New Masonic Temple
TEMPLE RENOVATION PROJECT UNDERWAY
By Dennis A. Ing, PM, PGM, GL
After nearly three decades of haggling over scale, concept, design, management and a myriad of other issues, Honolulu Masonic Temple is about to get a facelift. The construction plans have been drawn, and the application for a building permit was submitted in early October. Interior demolition is expected to begin in November.
More commonly known as “Makiki Temple”, the structure was originally built by Hawaiian Lodge in 1937, and is now 73 years old. Despite extensive renovations in the early 1950s, the electrical and plumbing systems are obsolete, the roof needs repair, and the air-conditioning system (which is only in the Lodge room) is noisy and inefficient.
The main entrance to the “new” Temple will be on the makai side of the building, near the makai-ewa corner. It will face a new parking lot, located on what we now call the “HECO lot” next door. There will be an elevator to the second floor, a new two-story wing with storage and office space on the mauka side of the building, and “zoned” air-conditioning throughout.
The makai columns in the dining room will be removed, and the dining room will open onto a lanai along the makai side, which will be accessed through sliding glass doors. The dining room will seat about 65, and the lanai will accommodate another 40 or so. The slightly larger kitchen will be completely refurbished, and will be accessible for deliveries from a smaller parking lot on the mauka side.
Earlier this year the four Lodges sold equal one-sixth interests in the land and building to Honolulu York Rite Bodies and Lei Aloha Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. So there are now six owners, and all of them will have equivalent storage space in the renovated Temple and the kitchen. The space will be “equivalent” to the space presently available to all bodies, allowing for the extra storage needed by York Rite and Eastern Star for setting up and taking down their equipment and furnishings used for their meetings – something the Blue Lodges don’t have to do.
The Lodge room itself will remain the same size, the primary changes being new flooring and ceiling, new lighting and new air-conditioning. The New Temple Committee is now studying the alternatives for seats in the columns, and the possibility of allowing donors to contribute to the project in exchange for memorials to be placed on the chairs.
In addition to new restrooms upstairs and downstairs, there will be an office for the Temple manager and Temple Association, a small conference room and a utility room for project work and storage.
Construction is expected to take eight or nine months from the issuance of the building permit. In the interim the Eastern Star bodies (Lei Aloha, Harmony and Leilani Chapters) will meet at Schofield Masonic Temple, Lodge Le Progres will meet on the Iolani Palace grounds, and the three other Lodges and York Rite will hold their meetings at Community Church in Nuuanu. Paraphernalia, costumes and other ceremonial and historical items are currently being inventoried, and each organization will be responsible for storing their own “stuff” off the premises.
Makiki Temple was the third temple built by Hawaiian Lodge. The first was built in 1852 at the corner of Fort and Queen Streets. The second was erected 40 years later at the corner of Alakea and Hotel Streets (where the District Court of Honolulu is now located). (The Master and Wardens’ chairs which we now use were recovered from the Second Temple and refurbished by the late Limin Kung, a Past Master of Hawaiian Lodge.)
In 1950 Paul Jones, a Past Master of Lodge Le Progres de l’Oceanie, designed and supervised the first major renovation of the Temple. He was responsible for installing the existing ceiling in the Lodge room and the unusual configuration of the altar. In 1977, Jack McGarrity, another Past Master of Le Progres, drew plans for another Temple renovation (some aspects of which are remarkably similar to the plans for the present project).
For various reasons the four owner-Lodges were unable to reach a consensus on renovating the Temple. Some wanted a 13-story “Masonic center”, with care-home facilities and commercial space below. Others wanted simply to bring the existing Temple up to “code” by fixing the plumbing and re-wiring the electrical system. Every now and then the McGarrity plans were resurrected.
In 2002 the four Masters of the owner-Lodges formed an ad hoc “New Temple Committee” and agreed to work together toward building a new Temple. The Committee members would generally remain on board after their terms, so that there would be continuity. They first considered a scaled-down “Masonic center” – with four stories and two Lodge rooms, ample office space and parking. They considered leasing space to a subsidized housing developer, which would enable the Lodges to collect rent and occupy the top two floors of the building. They entered into extensive negotiations with the Mormon Church to sell the Temple, air rights and finally, and access rights. The Committee also investigated several proposals to move to another location.
In 2007 the Committee focused on a two or three story building with adjacent parking structure and two Lodge rooms. The estimated costs of such a project approached $6.5 million, which was eventually deemed out of the question. Such a budget would require some bodies to curtail their activities significantly.
“Why should we build a Temple and have a Lodge go under or be unable to carry on its good works?” observes Committee chair, Dennis Ing, PGM. “We had to be realistic and bring ourselves back to earth. Even the present budget of close to $2.95 million will put a crimp on some of our activities, especially since the operating expenses of the renovated Temple are bound to increase substantially.”
So the Committee developed a financing plan, sold interests to two other owners, created “wish lists” among the owners and generally came back to earth. “It’s amazing how well we’ve been able to work together,” comments MWB Ing. “Everyone has been cooperative, cheerful and, yes, excited to be part of this endeavor.”
Others presently on the New Temple Committee are Jim Willig, PM, and WB Andy Geiser (Le Progres), Monty Glover, PM, and Garry Graham, PM (Honolulu), John Aylett and Hank Wong (Hawaiian), WB Arne Winters, PM, and Bruce Bonnell, PGM (Pearl Harbor), Cletus Ching and Lee Skinner, PGM (York Rite), and Rexie Escasa and Linda Baniqued (Lei Aloha). Ray Culver, Temple Association President, recently joined the Committee as a non-voting member.
The general contractor is the design-build firm of Honolulu Builders (Dan Jordan), which has retained MGA Architects (Matt Gilbertson, AIA, and Jason Davis). Project Manager for Honolulu Builders is Spencer Zaha. Solicitations for sub-contract proposals are currently being tendered and a final budget will be finalized in mid-October.
“This may not be the ‘Masonic Center’ some of us dreamed of,” says MWB Ing, “but it will certainly be a building that is far more functional, and definitely something we can all be proud of.”
