The Maui News

Kamehameha Schools has acquired office space in downtown Wailuku that will serve as the future site of its Maui regional office and community resource center, the school announced Monday.

The fee-simple property, located on the site of the former Wailuku Federal Credit Union at 175 N. Market St., has been vacant for two years. It includes a 2,688-square-foot single-story building built in 1972 on 15,987 square feet of land.

“The purchase of this property allows Kamehameha to lay down deeper roots in this community,” said Ka’eo Duarte, vice president of community engagement and resources. “This investment will bring us closer to families and educational partners as we work together toward improving the educational outcomes of keiki and ohana in this region.”

The regional office will house 10 to 12 staffers offering a “one-stop shop” for families needing support and resources for all Kamehameha Schools programs, including financial aid assistance and admissions. The office will also provide community programs for noncampus students during the summer and interim school breaks. Services will also include Aina Engagement programs and career and post-high school counseling.

“We’d like to create a hale where all of our services and programs can be housed in a convenient one-stop center to serve our Hawaiian families,” said Venus Rosete-Medeiros, regional director for Maui County. “This site will become a new gathering place and regional hub on Maui for the surrounding Native Hawaiian communities.”

The property is located near many Hawaiian agencies and services. It’s half a mile away from the Hawaiian homestead community of Paukukalo and two Kamehameha Schools preschool classrooms. The state Department of Hawaiian Home  Lands, ‘Aha Punana Leo o Maui, the Queen Lili’uokalani Children’s Center and government offices are all within a mile of the property’s location. The DHHL homestead of Waiehu Kou is 2 miles away.

The purchase price was not disclosed. According to Maui County property tax records, the land is assessed at $647,500 and the building at $221,200, for a total assessed value of $868,700.

Renovation work is expected to begin later this year.