HONOLULU — Historic Hawai‘i Foundation presented a Preservation Honor Award for the rehabilitation of the Kaua‘i County Annex Building at an awards ceremony on April 22 at Bishop Museum in Honolulu.
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s executive director, Kiersten Faulkner, said that the Awards Committee selected the Annex Building project to receive the honor based on the exemplary research and craftsmanship that restored the historic character of the civic building while still addressing the needs of current users.
“We are pleased to recognize the outstanding efforts of Kaua‘i County’s Office of County Clerk and the Department of Public Works, as well as the project contractors, in completing this rehabilitation project,” said Faulkner. “We believe that the project serves as an example of the County’s commitment to preserving the Garden Isle’s historic resources.”
Located in the Lihu‘e Civic Center historic district, the Hart Wood designed Annex building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The $2.6 million restoration project was completed in 2009.
Several departments have made their home in this building throughout the years. The preservation project rehabilitated the former territorial office building for the elections division offices and as a facility for walk-in voting.
Renovation work included hazardous material abatement; installation of custom windows; replication of historic entry doors; extensive plaster analysis and repairs; restoration and cleaning of original polished concrete floors; refurbishment of plumbing fixtures; and installation of new central air conditioning equipment.
The project encountered some challenges, including heavy termite damage in the roof timbers; a cracked intermediate floor slab; and dense lava rock perimeter walls that posed challenges during the electrical wiring of the building. The project team overcame these issues and was able to preserve the historic character of the building while meeting the functional needs of the County.
The Honor Award was presented by Historic Hawai‘i Foundation awards committee members Pat Griffin and Robert Iopa to Mayor Bernard Carvalho for County of Kaua‘i; Barbara Shideler for Mason Architects; Gary Chock for Martin & Chock; Tracy Young for Douglas Engineering; and Mark Hiranaka for Pacific Blue Construction. Prepose Engineering was also recognized.
In addition to the preservation award for the Kaua‘i County Annex building, HHF also presented five other Preservation Awards in recognition of specific preservation projects; six Preservation Commendations that recognize programmatic and advocacy efforts; seven Centennial recognitions; and the signature Frank Haines Award for outstanding achievement in preservation efforts over a sustained period of time.
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation has presented the honor awards annually since 1975; the awards are Hawaii’s highest recognition of preservation projects that perpetuate, rehabilitate, restore or interpret the state’s architectural, archaeological and/or cultural heritage.
The honorees were selected by an Awards Committee comprised of professionals in the fields of architecture, history, planning, landscape architecture, architectural history and media. Each nomination was considered on its own merits and not in competition with others. Selection criteria are quality, excellence in planning, implementation, and follow-through of work that demonstrates historic preservation as a strategy for the protection, understanding, revitalization, use or celebration of Hawaii’s historic and cultural sites.
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation is a membership-based, nonprofit organization that encourages the preservation of historic sites across the state.
Visit www.historichawaii.org for more information.
