EXCLUSIVE: State office building vacant for 12 years finally getting fixed

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -

An aged state building on prime real estate just a block away from the State Capitol that's been vacant for 12 years is finally getting renovated.

The Princess Victoria Kamamalu Building, at the corner of King and Richards streets, was built in 1957 and needed renovations in 2003 when 300 state employees moved out.

It's been empty so long a tree has grown in front of its main sign and another tree has sprouted on the roof.

"I think we've been working to get this building up and operational for over 12 years and we're excited to finally start construction," said Doug Murdock, the state comptroller who is director of the state's Department of Accounting and General Services, which oversees state facilities and purchasing.

In 2005, the state set aside $12.6 million for renovations to the building but when it discovered pervasive asbestos and deteriorated building systems, repair estimates more than doubled.

Removal of asbestos, as well as old air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems cost about $1.4 million.

"The original funding that we had was good for removing asbestos and doing some other remediation work that we had to do to turn it into an empty shell as it is now," Murdock said.

But during the recession, the project languished without the money to complete it while the state explored selling or swapping the property.

"We've just within the past few years, gotten the full funding to rebuild the entire building," Murdock said.

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EXCLUSIVE: State office building vacant for 12 years finally getting fixed