The new satellite city hall to replace the one in Kapalama is preparing to start up operations. It took longer than expected to renovate the new site at Alakawa Street and Dillingham Boulevard, but the soon-to-open service center sounds like it will be worth the wait.

Instead of the common long waiting lines, a modernized system will make the wait more of a reserve-an-appointment arrangement, which should help.

But there will be a lot of heavy traffic in the area — rail is scheduled to be built there, and a Costco is nearby — so allow a little more time if you plan to go there.

DOE actually moved too quickly

Yes, we’re in a building boom, with Honolulu ranking third among the nation’s fastest-growing construction job markets over the past 12 months.Busy, busy.

But for those general contractors missing out on jobs or looking for more work, be advised that the state Department of Education is putting out the call — again — for contractors to work on heat-abatement projects, including the air-conditioning of stifling school classrooms.

In hopes of moving quickly once the Legislature allocated funding, the DOE had started prequalifying contractors in March.

But since numerous contractors said they were unaware of this, the DOE has reopened the process to qualify more general contractors with A or B licenses.

See https://basec.sicomm.net/HIDOE/ or call 784-5012.