HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunication No. 2026-07 Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee QuestionsPuna Community Development Plan Action Committee
Responses to Submitted Questions
Are there any plans to expand the campus to include an adjacent
hospital? If so, is there a general timeline for when planning or design
might begin?
At this time, there are no plans to construct an additional hospital adjacent to the campus. The
site can support expanded outpatient services, additional medical office space, and long-term
care facilities. However, the population base is not expected to support another full-service
hospital located such a short distance from Hilo Benioff Medical Center (HBMC).
In what ways will Hilo Benioff Medical Center support employment and
career pathways for high school students in Keaʻau?
HBMC intends to continue offering the high school workforce development programs currently
available in Hilo, but at the Keaʻau Benioff Health Center (KBHC) site as well. We are actively
exploring the possibility of offering a Medical Assistant training track at KBHC, similar to the
Certified Nurse Aide program that Waiākea High School operates using HBMC facilities. We also
welcome discussions with Keaʻau High School and Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu about what
pathways or programs would be most beneficial for their students.
How will the Medical Center ensure staff are appropriately trained to
serve the local community, including understanding local traditions,
values, and communication styles?
For providers who join us from outside Hawaiʻi, HBMC offers both cultural orientation and
ongoing mentoring to ensure a foundational understanding of local values and traditions. For
clinical and support staff, we expect many employees to be residents of Keaʻau and greater
Puna. Approximately half of our patients already come from the Puna region, and our staff have
longstanding experience providing care with cultural sensitivity, respect, and awareness of
community norms.
Communication No. 2026-07
How will native plants be incorporated into the project’s landscape
design?
The landscaping plan incorporates a blend of native Hawaiian plants, Polynesian-introduced
species, and selected ornamental plantings. This approach is intended to reflect the cultural,
ecological, and aesthetic values of a wide range of community stakeholders. The landscaping is
not an afterthought; it is integrated into the comprehensive project design (see Leonard Bisle’s
narrative Attachment 1).
What partnerships or relationships are being established to
demonstrate the Medical Center’s commitment to being a long-term
community steward?
The development of this facility—an $80–$90 million investment—demonstrates the East
Hawaiʻi Regional Board’s commitment to expanding healthcare access and infrastructure in
Puna. We are also engaged in a long-term partnership with W.H. Shipman, a legacy landowner
and key partner in broader community development efforts. As the facility becomes
established, we anticipate expanding additional collaborations with local schools, organizations,
and community leaders.
How will the design of the facility reflect the community it serves, both
structurally and aesthetically?
The architectural design for the Keaʻau Benioff Health Center blends modern healthcare
functionality with the distinct cultural and rural environmental character of the Puna District
and surrounding Keaʻau environment. By prioritizing local materials and climate-responsive
forms, the building endeavors to feel less like a sterile institution and more like a natural
extension of the Keaʻau landscape. The result is a facility that feels like a "Place of Healing"
specifically designed for the people of Hawaiʻi Island, honoring both its rugged volcanic roots
and its lush, welcoming spirit.
The building was intentionally designed to be one-story to reflect the prevalent architecture of
the surrounding community and to provide an inviting and welcoming impression reinforcing its
role as a “place of healing”. The design avoids intimidating, fortress-like walls. Instead, it uses
expansive glazing, sheltering overhands and open walkways.
Materials were chosen to be connections to the land and generally consist of lava rock (pōhaku)
masonry for building and landscape accents; Puna is a landscape defined by volcanic activity.
Incorporating rock walls anchors the building to the literal earth of the region.
Rather than cold clinical whites or industrial grays, the solid portion of the facade features the
appearance of warm wood siding. The metal panel siding on the exterior walls and overhead
soffits have similar dimensions and configurations as traditional single-wall building aesthetics
familiar to the community while consisting of modern robust materials suitable for the local
climate. Wood is associated with the lush, forested parts of Puna; using these tones makes the
medical center feel approachable and "warm," which can help reduce the anxiety often
associated with healthcare visits.
Large floor-to-ceiling glass panels allow the interior spaces to look out onto the covered outdoor
walkways and landscape spaces reinforcing the Hawaiian value of mālama (to care for) both the
person and the land. By making the interior visible and the exterior public-facing portions of the
building “porous”, the architecture signals transparency and inclusivity. It reflects a community-
based approach to health where services are easily accessible and integrated into daily life.
The building utilizes a long, low-profile silhouette with deep, extended eaves supported by
angled columns and serves as a modern interpretation of the sheltering “Hale”. These covered
walkways and overhangs are provided along the length of the public approach to the building
entrances and are essential for the Keaʻau climate, providing critical shade and protection from
the frequent, heavy tropical rains while allowing for outdoor circulation. The expansive, shaded
walkways invite the community into a protected, naturally ventilated space. The angled columns
add a contemporary rhythmic energy that references the exposed support structure found in
traditional Hawaiian architecture.
