UH Board of Regents authorizes UH Manoa to proceed with construction contract negotiations for Frear Hall

HONOLULU — At its monthly meeting held today at Kauaʻi Community College, the UH Board of Regents (BOR) authorized UH Mānoa to proceed with contract negotiations with American Campus Communities for the construction of the new student dormitory.

Frear Hall dormitory was torn down over the summer to make room for the first of three new dorms planned for the UH Mānoa campus. Once a contract is agreed upon and approved by the BOR, the construction can proceed as scheduled. The total cost of the dormitory will be covered through $25 million in general obligation bonds and $46 million in revenue bonds, both appropriated through the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in 2005.

The cost of the dormitory is not to exceed $71 million and the plan is to have the dormitory completed in time for the start of the Fall 2008 semester.

"This new building is going to bring our campus renewal efforts into sharper focus almost immediately," said Interim Mānoa Chancellor Denise Konan. "Two years from now, we will have 800 more students living on campus, and that will make Mānoa a much more vibrant education community."

In other Board action, the Regents approved the appointment of Mānoa Vice Chancellor for Research Gary K. Ostrander to serve as the interim dean at the UH medical school. Ostrander is co-chair of the search advisory committee that has begun interviews with candidates for the permanent appointment.