Video by David Corrigan | Voice of Stephanie Salazar

In Kona, work on the new West Hawaii Civic Center is just about completed.

In fact, all that really remains is moving in the county employees.

It was late 2008 when officials broke ground on the project located in Kealakehe… right where the Kealakehe Parkway and the growing Ane Keohokalole Parkway intersect.

At that time it was a different cast of elected officials, but the new adminstration has seen the $50 million project through to its completion, on time and under budget.

Hawaii County government services in West Hawaii will be centralized over the next two months, starting next week, as various departments and offices move into the newly completed Civic Center.

The county issued this time table for the transition, and how it will effect government services:

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  • Driver’s Licensing and Motor Vehicle Registration offices will be closed on Jan. 25-26 and will reopen in Building C on Jan. 27.
  • Research and Development will be closed on Jan. 25-26 and will reopen in Building C on Jan. 27.
  • The Mayor’s Office will be closed on Jan. 25-26 and will reopen in Building C on Jan. 27;
  • The Office of Aging will close on Jan. 25-26 and reopen in Building B on Jan. 27;
  • Mass Transit and Human Resources, which previously did not have Kona offices, will be open in Building C on Jan. 27;
  • Parks and Recreation and the Elderly Activities Division will open at Building B on Feb. 3. The permit window at the old Kona Airport will stay open 7:45 a.m. to noon, and then from 1-4:14 p.m. until April 1 when it moves to the Civic Center;
  • The Department of Liquor Control will be closed Feb. 1-2 and reopen Feb. 3 in Building B (Liquor Control is open only by appointment at 961-8218);
  • The Office of Housing and Community Development will be closed Feb. 1-2 and reopen in Building B on Feb. 3;
  • The Office of Elections will be closed Feb. 1-2 and reopen in Building B on Feb. 3;
  • County Council offices in West Hawai’i will be closed Feb. 7 and reopen in Building A on Feb. 10;
  • The Fire Inspector’s office will close Feb. 14-15 and reopen in Building E on Feb. 16;
  • The Building Division of Public Works will close Feb. 14-15 and reopen in Building E on Feb. 16;
  • Planning will close Feb. 14-15 and reopen in Building E on Feb. 16;
  • The Engineering Division of Public Works will close Feb. 22-23 and reopen in Building D on Feb. 24;
  • Environmental Management will close Feb. 22-23 and reopen in Building E on Feb. 24;
  • Because property taxes are due Feb. 22, the Real Property Tax Office will close Feb. 23-24 and reopen in Building D on Feb. 25.