Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. announced plans to build a transportation center in Pu'unene on a 10-acre parcel provided by Alexander & Baldwin Inc.

MEO, a nonprofit whose activities include providing bus service for the elderly and disabled, will consolidate all of its transportation operations at the facility. The center will be home to a bus storage and passenger transfer station, maintenance facility, bus washing and fueling station and administration offices. The facility is expected to accommodate MEO's growth over the next 20 years.

With an estimated price tag of $9 million, the proposed MEO transportation center has already received $1.2 million from the state and $400,000 from Maui County.

The 10 acres of land provided by Alexander & Baldwin included 5 acres sold at a deeply discounted price and another 5 acres that were donated.

"We are very pleased to partner with MEO in its future, in its efforts to expand services to Maui's neediest populations," said Allen Doane, Alexander & Baldwin chairman and chief executive officer. "When MEO approached us about acquiring this site, we recognized the importance of this location to MEO, and the importance of MEO to this community."

Riki Hokama, chairman of MEO's board of directors said: "While we still have the challenge of raising the funds needed for construction, our land acquisition costs have been kept to a minimum, thanks to the generosity of A&B. That helps all of our clients, which represent some of Maui's most vulnerable citizens."

The site is in Central Maui, close to residential and commercial areas of Kahului and Wailuku and the island's primary commercial harbor and airport.

MEO, a part of the nationwide Community Action Agency program, has provided services for the elderly, disabled, immigrants, youth, offenders and the economically disadvantaged on Maui for 42 years.

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