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Catch up on what’s happening in Kaka’ako. View our latest monthly newsletter here.
Historic Ala Moana Pumping Station
KIA Board Meeting
A presentation from CHOW (Community Health Outreach Work) was made at the February KIA Board meeting on the upcoming Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program. Download the Fact Sheet with information about LEAD and a list of the Hawaii Hui here.
Senator Josh Green and Andy Mounthongdy of The Queen's Health Systems, also attended the February KIA Board meeting. They made a presentation on the Hawaii Homeless Healthcare Hui (H4), which is a proposed innovative solution to Hawaii’s homeless crises. It is meant to be a true public-private partnership between the City and County of Honolulu and key private institutions in our state, backed primarily by Queens Hospital, HMSA and Hawaii’s medical community, plus numerous key social service partners. The four H’s stand for Hygiene (floor 1), Healthcare (floor 2), Respite Medical Housing (floor 3) and Permanent Supportive Housing (floor 4). It will be located on a Kuwili Street in Chinatown near IHS (pending final approval) and wouldn’t have been possible without the foresight of the City Council and Mayor, who acquired the 25,000 square foot building for such a program and proposed essential services at that site. By changing how we deal with chronic homelessness in Hawaii at H4, they will provide foundational support and care for the city’s homeless while saving the taxpayers $25-35M per year by changing the health economics paradigm (more housing and health, less ER and hospitalizations). They hope to open in late 2018.
Mahalo for Renewing for 2018
American Savings Bank
AOAO 1350 Ala Moana
Between Detailing
Brodhead Investments
CBRE, Inc.
Children’s Discovery Center
Chuck’s Corvette Clinic
Joett Colgan
Diamond Parking
Hawaii Vision Clinic/Pan Pacific Laser
Inspiration Interiors
John A. Burns School of Medicine
Kamehameha Schools
KONE Elevators & Escalators
Logos Bookstore of Hawaii, Inc.
Obun Hawaii, Inc.
Scott Hawaii
Pacific Rim Properties
Senior Move Managers/De-Clutter Hawaii
Shidler Pacific Advisors, LLC
Smart Money Inc.
Sunshine Scuba
Waterhouse, Inc.
If you have not seen your company name listed in the past two KIA newsletters, and you are a January to December member of KIA, please use the KIA Renewal Form on page 5 to make payment to continue as a valuable member.
The next free event is the KIA Networking Event on Wednesday, April 25th at Restaurant Row’s conference room, from 11:30am. Attendees bring their own lunch and network with KIA members by going around the room with introductions and then again with questions, accolades, meeting requests, etc. A reminder will be in the April KIA newsletter with RSVP taken at that time.
Business Owners vs Kaka’ako Land Co.
As submitted by Joshua Figueira, of World Wide Window Cleaning
On January 26, 2018, Judge Crabtree's opening statement to the involved party members was that the briefs did not compel him to make a ruling yet. As a result, the Judge questioned what the laws were upon the death of the original owner. Furthermore, what happens to property when no living will exists, and what was the time limitation for the heir to claim ownership?
During the court case, legal history was used to explain the current probate process in Hawaii. Thus illustrating that if no living will was found, the property goes in probate. While on the contrary through the Hawaii Interstate Succession law, Desky’s sole remaining heir owned the property resulting in validation of the quitclaim deed.
In closing, the judge required both parties find the current rules of conveyance around the time of Desky death [1900s]. In addition, the maximum length of time the property would be eligible for a legitimate heir to claim ownership.
Welcome to KIA
1108 Auahi dba Anaha
Davie Felipe
1108 Auahi Street, #220
Honolulu, HI 96814
P (808) 600-2270
F (808) 600-2280
E davie(at)anahawardvillage.org
Capitol Place
Marni Ramirez
1200 Queen Emma Street, #201
Honolulu, HI 96813
P (808) 695-2000
F (808) 695-2001
E marni(at)capitolplace.net
Keola Lai
Fernando Bastos
600 Queen Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
P (808) 551-6744
E gm(at)keolalai.com
Symphony Honolulu AOUO
Raymond Desmet
888 Kapiolani Blvd, #101
Honolulu, HI 96813
P (808) 777-4888
F (808) 777-5588
E ray(at)symphonyhonolulu.net
Waiea at Ward Village
David Ryan
1118 Ala Moana Blvd, #406
Honolulu, HI 96814
E david(at)waiea.org
KIA General Membership Meeting
The first KIA General Membership Meeting of the year was held on Wednesday, January 31st for lunch at Dave & Busters. The venue and staff were great; and Down to Earth provided the favors (a large, delicious, freshly baked cookie). Mahalo to them. The 2018 KIA Board President, Kurt Murata, welcomed everyone and introduced the Board of Directors and Executive Director. He also thanked those who attended for taking time out of their day.
KIA was honored to have HPD’s Chief of Police Susan Ballard as the first guest speaker. She said that she came to Hawaii in 1982 and knew Kakaako was an area with warehouses and pot hole streets. She said it is amazing to see the transformation with changes, which are challenges in itself. Since arriving, the population has increased ten-fold but there are the same number of officers in the area. HPD is doing studies on “vertical policing” which is different than “horizontal policing.” They need information to back up the need for policing. The Chief oversees 2,143 officers for all of Oahu and said that there are currently 260 vacancies for uniform personnel. She is trying to shorten the hiring process. It use to take a year and they are now at seven months. Everything is online. Once the vacancies are filled, she will ask for more positions.
On the homeless issue in Kakaako, the Chief said that it is an obvious problem; however, asked if the homeless issue is a law enforcement or police issue? It shouldn’t be a police issue because it is a social issue; but with the laws passed, and laws continuing to be passed, it has become a police issue. If they are not breaking the law or are just there, you cannot just ask people to move because of their civil rights. The police are as frustrated as the general public, can give citations or make arrests and the next morning after they go to court, they are released. It is just a revolving door. She said that Lt. Lambert of District 1, Kakaako’s district, created a project which is in its infancy right now called HELP (health, efficiency and long-term partnerships) and looking to get services for the homeless. They want to get acquainted with the homeless out there, know that they want to help and enforcement comes alter. Every homeless person is different with different needs. Also looking at providing the providers; instead of three services giving the same service to one person to coordinate so that only one service provider is helping one person. Officers ask them if they want or need services; if yes, they are taken to the location to get the services so they can get off the road right away. If they are doing something that is breaking the law, they will take enforcement. HPD already started creating a location in the downtown area (next to police station) with an area where homeless can go, similar to Iwilei, to get services, a wound-care service, and bathroom facilities. They hope to expand this program in other areas of the island.
The CEO of HART, