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The state’s top officials are to decide by early next year on the location for a proposed $90 million Kona judiciary complex.
A final environmental impact statement was recently completed, including a review and analysis of seven sites in West Hawaii.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie has to accept the final study before it can be sent to Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald.
Recktenwald is expected to choose the site by early next year, according to the state Judiciary.
Based on a rating system, sites at Makalapua and Kealakehe received the most number of "good" ratings, the Judiciary said.
The seven sites are clustered north of Kailua-Kona near the West Hawaii Civic Center.
Estimated development is scheduled to begin as early as 2014, and the facility is to open in 2017.
State Judiciary officials said the complex will replace inadequate, far-flung court facilities with a modern new consolidated structure.
The complex is intended to help group the circuit, district and family courts and related operations in West Hawaii, including security and holding areas, a law library, legal documents, and driver’s education.
West Hawaii’s 3rd Circuit judicial districts include Kona, Kohala, Hamakua and Kau.
The seven choices were evaluated and rated in the environmental impact statement based on a number of criteria, including lot size, slope, access to utilities, roadway and pedestrian access, and land ownership, according to state judiciary officials.
The proposed facility would have a floor space of 141,800 square feet and 500 parking stalls.
The location of the remaining six sites include two in Kealakehe, the Civic Center area, Lanihau, Laiopua, and Makalapua Center.
The study may be reviewed by accessing the current issue of the state Office of Environmental Quality Control bulletin at the website: oeqc.doh.hawaii.gov/Shared%20Documents/Environmental_Notice/ current_issue.pdf
This story has been corrected: An environmental impact statement evaluating seven possible development sites for the Kona Judiciary Complex did not select one site as the best alternative. Based on a rating system, sites at Makalapua and Kealakehe received the most number of "good" ratings, not Kaloko Makai. A Page B1 article Sunday listed Kaloko Makai as being selected as the best site. Also, the Children’s Justice Center will not be included in the Kona Judiciary Complex, as was reported.
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