Army restores termite-eaten historic Oahu building

By Associated Press
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed a $7 million, two-year-long restoration of a termite-eaten historic Fort Shafter building.

Thousands of soldiers, civilians and families newly arriving to Hawaii were introduced to Army life in the islands at the building known as the "Aloha Center."

More recently, personnel picked up travel tickets, base vehicle passes and identification cards there.

Termites ate most of the building's internal structure.

But the Army wasn't allowed to demolish the building because of historic preservation requirements.

A contractor carefully removed almost 65 percent of the original structure, restored the exterior to its original 1940s appearance and bought the building up to current building codes.