New West Oahu campus tops UH wish list

University of Hawaii officials are planning to ask the governor and the Legislature again for about $35 million in taxpayer-financed general obligation bonds to build infrastructure for a new $169.8 million UH-West Oahu campus.

The Legislature failed to fund the campus last session.

The UH-West Oahu campus is the largest item in a draft two-year capital improvement project budget for the 10-campus system.

UH administrators gave the Board of Regents an overview of the $718 million budget yesterday. The budget is being reviewed by UH President David McClain and could change before it is presented to the regents at next month's meeting on Kauai.

The university is seeking $515 million in taxpayer-financed bonds for construction projects. The rest of the money will come from public-private partnerships, university revenue bonds and the federal government.

Most of the construction costs at UH-West Oahu will be paid for by a private developer in exchange for the right to build housing on state land next to the campus. Another major project -- a renovation of the Campus Center at UH-Manoa -- will be paid for through an increase in student fees.

The university would like to spend $174.4 million at UH-Manoa, $119.4 million at UH-Hilo and $196.7 million on the community college campuses.

State Budget Director Georgina Kawamura, who was at yesterday's meeting, said the administration would likely include UH-West Oahu in the governor's budget since it was part of the budget in the last session. But the administration will have to review the other items being proposed by the university, she said.

Other UH projects

Here are some of the other projects proposed in a draft $718 million construction budget over the next two years at the 10 University of Hawaii campuses.

» Deferred maintenance: $56.2 million

» Health and safety code improvements: $17 million

» Information Technology Center: $54.5 million

» Library at Windward Community College: $43.1 million

» Advanced Technology Training Center at Honolulu Community College: $39.8 million

» Science Building at Maui Community College: $37.1 million

» UH-Manoa Campus Center renovation: $28.8 million

» Student Services Building at UH-Hilo: $26.5 million

» Teacher Education Facility at Leeward Community College: $23.2 million

» Hawaiian Language Building at UH-Hilo: $21 million

» Feasibility study to expand UH-Manoa faculty housing at Waahila: $300,000