The Department of Commerce is still hopeful to meet its July deadline for completion of major renovations to the Lee Auditorium in time to host the Polynesian Leaders Group meeting.
Lina Petaia, Manager of the Community Development Block Grant Program under the Department of Commerce which is funding the renovations, says no actual construction work has started and for good reason.
She explains that the Department of Public Works is to come up with a detailed scope of work for the actual construction.
And the way the project is structured the federal funder has strict guidelines which the project has to meet.
The middle of the auditorium’s roof is leaking and the stage, the motor screen and other features of the building need to be replaced.
The leaking roof is causing a mold problem.
The CDBG Manager says they are working with the Office of Procurement to bid out other parts of the Lee Auditorium renovation project.
For example the sound system and air conditioning will be bid out separately.
Despite the delay in actual renovation work getting underway, DOC iremains optimistic that it will be able to complete the renovations and have everything in the building functional by the time the Polynesian Leaders Group meeting convenes in July.
