During the week after Finals, survey workers will spend several days taking soil samples at the new building site, the two new parking lot locations, and the portion of Ala Koolau, the roadway that runs by Hale Imiloa and Hale Palanakila.
Those on campus can expect some noise from the augers, and drivers may find portions of Ala Koolau blocked while the crew gathers samples.
At its December 3, 2008 meeting, the City Council approved Resolution 08-258 "to allow Windward Community College to obtain building permits for improvements covered by the Plan Review Use Permit granted by Resolution No. 94‑87, CD1."
The resolution removed a stipulations requiring the College to complete Master Plan improvements within ten years (such completion was not possible due to funding delays).
This action clears the College to submit demolition, grading and building permits when construction starts in late fall 2009.
At its September 18, 2008 meeting, the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board No. 30 was presented with a project summary regarding the new building.
We received more suggestions about building design and resources in the new LLC:
Construction plans extend beyond the footprint of the building itself; If funding allows, the project will include two new parking lots and road widening.
The Aug 2008 Historic Preservation Report contains the following illustrations:
Construction plans for the LLC will require the demolition of Hale MÄnaleo, which, as a State-owned building over 50 years old, qualifies as a “historic building.” This College sought and received preliminary approval of the plan from the State Historic Preservation District (SHPD).
In keeping with the historic district's distinct character, the architects' plans for the new building will preserve both the open green space and views to the adjacent historic buildings, and include many of the architectural details, materials, textures, roof forms, and colors found in the remaining historic structures on campus.
The latest report to the SHPD includes exterior sketches of the new building, illustrating these features.
The College will also develop a display for the new building to depict the historic district.
In these ways, the facility will enhance the historic district, while retaining its own identity as a newly constructed, non-historic building.
As part of the application to update the PRU permit, Wilson Okamoto Corporation prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on behalf of the College.
The draft was mailed Aug. 26, 2008 to various City and State agencies and Legislative bodies, and included a request for comments by Sept. 19, 2008, which will be incorporated into the final EA.
Part of the process of constructing a new building involves getting appropriate permits and keeping them current.
The College recently filed to amend and update its Plan Review Use (PRU) Permit.The College's authorized agent, Wilson Okamoto Corporation, prepared and submitted the “Amendment Request to PRU Condition” to the City and County of Honolulu earlier this month.
The amendment needs approval from the Department of Planning and Permitting, the Zoning Committee, and the City Council before construction can begin. We expect the approval process to be complete by January 2009.
These suggestions for the new building came in since April 22:
Using the latest draft schematics as a guide, Jerry (of The Learning Center) superimposed an approximate outline of the new building's footprint on a satellite view of the campus. The architects haven't yet determined the exact dimensions and building placement, of course. Nonetheless, this helps us get a better sense of how this building might fit on campus.
We're planning the new building with the aim of achieving a Silver LEED® certification.
What's that?
The United States Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system provides standards for designating "green" buildings. As our construction project fulfills required and optional criteria, it will earn "credits" or "points" toward LEED certification, with 33-38 points earning the "Silver" level.
Our project has been registered with the USGBC, which provides access to online tools to assist the planners, architects, and contractors in recording and tracking progress toward this certification.
Our building may earn credits in a variety of ways, such as using water and energy efficiently, preserving open spaces around the building, ensuring a high standard of indoor air quality, and more.
The iterative process of reviewing & refining our vision and schematics continues. Take a look at the PDF file of the most recent draft.
The magazine Campus Technology published an article about Ohio State University Library's renovation project. The article describes the trend toward creating Learning Commons spaces in academic libraries.
Over 50 people gave suggestions for the new building when filling out our Library User Survey. Here's a sample:
Architects Hawaii presented their concept drawings, showing the possible shape of the building and the placement of functional areas within it.Site Plan
Please feel free to post comments or suggestions on any of these.
Site Map/Form Study
Sectional Floor Plan
Main Level Floor Plan
Lower Level Floor Plan
Upper Level Floor Plan
A large stained glass window would make for an aesthetic component of the Library with the added value of bringing in filtered natural light into the interior.
[Computers] should be set apart so the person using the computer won’t disturb the other person on the computer especially when you have to write a paper.
Lots of chairs and tables.
Romantic lighting.
Black lights.
As always, we're interested in your feedback. Post a comment, or use the form on at http://library.wcc.hawaii.edu/NewBuilding/
1. The flooring should be mildew resistant, be able to handle the heavy traffic, easily maintained, and quiet. Leeward CC recently did a reflooring project using recycled material (rubber?) in their Library that might be something to consider.
2. Focus on energy self sufficiency.
3. The Media Center might be positioned so that it has a separate entrance, to avoid congestion with the other library traffic.
