While the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus was still not at full capacity over the summer due the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Campus Operations and Facilities completed a special project on the third floor of Kuykendall Hall and took advantage of the empty space to do a total refresh of three general classrooms.
In three classrooms on the third floor—rooms 301, 306 and 310—the project team replaced the carpet, cove base, window blinds, chair guards, patched and painted all surfaces in each room, installed new LED lights, repaired and replaced ceiling soffits and tiles, replaced all air conditioning system air devices, replaced light switch and outlet cover plates, repaired projector screens and other miscellaneous items.
Ceiling tiles in the corridor were repaired and replaced, new LED lights installed, and wall surfaces were patched and painted. The restrooms had work done to repair damaged wall and floor ceramic tiles, replace mirrors, patch and paint wall surfaces, replace damaged plumbing fixtures, install hands-free faucets and paper towel dispensers and replace damaged lights.
In the Diamond Head lobby area on the third floor, existing classroom tables and concrete benches were relocated along the lobby perimeter to allow for extra study, seating and gathering areas.
“Our facilities team did a phenomenal job spearheading this special project and were able to take advantage of the empty space in Kuykendall Hall this summer to make sure everything was ready for classes in the fall,” said Blake Araki, director of campus operations and facilities.
- Related UH News story: Major uptick in Mānoa campus upkeep during pandemic, June 2, 2020
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UH Mānoa operations and facilities team were able to complete a number of campus improvements including:
- Repaving and resurfacing of approximately 290,000 square feet (6.5 acres) of roadways and parking lots
- Repairs to air conditioning cooling towers and chillers that serve the Campus Center Complex—Campus Center, Hemenway Hall and the Warrior Recreation Center
- A deep cleaning to the Campus Center meeting rooms and courtyard, including the benches
This effort is an example of UH Mānoa’s goal of Enhancing Student Success (PDF), one of four goals identified in the 2015–25 Strategic Plan (PDF), updated in December 2020.
