The county's Velma McWayne Santos Community Center, formerly known as the Wailuku Community Center, will close Nov. 19 for extensive renovations.

The center, which is in demand for weddings, baby lu'au, political fund-raisers, public hearings and other events, is scheduled to reopen March 10.

The work includes new stainless steel counters, sinks and nonslip polyurethane-concrete floor resurfacing in the kitchen, installation of vinyl composition tile flooring and acoustic ceiling panels in the main hall, replacement of upper jalousie windows throughout the center, and fire protection waterline upgrades.

Total design and construction costs for the project are $645,000. The kitchen improvements are being done by Central Construction Inc., with work in the main hall being done by David P. Ting & Sons.