Architect calls
Kalia Tower lawsuit
unfortunate
Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, designer of the Kalia Tower at Hilton Hawaiian Village and one of several firms sued by Hilton over the tower's mold problem, said yesterday that it has a long relationship with Hilton and that the lawsuit was unfortunate.
Wimberly, an architecture firm founded in Honolulu in 1945, has worked with Hilton for 23 years in Hawaii, designed the Tapa Tower at Hilton Hawaiian Village and has helped renovate much of the property, said Ron Holecek, company chief executive.
Holecek said he can't comment on the specifics of the lawsuit. To his knowledge, other properties designed by Wimberly have not shown mold problems, he said. Wimberly has branch offices around the world and designed the Hawaii Convention Center, Sheraton Molokai Hotel, Sheraton Kauai, Aloha Towers Condominiums and Maui Land & Pineapple Co. headquarters.
Hilton opened the Kalia Tower in May 2001, then closed all 453 guest rooms a year later because of uncontrollable mold growth. Hilton has estimated that getting rid of the mold will cost $56 million, more than half the tower's $95 million development cost. The tower is expected to reopen in the third quarter of this year.
Hilton sued Wimberly and several of the tower's engineering consultants and construction firms in state court, blaming the tower's design and construction for the mold. No company has formally responded to the suit.