One of Waikiki’s largest hotel owners says its wants to build the tourist district’s first new hotel in more than 20 years, the Honolulu Advertiser reports.
Kyo-ya Hotels and Resorts LP, which owns the historic Westin Moana Surfrider Hotel and other properties, is proposing to demolish an eight-story annex to the Moana and replace it with a 24-story hotel.
The new structure, which would be on the Diamond Head side of the Moana, Waikiki’s oldest hotel, would have 200 rooms, 25 condominiums and an upscale restaurant, the newspaper reports.
Kyo-ya is planning about $1 billion in renovations to its Waikiki properties. Major renovations are underway at the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Waikiki hotels. And the company is proposing to demolish most of the Sheraton Kaiulani Hotel and replace it with a new hotel that will cater to business and convention travelers.
Credits: Pacific Magazine
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The city has started notifying residents living in the path of the planned $3.7 billion elevated commuter rail that all or part of their properties may be condemned.
The letters, which are being sent out in batches, don’t specify how much property may be needed along the 20-mile East Kapolei to Ala Moana route.
City officials said last week they could not disclose how many letters will be sent or the number of properties affected until the project’s draft environmental impact statement is released in October.
The city has budgeted $70 million to purchase land needed to build the rail system. According to preliminary plans released in late 2006, the city will acquire full or partial right of way on nearly 200 properties.
Among the landowners who received a letter recently is 76-year-old Waipahu resident Saturnina Calbero. She worries she may need to leave the Farrington Highway home where she’s lived since 1969.
The city did not disclose details about the project’s potential impact on Calbero’s property.
“I worry because they said my property is affected,” Calbero said. “I’m too old already to move out of my house.”
Potentially affected property owners are being notified now so they won’t be surprised when the draft environmental impact statement is released, Mark Scheibe, deputy project manager for Parsons Brinckerhoff, said in an e-mail to the Advertiser.
Final right-of-way requirements could still change until the project’s design is finalized in 2010, according to the city.
The property acquisition process won’t begin until the federal government approves the project’s environmental impact statement, which the city hopes will occur in fall 2009. The city hopes to begin construction on the project’s first phase, which would connect East Kapolei to Waipahu or Leeward Community College, in December 2009.
“The reasons why they (details of property acquisition) are not available is because they may be subject to change during Federal Transit Administration review,” Scheibe said. “This goes for the number of and the different types of parcels that may be impacted.”
Once the acquisition process starts, the city said it will determine the fair market value for properties and offer to pay owners that amount. If landowners refuse to sell, the city may condemn the property.
Right to appeal not set
Whether property owners can appeal a decision to condemn remains undecided. City officials have asked the council to allow for expedited condemnation under certain circumstances. Those situations include friendly condemnations and instances when small portions of land need to be acquired.
Council member Nestor Garcia said the council needs to retain some oversight of the condemnation process.
“A piddling amount (of land) to one set of eyes is a lot to another set of eyes, especially if you’re the owner,” he said. “So that’s all relative. I think what we’re going to have is the ability for people to have a right of recourse, a right of appeal whether it’s to us or to the (transit) authority.”
Waiawa’s Banana Patch
In an attempt to minimize the project’s land requirements, the city plans to build the elevated, approximately 26-foot-wide guideway within existing street rights of way and on government-owned land. However, the guideway, and its 50-foot-wide stations, will still require the acquisition of various private lots.
Overall, 89 commercial locations, 87 government or utility-owned properties and 13 residential properties could be acquired whole or in part as the rail is built, according to preliminary plans.
In addition to Calbero’s home, at least six homes in the Waiawa Banana Patch neighborhood may need to move to make way for a park-and-ride facility meant to serve the train.
The proposed Pearl Highlands park-and-ride has been identified as a key way to funnel North Shore and Central O’ahu commuters onto the rail system. Commuters along H-2 Freeway could drive to the lot, park and take the train to work, avoiding the congested H-1.
Banana Patch property owner Sam Alipio said he has not yet received a letter from the city.
Credits: Honolulu Advertiser
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For the first time in five years, Windward Oahu residents will be asked to voluntarily conserve water.
The Board of Water Supply said rainfall totals are at a critical level on that side of the island. Families are urged to reduce usage by 10 percent, which is about 50 gallons a day.
Windward Oahu gets 25 percent of its water from the Waihe’e Tunnel. That’s where at the end of a 1,500 foot hike you’ll find water dripping from the ceiling. The water fell on top of the Koolau Mountains nine months ago and is only now filtering down about 2,000 feet of rock. When you see it, it looks like a lot of water but there should be much more.
“Our indicators are showing those levels are getting critical. Critical to us means we can still sustain all the demand for the windward side, it’s just at a prolonged state if we don’t get recovery in those wells in our sources then we have the possibility of threatening the long term viability of those sources which we don’t want,” said Cliff Lum, Board of Water Supply Manager and Chief Engineer.
That’s why they set up an irrigation schedule asking customers to only water their yards on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursdays and no watering between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
“Part of reason for irrigation schedule is that by having everyone water on the same three days we’ll allow our water resources to recover over four days and that’s key for us,” Lum said.
The National Weather Service said the rain gauges have only collected about half of the water they should by this time of year and there’s isn’t relief in sight.
“The long range prediction from NOAA’s climate prediction center extends the below normal rainfall forecast through the end of December,” said Kevin Kodama, National Weather Service Hydrologist.
“The secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture designated all counties of Hawaii a primary natural disaster area due to drought beginning January 1, 2008 and continuing,” said Neal Fujii, State Drought and Water Conservation Coordinator.
How long the conservation effort lasts depends on how much rain falls combined with how much water you save now.
Credits: KGMB9
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Built in 1842, Honolulu’s historic residence Washington Place will soon be closed for repairs and improvements.The National Historic Landmark is one of the oldest and most historic buildings in Hawaii.
Queen Lili’uokalani,Hawaii’s last reigning monarch, once called Washington Place home. The residence also served as the executive mansion of Hawai’i’s Governors between 1921 and 2002.
Currently used as a museum to the public, Washington Place will be closed from September 3 through October 17, 2008 to undergo safety, accessibility and landscaping repairs and improvements.
The estimated cost for the project is $358,000.
During the 2008 legislative session, the Lingle-Aiona Administration proposed a $4.9 million fund to revitalize Washington Place, but the Legislature did not approve the request.
Credits: KHNL
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