said UH President M.R.C. Greenwood. “We are thrilled and gratified to be able to start the building process for this much-anticipated campus and bring the promise of a college degree that much closer to Â鶹´«Ã½ residents.”
The Pālamani campus, which will be an extension of Â鶹´«Ã½ Community College, will be the 11th permanent campus of the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ System, and is expected to open its doors to students in the fall of 2014.
Read the news release.