By COLIN M. STEWART
By COLIN M. STEWART
Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
Construction could begin in the fall on an $18.5 million, 100-bed skilled-nursing facility in Hilo.
Washington state-based Regency South Inc., a subsidiary of long-term health care and senior housing provider Regency Pacific Inc., sent notices last month to neighbors surrounding the site, on 17 acres in Kaumana, to inform them of the impending construction for Regency Care Center at Hilo.
The company will hold a community meeting on Monday, May 14, at Ernest B. De Silva Elementary School’s cafeteria at 5 p.m. to present the plans for the project and receive commentary from the public.
The facility is expected to open by the end of 2013, and will directly employ 150 full-time employees and 10 part-time workers, said Sidney Fuke, of Hilo-based Sidney Fuke Planning Consultants, Regency South’s Big Isle consultant. Those positions would include nurses, therapists, doctors, psychologists and social workers.
Plans call for a single-story, 48,626-square-foot building, designed by Washington-based MulvannyG2 Architecture. It would be located off Kaumana Drive, between Mohouli Street and Luana Way.
“This facility would operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” Fuke wrote in a Tuesday email. “As such, there will be three work shifts, with each shift averaging around 50 employees.”
The shifts are tentatively sheduled for 6 a.m.-2 p.m., 2-10 p.m., and 10 p.m.-6 a.m. “so as not to conflict with normal AM and PM peak traffic hours,” he wrote. “They can be further adjusted as may be needed.
“Further, to help address potential traffic safety issues, Regency will install a dedicated left-turn lane in the project site from Kaumana Drive and make other road-related improvements fronting and near the site,” he said. “That way, mauka-bound traffic can continue unimpeded and there would be adequate sight distance for makai bound traffic on Kaumana Drive as well as for traffic exiting the project.”
Fuke said that with the building being situated on the lower portion of the property, neighboring homeowners shouldn’t notice significant impacts of their views.
“There are still a number of permits required before Regency can break ground on this project,” the consultant added. “Hopefully, these can be secured within the next few months with an anticipated construction date of fall of this year. The project is expected to be completed 18 months after construction begins.”
Regency Pacific provides care to more than 3,000 residents in more than 50 retirement, assisted-living, and skilled-nursing communities in Hawaii, Oregon, California and Idaho, according to its website. The company operates Regency at Hualalai in Kailua-Kona, Regency at Puakea in Puhi on Kauai, and Kauai Care Center.
“Skilled nursing is an important part of any health care delivery system,” the website reads. “Skilled-nursing facilities provide care to medically dependent residents who require assistance with daily activities or specialized rehabilitation and therapy services.”
The project has been in the works for some time, but hit delays in the midst of the recession. Regency Pacific acquired the Kaumana property in 2007, and had initially anticipated a 2010 launch to construction, but financing dried up. The project is now being financed by Regency Venture Fund, consisting largely of Chinese investors.
Regency Pacific’s original plans called for a $40 million project that was to include 40 single-family cottages and a 60-bed assisted-living facility.
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.