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CIP update: 27 projects on report; delays tied to permitting, contaminated soil and design changes
Summary
Administration reported 27 projects on the Q2 CIP list with no removals; the committee heard delays on several renovation projects tied to permitting and previously undiscovered contaminated soil at the Culinary Institute of the Pacific site, and was told the Waikiki Aquarium intake/discharge project has phased funding and scope changes.
University capital‑projects staff told Regents the second-quarter Capital Improvement Projects report lists 27 projects, with no removals, and that most projects are moving forward though several have multi-year schedule slips tied to permitting, contract changes and site conditions.
Ross Richards, director of project delivery, said one new design contract for Kauaʻi Community College was added and that the report will be revised to include missing contract amounts and anticipated completion dates. Richards flagged the Waikiki Aquarium intake and discharge upgrade as a multi-phase design contract covering three projects: a $3.8 million design total, a fully funded phase 1 construction at $7,050,000 (discharge work), and a recently awarded phase 2 at $1,960,000 with reduced scope. Richards said the team is requesting roughly $10,000,000 more to finish phase 2 and restore scope removed to fit the existing budget.
Regents asked about projects with two-plus‑year delays. Richards and Vice President Jan Gouvea described specific causes: the Komohana reroof project was delayed during a FEMA funding pursuit after Hurricane Lane; a landscape building was delayed by a prolonged building-permit process; and the Culinary Institute of the Pacific encountered contaminated soils discovered during construction work, which required treatment and hauling and added roughly six months to the schedule. Richards said the project delivery team now typically requires more up-front soil sampling to avoid such surprises.
On the Waikiki Aquarium, Richards said many regulatory approvals are required for water work (special management area, Department of Health, SHPD) and that phase 2 intake work cannot start until phase 1 discharge work is complete. Richards said phase 1 completion is expected next July.
Regents asked whether the program should budget more conservatively for renovation projects. The administration explained contract calendars reflect original contract durations and that change orders, permitting and unforeseen site conditions can extend schedules; project stakeholders said they will improve early due diligence (for example, soil testing) and clean up reporting fields in the CIP packet.
The committee heard the administration intends a walkthrough with the president on College Hill to consider renovation, sale or monetization options for that underutilized asset and requested this be included in the next CIP update.