4. Coffee Shop and or Cafe is a good idea.
5. The only suggestion that comes to mind right now is that will there be an exhibit area. I don't necessarily mean a gallery, but a place where photos, art, or other programs could be exhibited. I'm thinking of when we had the "Love Makes a Family" exhibit many years ago. Although the facilities were not ideal, at least the exhibit was in a place where it could be seen by many. Hopefully, the new library will be much better.
6. I would like one or two rooms, where students could scan material and listen to it; alternatively, human readers accompanying their students could read to them. The room(s) would have good soundproofing, but it would be larger than the typical booth, since sometimes more than one person would be using the space. The room would have a computer station and scanner and Kurzweil 1000 and Kurzweil 3000 software. When not in use by print-disabled students, the room could be a quiet study area or, alternatively, it could be a small sound studio for persons recording podcasts or other small media projects.
7. Aloha! One thing I've heard students asking for is more places where they can study in groups. (Or maybe that's what the "View and Listen" rooms on the first floor are for?)
8. Any plans to include the exterior amphitheater between the new Library/Learning Resource Center and Hokulani Imaginarium. It would provide an aesthetic and attractive setting for students to congregate informally, for outdoor events, such as poetry reading sessions and for night sky viewing of the stars.
9. It may be a mistake to put the courtyard on the mauka side of the bldg. This is the side that will get minimal sunlight during the winter, thus in shadow for that half of the year when the campus is in full session. Minimal sunlight means mold and damp - that will not make it an inviting location. Perhaps consider moving the wing now in a makai position (the wing in the foreground in the illustration on the webpage, oriented approx. NE-SW), inland to mauka, and place the courtyard on the makai side? That way it opens into the central great lawn and mall of the campus, embellishing that openness, rather than disrupting openness and continuity as the current placement of the wing does.
10. All outdoor lamp posts should be designed to shine light directly down towards the ground. Horizontally directed light is wasteful; vertically emitted light is not only energy inefficient, but also pollutes the nighttime sky, and, in particular, hinders astronomical seeing conditions for both naked-eye viewing and telescopic observations at WCC's nearby Lanihuli Observatory.
11. Do you still have plans for a place for "archiving" some of the history of the college?
12. Semi-private places for students to study in small groups (i.e. small group study rooms).
13. A room that holds around 40 for hosting community events or Upward Bound Saturday Academies (would be great to meet in the same building as the computer lab).
14. Definitely the coffee bar area w/ casual seating & wireless Internet to give students a place to hang out between classes. Stay open at least until 7:00 PM classes begin.
15. Executive-style conference room for staff meetings or student group meetings. Capacity around 12-15.
16. Outdoor shaded eating spaces such as picnic tables or patio tables.
17. Expanded tutorial services available for ALL students, not just TRIO qualified.
18. At least 4 small study rooms accommodating 6 students each. Secured rooms, available via reservation and issued key access.
19. Study Rooms: For group study or tutoring
20. Lecture Room: For guest speakers for the College
21. Movie Room: For WCC movie viewing both for education and leisure
22. Coffee Bar Lighting: Warm ambiance, similar to Starbuck's and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
23. Elevators: If its 2-story. For handicap and transport
24. Media equipment and software: Macs, Final Cut Pro, Adobe, HD cameras.
25. Sufficient shelf space for an expanded Hawaiian collection.
26. Display space: wall and cabinets for rotating exhibits, special/topical exhibits.
27. Testing room where questions can be read aloud or totally free of distractions.
We want more suggestions. Got an idea? Please leave a comment below, use the web form at http://library.wcc.hawaii.edu/NewBuilding/, or drop off written comments in the library.
We met Thursday with the team from Architects Hawaii. We described our vision of the Learning Commons, and they described their "integrated design" approach to planning. Interestingly enough, these have much in common: more about that later.
We're still looking for your comments and suggestions. Come on in and tell us what you think, or leave suggestions in a comment below, or use the comment form at http://library.wcc.hawaii.edu/NewBuilding/.
In the library, you can now look at the conceptual floor plans drawn during preliminary planning (the architects will create new floor plans based on our evolved vision and the suggestions from students, faculty, staff and community members).
We've placed envelopes next to the drawings to receive your suggestions about study rooms, lighting, chairs media equipment, the coffee shop, computing spaces, study spaces, the Hawaiian Collections room, new services, and more.
Come on in and tell us what you think, or leave suggestions in a comment below, or use the comment form at http://library.wcc.hawaii.edu/NewBuilding/ .
In 2004, Leo A. Daly completed a Project Development Report, here in two parts:
I: Concept Development
II: Program Planning
