Maui High School opened in 1913 in a small seven-room frame building at Hāmākua­poko, close to bustling Pā‘ia town and near the large plantation camps of East Maui. Over the years, the campus expanded, and many more classrooms were added to the 24-acre campus, as well as teachers’ cottages, a gymnasium, an agricultural complex, athletic fields, and a cafeteria. Later, a new high school was established in Kahului, and the high school in Pā‘ia was closed.

AHL and their consulting engineering team were retained by the Friends of Old Maui High School to evaluate the existing condition of nine buildings and develop recommendations to reduce further deterioration of the structures. The resulting recommendations include measures to protect the buildings’ materials and structure from conditions that can cause deterioration, such as water intrusion, insects, and misuse by humans, as well as recommendations for repairing structural issues that may cause further damage if left unaddressed.

Recommendations were prioritized to address the buildings or conditions most in need of attention. Most priorities centered on preventing the acceleration of damage due to water intrusion, particularly at the roof, and termite damage. In addition to the condition assessment, paint samples were taken to determine the history of the buildings’ paint colors.