State Changes Location for New Kona Courthouse

***Updated at 2:28 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, to correct map and date of anticipated construction. See “BLOG: A Baffling EIS, and Other Confusing Letters” article for more information.***

A different location has been selected for Kona’s new courthouse, State Judiciary officials said today.

The new location will be a 10-acre parcel located across Makala Boulevard from the Makalapua Center. The property is owned by the Queen Liliuokalani Trust.

Early last year, Judiciary officials had picked a state-owned parcel at Lai Opua, near the county’s West Hawaii Civic Center. However, that site had to be rejected after botanical studies found specimens of the endangered `uhi `uhi plant nearby, officials said today.

Judiciary officials issued a statement saying that they don’t anticipate significant impacts on the project’s timetable and budget because design work undertaken so far can be utilized at the new site.

The judiciary complex will be designed to accommodate seven full-time judges and 220 employees to meet the needs of West Hawaii’s growing population through at least 2030.

Officials have long awaited a consolidation of court facilities in Kona which are currently carried out in three different locations.

Construction on the 142,000-square-foot facility is expected to begin in 2016. The anticipated cost is $90.7 million.