Whither Kakaako?

[ellisonz]

1/24/2012
By Warren Iwasa

The Star-Advertiser greeted Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s proposed 650-foot condo tower in Kakaako with caution, calling for “extensive, transparent” public hearings. (“Kakaako project has merit, but tower worries,” Our View, Oct. 30, 2011).

The project should raise other concerns, foremost among them the blind eye the Governor casts on the city’s planning efforts.

In an interview with the governor, Civil Beat's John Temple reported on Nov. 29, 2011 (“Urban Planning, Architecture Books Atop Hawaii Governor's Desk”), that “Abercrombie talked about how planning in Honolulu has been ‘hit and miss,’ how he wants to build a ‘third city,’ including an ‘urban oasis’ in Kakaako, and how a new public land development corporation could help.”

The idea of developing Kakaako as a third city — a “third urban destination, next to Waikiki and Kapolei” — was repeated by James H. Spencer in the Star-Advertiser (“Much world-class potential in Kakaako,” Dec. 04, 2011).

http://www.civilbeat.com/posts/2012/01/24/14668-whither-kakaako/

How do you feel about urban redevelopment in Honolulu and particularly in Kakaako?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakaako

[msongs]

1. like the 26 floor building ON waikiki beach next to the Moana? government will do anything for corpo

rations. the money pit is bottomless - kakaako, the farm land grab near waipahu, the train, the waikiki building. seems like all these hearings are just PR when the deals are already done.

[ellisonz]

2. Correct. There is a strong relationship between many Hawaii pols and the developers...

...it's a business friendly state. At the same time, we do a generally good job of protecting workers, although certainly not working class Hawaii families. In Hawaii, if you work more than 20 hours a week for 4 consecutive weeks they have to pay for your health insurance, with you of course having the option to buy better insurance. The housing market is the pits though and all new development is centered on the upper-middle class/wealthy.

The worst is the Hoopili development "waipahu land grab" which is prime agricultural land and the http://dkosopedia.com/wiki/Koa_Ridge project which will build many more homes without improving the transportation network.

There's also development going on in Laie to the benefit of the Mormons: http://www.civilbeat.com/posts/2011/09/16/12889-marriott-hotel-part-of-a-big-laie-development-plan/

The Haleiwa Hotel proposal (which I'm not sure has passed) that would put a boutique hotel right next to a fishpond: http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=13951997

We need to develop transportation infrastructure before building more homes. I'm actually in favor of the train and of the opinion that the plan is not grand enough. I worry they're going to build this little route from Kapolei to Ala Moana mall and not really connect people. I'd like to see a more systemic study of Oahu's transportation plan and as a basic principle I think it needs to end at the University of Hawaii and not Ala Moana mall. I think there are a number of other smaller projects that can make Oahu more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. I'm not opposed to making life more difficult for car users in the urban core to achieve this vision. Having lived in Portland, I've seen how you can take away whole streets and make the entire system more public transportation and non-automobile friendly. Dedicated bus and bicycle lanes in rush hour traffic is one way to do this plan. The consultants they've hired at great expense have failed the public because they're unwilling to think boldly.