Will there be a focus on local hiring, and if so, what processes will
support that effort?
Hiring decisions will continue to be based on qualifications rather than geographic preference.
However, many current employees who live in Puna are expected to request transfers to the
new Keaʻau facility, minimizing commute time. Over time, applicants from Keaʻau, Volcano, and
lower Puna will likely make up a significant portion of the hiring pool, resulting in a workforce
that reflects the local community. To further support local access to employment, we will host a
job fair in Keaʻau as we move into the staffing phase.
Keaau Benioff Medical Center
Wellness and Behavioral Health
Landscape Planting Description
PLANTING:
The proposed planting will consist of a mixture of exotic ornamental (O), native Hawaiian (N) and
Polynesian-introduced (P) plants. Planting for the site falls into a number of distinct areas, as described
below:
Roadside / Entry Landscape:
The landscape along either side of the project entry driveway will consist of open, mower-
accessible, grass areas that slope gradually (+/-7’) into what will serve as detention basins for the
project drainage. Large Aleurites moluccana / Kukui trees (P) will punctuate this area giving it a
park-like feel.
The project entry landscape will consist of a tree and palm-lined driveway consisting of Thespesia
populnea / Milo trees (N) and Pritchardia hillebrandii / Loulu palm (N) with turf and stone
groundcover below. A +/-4’ tall Hibiscus arnottianus / Koki’o keoke’o (N) hedge will create a
backdrop for these plantings and visually separate this area from the detention basins beyond.
Parking Lot Landscape:
The landscape in the parking lot will consist of a mix of Cassia spp. / Shower trees (O) and
Bauhinia tomentosa / Yellow Bauhinia (O) trees. Groundcover beneath the trees will consist of ¾”
diameter gravel groundcover over weed mat where tree wells are located along the outer perimeter
and Phymatosaurus grossus / Dwarf Lauae Fern (N) groundcover and Crinum asiaticum / Green
Spider Lily (O) where tree wells are located close to the buildings. The same +/-4’ tall Hibiscus
arnottianus / Koki’o keoke’o (N) hedge is proposed around the perimeter of the parking lot to clearly
define the current limits of the development. Pinanga kuhlii / Ivory Cane palms (O) will be used to
screen the trash enclosure at the west side of the parking lot.
Public Landscape:
The landscape around the perimeter of the buildings is proposed to be very clean and simple. A
limited number of plant species are proposed to be used. The plant palette will include more exotic
plants to emphasize flowers, bold form, color and scent but will include selected native or
Polynesian-introduced plants that offer some of the same attributes. The plant palette for the public
landscape areas will include the following plants:
Adonidia merrilii / Manila Palm (O)
Cyrtostachys renda / Sealing Wax Palm (O)
Asplenium nidus / 'Ekaha (N)
Bromeliad spp. / Bromeliad (O)
Cordyline fruticosa / Ki (O)
Crinum asiaticum / Spider Lily (Green) (O)
Dichorisandra thyrsiflora / Blue Ginger (O)
Gardenia taitensis (Dwarf) / Dwarf Tahitian Gardenia (O)
Hibiscus arnottianus / Koki'o Keoke'o (N)
Microlepia strigosa / Palapalai (N)
Philodendron "Rojo Congo" / Philodendron (O)
Attachment 1
Peperoemia obtusifolia / Baby Rubber Plant (O)
Peperoemia obtusifolia / Baby Rubber Plant (Variegated) (O)
Phymatosaurus grossus / Dwarf Lauae Fern (N)
Turf Grass (O)
Private Viewing Garden:
The private viewing garden will be located adjacent to and visible from selected therapy rooms and
provider offices. The gardens will be surrounded by staggered privacy walls punctuated with
decorative privacy screens. Landscaping in the garden will consist of earth mounds embedded with
large boulders and covered with decorative stone. Planting will be minimal but impactful. Planting
will be selected and placed to create interesting views or “vignettes” from each room or office with
the plants serving as sculptural elements. The garden is intended for viewing only. The garden will
be accessible for maintenance but not for general use. The plant palette for the private viewing
garden will include the following plants:
Phoenix robelenii / Pigmy Date Palm (O)
Bromeliad spp. / Bromeliad (O)
Microlepia strigosa / Palapalai (N)
Philodendron "Rojo Congo" / Philodendron (O)
Peperoemia obtusifolia / Baby Rubber Plant (Variegated) (O)