The prospect of a mixed-use development to create a more vibrant atmosphere for students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is drawing fire from supporters of University Laboratory School who fear the K-12 campus would be displaced in the process.
The “UH CampusTown,” still in the early phases of discussion by UH officials and planners, could include academic facilities alongside restaurants, cafes, shops, venues for social and cultural activities and other public spaces designed for students, faculty, staff and the broader community to gather beyond the classroom, especially in the evening and on weekends.
The concept would take shape on 15.43 acres of university land currently home to the College of Education, the UH Manoa Children’s Center and the Laboratory School, a state public charter school.
UH officials and representatives from the project planning firm PBR Hawaii joined Manoa residents and others Wednesday night to share ideas for the potential CampusTown, with UH Chief Financial Affairs Officer Kalbert Young emphasizing the proposal remains in a very preliminary stage.
“There are no identified plans yet,” he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “We’re not even at the start. This is like before you even get to the gate, what should we talk about?”
Still, some in the community expressed concern, especially over the future of the Laboratory School, which has long been known for its research-driven approach to education. A petition to “Save ULS” from potential closure has garnered more than 2,200 signatures.
While UH has not announced any such plan, the possibility of redevelopment has sparked uncertainty among the charter school’s parents, teachers and alumni.
Relocation plans for the College of Education and the Children’s Center are already underway. The College of Education is scheduled to move into a new Snyder Hall replacement building in fall 2027, and the Children’s Center will relocate to Hale Haukani — at the former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration site — by this fall.
Meanwhile, the former PBS Hawai‘i building at the corner of Dole Street and University Avenue is being demolished, with work expected to wrap up by the end of this month.
CampusTown is envisioned as part of a broader effort to activate underutilized areas of the UH-Manoa campus and better integrate with the surrounding neighborhood. While the university says nothing has been decided yet, the idea has already begun stirring debate over how to balance institutional growth with community trust and educational continuity.
Supporters of the Laboratory School are calling on UH to be more transparent as it moves forward with a feasibility study to explore potential redevelopment of the land the charter school currently occupies.
Limited communication
Wilbur Wong, the parent of two Laboratory School students who is leading the petition effort, said families have long been uneasy over what he described as years of uncertainty, limited communication with UH officials and growing concerns the school could be displaced.
“This kind of issue has been going on for a number of years now,” Wong said. “There’s been talk and rumors, and people have been concerned about it.”
He said families are unsettled by the absence of any clear commitment to the school in the current planning discussions. Wong noted a separate community meeting May 2 at which officials reassured attendees there was no existing plan to move the Laboratory School campus.
He said he hopes UH will commit to supporting education by redeveloping the area in a way that includes a permanent, improved home for the charter school. He acknowledged the current facilities are modest — similar to many others on campus — but believes that if UH is considering a major redevelopment, it should also invest in upgraded infrastructure to allow the Laboratory School to grow and carry on its legacy.
While relocating the school wouldn’t be ideal, he added that working with the school community to secure a permanent site would at least be a constructive step.
For now, he said, the lack of communication from UH is leaving families and community members in limbo.
Wong also expressed concern over the types of commercial development being discussed for the site, such as bars, restaurants and entertainment venues, which raises additional questions about whether a public charter school fits into the university’s long-term vision for the area.
Enhancing UH identity
At Wednesday’s community meeting, PBR Hawai‘i presented a preliminary concept for CampusTown, spotlighting design elements focused on creating an “activity hub” to foster interaction between students, faculty, staff and residents. Suggested features include event halls, maker spaces, movie houses, game rooms, art exhibits, food trucks, restaurants, bars, community gardens, an e-sports arena, fitness center, bowling alley and co-working spaces.
CampusTown also would incorporate uses seen in similar developments elsewhere, such as student and workforce housing, academic facilities, open space, community services and parking structures. PBR representatives stressed the importance of maintaining a strong academic connection, with opportunities for practical student learning experiences such as health clinics or hotels operated in collaboration with UH programs.
Plans for open space would accommodate a variety of uses ranging from farmers markets and community gardens to plazas, playing fields and unprogrammed gathering areas. The planning team also highlighted the goal of preserving “authenticity” by enhancing UH’s identity, reinforcing cultural and place-based ties, and creating memorable spaces for both the campus and the community at large.
In response to community concerns, UH-Manoa spokesperson Moanikeala Nabarro said in a statement that the university is in the early stages of developing a feasibility study for developing the area at hand, as directed by the state Legislature in 2023.
“This effort is also significant for the university, Manoa and the surrounding community, as UH will be relocating a significant portion of its program presence from the property before the end of the calendar year,” Nabarro said. “This presents an opportunity for the university, the state, the city and the broader community to identify potential future uses for the site.”
She said comments collected at two community workshops held May 2 and Wednesday will help shape the study’s findings. Feedback will guide possible land uses, amenities and services that could be included in conceptual plans.
Nabarro insisted that no decisions have been made and that the Laboratory School is not being targeted for removal.
“It is important to note that UH has no specific or actionable plans to redevelop the property that would require the relocation of the charter school. Neither the university’s current long-range development plan (2019) nor its six-year Capital Improvement Plan (ending in 2028) includes any plans to redevelop the site,” she said. “Any potential redevelopment would be many years away, and the Lab School would be provided ample notice and included in the planning process.”
But Wong said past experiences have left parents skeptical. The PBS Hawai‘i building sat vacant for years before being demolished, and he worries the Laboratory School could face a similar fate if UH prioritizes commercial gain over educational partnerships.
“To me, it’s a bigger issue because it is the partnership that has been built over the years, and the value part — the Lab School and the College of Ed and the work and the research being done at the Lab School,” he said.
Even if the school were relocated, Wong questioned whether its research partnership with the College of Education could survive. Currently, faculty and graduate students regularly walk from the college to the charter school to collaborate on teaching, curriculum development and pilot programs.
Feasibility study
Young said that beyond 2027, the only confirmed activity for the site is a final phase of operations. Since all the buildings on the site are UH property and facilities, the university’s main concern is determining what will ultimately happen there.
“That’s why I say I don’t know exactly what will or won’t be on the site,” Young said. “But I can guarantee that by 2028, the entire maintenance of that property is going to change.”
UH’s current programs will no longer be there, though it’s possible new programs could take their place.
Young said that when the Legislature passed the resolution — HCR 178 HD 1 — in 2023 calling for a feasibility study of the CampusTown project, funding was not provided.
“It took us more than a year and a half to figure out how to move forward because we didn’t receive any money for it,” he said. “We had to determine how to undertake the study, where the funding would come from and what the scope should include.”
He said UH contracted PBR Hawaii to lead the study sometime last year. As for the total cost, Young said he doesn’t yet know the final amount but estimates the study will likely fall in the range of $250,000 to $500,000.
Wong said he hopes UH will commit to maintaining the partnership by either investing in upgraded facilities for the current charter school campus or working closely with the school to secure a permanent home elsewhere.
“In my ideal world, I would love for the university to commit to education and redevelop the whole block, but build a permanent home for the Lab School.”
For now, Wong and other supporters say they just want clarity — and a seat at the table for further discussion.
