State agency’s preschool production pipeline bulges while other projects hit roadblocks
Riki Fujitani, executive director of the state School Facilities Authority, has made major strides in one lane of work a little over a year since the fledgling agency’s first leader resigned under fire at the Legislature, though struggles in other areas remain. During the waning 2024-2025 school year, the SFA added new public preschool space for 849 children, after an initial 213 preschool seats the year before.
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Riki Fujitani, executive director of the School Facilities Authority, tours the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site. As one of the SFA ongoing projects, the complex includes a 126-seat, 8-room preschool directly underneath the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower under construction and slated for completion later in 2025.
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The interior of the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
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Swinerton lead supervisor John Schaible, middle, shows Michael Shibata, left, director of strategic development and partnership at the University of Hawaii, and Kalbert Young, right, vice president of budget and finance at the University of Hawaii system, at the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
4/11
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Work continues at the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
5/11
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Work continues at the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
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Riki Fujitani, left, executive director of the School Facilities Authority, and Kalbert Young, right, vice president of budget and finance at the University of Hawaii system, walk the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
7/11
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Riki Fujitani, left, executive director of the School Facilities Authority, and Michael Shibata, right, director of strategic development and partnership at the University of Hawaii, are given a tour by Swinerton senior superintendent John Schaible, middle, at the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
8/11
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From left, Riki Fujitani, executive director of the School Facilities Authority, Kalbert Young, vice president of budget and finance at the University of Hawaii system, Douglas Cullison, program manager at School Facilities Authority, John Schaible, senior superintendent at Swinerton, and Michael Shibata, right, director of strategic development and partnership at the University of Hawaii, stand inside the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
9/11
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From left, Douglas Cullison, program manager at School Facilities Authority, Kalbert Young, vice president of budget and finance at the University of Hawaii system, Riki Fujitani, executive director of the School Facilities Authority, and Michael Shibata, director of strategic development and partnership at the University of Hawaii, stand inside the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
10/11
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From left, Douglas Cullison, program manager at School Facilities Authority, Kalbert Young, vice president of budget and finance at the University of Hawaii system, Riki Fujitani, executive director of the School Facilities Authority, John Schaible, senior superintendent at Swinerton, and Michael Shibata, front right, director of strategic development and partnership at the University of Hawaii, stand inside the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
11/11
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Swinerton lead supervisor John Schaible, right, shows Riki Fujitani, middle, executive director of the School Facilities Authority, and Michael Shibata, left, director of strategic development and partnership at the University of Hawaii, the exterior of the new UH Manoa graduate housing tower construction site.
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