By TOM CALLIS By TOM CALLIS ADVERTISING Tribune-Herald staff writer It’s certainly seen better days. The dilapidated two-story building, jokingly referred to as the Pink Palace, is one of the few structures still left from the old Hilo hospital. But
By TOM CALLIS
Tribune-Herald staff writer
It’s certainly seen better days.
The dilapidated two-story building, jokingly referred to as the Pink Palace, is one of the few structures still left from the old Hilo hospital.
But after long out serving its usefulness, the Hilo Medical Center believes it’s time for it to go.
That is, as soon as it can raise enough money to tear it down.
CEO Howard Ainsley said the hospital has sought to remove the building, which housed the hospital’s nurses during its early days, for years, but hasn’t been able to secure the funds.
The state Legislature allocated $233,000 this last session for the project, but Ainsley said the hospital is asking for more than $2 million to remove it.
That includes asbestos removal.
“We’re not sure what we can do at this point,” he said, adding that those funds still have to be released by Gov. Neil Abercrombie.
Ainsely said the contribution could be used for the planning phase.
“Unfortunately, it’s a very costly endeavour,” he said, noting the presence of asbestos.
The building, likely built around the 1950s, hasn’t been used for at least 20 years, Ainsley estimated.
And the signs of its age are hard to miss.
A gutter dangles from its roof in front of broken windows, and its pink coat has been worn away by the elements, leaving patches around its exposed walls.
The hospital recognizes it as a potential safety hazard, said spokeswoman Mary Stancill, and is looking to do something about it before it becomes a bigger problem.
“We don’t want part of the roof to blow off” in a storm, she said.
Ainsley said the hospital would like to replace it with a new long-term care facility.
State Sen. Gil Kahele said that while the project didn’t make the cut for full funding this year, “We will continue to work on it.”
“It gets the ball rolling,” he said.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.