After a lengthy selection process, a final site to rebuild Lahaina’s King Kamehameha III Elementary School has been chosen.
State and county officials said the school will move forward at a 14-acre Kuʻia site below the Lahaina Bypass. It’s less than a mile mauka of the old Front Street campus, which was destroyed by the 2023 wildfires.
The Hawaiʻi Department of Education conducted outreach between May and November 2024 to get community feedback on the decision.
The public’s first choice was rebuilding at the former Front Street location, but that was not possible because of ʻiwi kūpuna discovered there, as well as lot size and flooding concerns.
The Kuʻia site reflected over half of the community's second pick. The school has been operating from a temporary Pulelehua campus, which survey results didn’t favor as a final site.
Community members who responded took a property’s cultural and historical significance into their preferences. They also weighed important factors such as traffic and extracurricular opportunities for students.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said that the selection of the Kuʻia site reflects the voices of residents who want their children connected to their home, culture, history and future.
“This new school will honor the legacy of King Kamehameha III while providing a safe and resilient place for our children to learn and thrive,” Bissen said in a statement. “I extend a special mahalo to Gov. Green, the State Department of Education, our federal and private partners and most importantly, the Lahaina community for guiding us to this important step forward.”
The rebuild is estimated to cost more than $160 million and still requires federal funding and legislative support before construction can start.
Cultural and environmental surveys for the property will begin soon.
