Last minute changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act cost the University of Hawaii at Hilo $230,000 in unexpected changes that had to be made to the new Student Services Building.
Specifically, 23 doors in the newly constructed building had to be replaced after changes were made to federal guidelines, West Hawaii Today reported.
Prior to construction, the school submitted its plans to the state Disability and Communication Access Board for review and approval. At that time, the doors were found to be compliant with applicable guidelines, which dated to 1991.
But the guidelines were modified during the construction process and changes had to be made to the doors, which had to do with the weight of the doors and the amount of pressure required to open them.
