EDITORIAL
West O'ahu campus decision needed soon
University of Hawai'i officials should listen closely to the wishes of the Kapolei community as they move forward with plans for a new campus in West O'ahu.
Clearly, the final decision will have to be based on factors such as cost, academic suitability and the like. This project will evolve into something far more than just another government office building.
But the voice of the residents is important. They know the community and have a feel for what works and what doesn't.
A Kapolei neighborhood board has voted strongly in favor of a 320-acre site in East Kapolei for the new campus. This site, say residents, offers expansion possibilities and better parking and access.
The 320-acre site is one of three being studied by UH planners. The other is a 59-acre site next to Kapolei Middle School and a 27-acre location in downtown Kapolei.
The "downtown" site offers the advantage of being most suited for a quick start. It would probably also be the least expensive, at least in the early stages.
But residents say that site is too small for what some day will be a full-scale, four-year campus serving as many as 7,500 students.
One possibility would be to select the larger site as the long-term permanent site for this important piece of the UH system. While work goes ahead on preparing this site, the state could consider building one or two "urban" buildings in Kapolei downtown as the first stage of the permanent West O'ahu campus.
Once the larger site is ready, the UH could release the downtown buildings for other government use. As Kapolei evolves into a true "second city," there will be a growing need for quality office space in the city center.
However this works out, the key factor is to make decisions and get moving on this important project. Ideas for a permanent home for West O'ahu have been floating around for decades without anything really happening.
Getting West O'ahu out of its temporary quarters on the campus of Leeward Community College and into its own home is crucial. A full, four-year second campus of the UH on O'ahu will free up space and resources at Manoa to build its reputation as a high-quality, competitive teaching and research institution.
