FILE PHOTO / MAY 1997 First lady Vicky Cayetano, shown in 1997 in a receiving room near the entrance to Washington Place, has been working toward the creation of a museum on the mansion's second floor.

Washington Place
project advances

Construction on a new governor's
residence may begin next month

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By Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.com

Work is expected to start next month on a second home to be built on the historic Washington Place property, across from the state Capitol, according to first lady Vicky Cayetano.

After more than two years of fund raising, Cayetano has raised more than $1 million for the Washington Place Foundation, according to Jim Bartels, director of Washington Place.

The money will go first for a new home for Hawaii's governor and then for a renovation to the existing two-story home.

The Washington Place Foundation, designed by Cayetano to create a museum and interpretive gallery on Washington Place's second floor, is charged with building a new home for Hawaii's governors.

Since 1921, Hawaii's governors have lived in Washington Place, which was first the home of Queen Liliuokalani and has been continuously occupied for 150 years.

Before work on the museum and galleries can begin, an abandoned servants' cottage at the back of the property must be demolished, and a new home for the governors has to be constructed.

"I am told we should get the environmental assessment done by the end of this month. We really can't do anything until then," Cayetano said.

The project, which the first lady said is being privately financed, is expected to be completed before the Cayetanos leave Washington Place in December.

"We can't do anything with upstairs until this family moves out. Then we are going to go upstairs and really change it," Cayetano said.