The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a requirement for a Design-Build project at NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS) in the City of Kihei, on the Island of Maui, Hawaii.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a requirement for renovations and improvements for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS) campus in Kihei, HI. The HIHWNMS campus is located on the south shore of Maui overlooking the waters of the sanctuary. The mission of HIHWNMS is to protect humpback whales and their habitat through education, science, and resource protection. The campus includes three buildings: a Visitor Center, Admin Center/Classroom, and Learning/Community Center. The Visitor Center has exhibits, displays, and offices; the Classroom building offers classroom and lab space, a library, and offices; the Learning/Community Center contains offices, restrooms, a large multipurpose room, storage, and a garage/shop.

The facilities require extensive renovations and improvements to meet HIHWNMS’s current and future needs. The project will focus on extending the campus’s usable life by at least 40 years, optimizing space use, and reconfiguring areas for better efficiency. A more efficient layout and flexible use of space are key goals, especially in the Learning and Office buildings, while the Visitor Center will receive essential upgrades without major interior changes.

Visitor Center Building:

• Approximately 2,550 GSF
• Built in the 1940s, interior completely renovated and partial exterior renovation in 2011. Lead based paint on exterior remediated 2017.
• Two-story with visitor center on first floor and offices on second floor and in the third story/cupola.
• Situated on shoreline with exposure to strong daily winds and blowing sand.
• Historic fishpond, rocky coastline, and near shore reef flat provide some protection from wave action and shoreline erosion.
• Anticipated scope includes: roof replacement, window replacement, PV system replacement, and minor interior renovations.

Learning Center Building:

• Approximately 4,600 GSF
• Built in 2009
• Elevated one-story building with garage, offices, public restrooms, multipurpose conference room, storage.
• Anticipated scope includes: complete interior renovation to accommodate programmatic changes, roofing replacement, window replacement, PV system replacement, complete HVAC replacement, fire alarm system replacement, adding a fire sprinkler system, and other miscellaneous repair items.

Classroom/Office Building:

• Approximately 1,900 GSF
• Built in the 1950s. Concrete block building was renovated in 2013 with exterior siding and flood protections
• Anticipated scope includes: complete interior renovation to accommodate programmatic changes, raising the existing floor level to mitigate flooding risk, provision of new flood gates, roofing replacement, window replacement, exterior painting, PV system replacement, complete HVAC replacement, electrical improvements, fire alarm system improvements, and other miscellaneous repair items.

Site Improvements:

• Complete replacement and regrading of the parking lot to provide positive drainage and mitigate flooding/ponding, including permeable surfaces where possible.
• Address existing site drainage issues through renovation of existing French drain, addition of swales, improved drainage, addition of landscaping, and other approaches.
• Provide/replace water lines to existing facilities, including a new fire water line to Learning Center.
• Retain or improve existing sand storage.
• Provide a new 6-10 car covered parking structure with PV on the roof, with a minimum of 1 enclosed secure parking space, and EV charging for a minimum of 1 vehicle
• Provide safe and improved pedestrian access to and through the site.
• Electrical conduit upgrade.
• Other potential underground utility replacements and repairs.