Hilo project gets NASA money
By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau
HILO, Hawai'i — The Mauna Kea Education Center — a giant planetarium complex to be built near the University of Hawai'i-Hilo — got an $11 million jump start this week.
Rendering courtesy George Jacob
Project director George Jacob said the National Aeronautics and Space Administration released the $11 million in construction money going toward the $28 million development.
A preliminary concept for the astronomy education center envisions an entryway lined with titanium. The center will be built near UH-Hilo.
The latest injection of federal support keeps the center on schedule to open in early 2005. Jacob previously announced that his growing staff of 15 set up headquarters at 27 Waianuenue Ave., where they will be for the next three years.
Last week, Jacob announced his selection of Bill DeMent as construction manager for the 9.1-acre site. DeMent, a 1983 UH-Manoa civil engineer graduate, recently served as an engineer for Willocks Construction Corp., in Puna and Hilo, and also worked on O'ahu in several capacities for the state and in private business.
Jacob said the release of money on Tuesday raised federal support for the project to $13.35 million from NASA, accounting for 81 percent of construction needs.
The education center, near international and state observatory support units off Komohana Street, is intended to become a major visitor facility that Jacob and others have compared to the volcanology center at Jaggar Museum in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
About 250,000 visitors are expected each year.
Jacob also said Taisei Construction Corp., Durrant Media Five and Hilo-based Oda-McCarty Architects have been retained for the development.
He emphasized that the new center will be based on cultural values as well as science, aimed at combining "the fascinating journey of discovery."
The 42,000-square-foot center will include 25,000 square feet of gallery space.
