Posted on: Friday, September 27, 2002

Haili Church gets aid for renovations

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

Floyd Ho'opi'i, who joined the church at age 8, is involved in the restoration project that is now replacing the crumbling stone foundation. Advertiser Library Photo

HILO, Hawai'i — Just as a contractor is rebuilding the foundation under Hilo's historic Haili Church, new donations are shoring up fund raising for the building's restoration project.

On Tuesday, David Scott, executive director of the Historic Hawai'i Foundation, will present a check for $25,000 to the church's restoration committee. That represents half of a $50,000 grant from the Freeman Foundation to support the restoration.

The money comes atop a recent $15,000 donation from the Frear Eleemosynary Trust and a $2,500 grant from the Hawai'i Preservation Services Fund of the Historic Hawai'i Foundation.

"This is an important preservation project that assures the church will continue to add to the historic character of Hilo for many years to come," said Scott. "We are grateful that our partnership with the Freeman Foundation allows us to make significant grants to preservation projects in Hawai'i."

Renee Von Elsner, president of the Haili Preservation Force, said that while fund raising is well behind the goal set last year, enough money has been raised to cover the $90,000 cost of the foundation work.

"While these funds are received at a critical time," said Von Elsner, "much remains to be done."

Though $1 million worth of renovations were planned a year ago, Von Elsner said the project has been reduced to about one-fourth of that.

The building at 211 Haili St. is the church's fifth. It was built in 1857 and dedicated in 1859 and is on the register of historic sites.

Work began in late July. The foundation work is expected to be completed late this year.

The original foundation of the 145-year-old building consisted of stones held together with mortar of sand and lime. But the mortar has turned brittle and crumbly.

Concept Construction workers are replacing the foundation by excavating under the church in stages and replacing the stone foundation with concrete and steel.

Because only a portion of the foundation is being replaced at a time, the chance of movement in an earthquake is minimized.

The next phase will be to restore the church's pews.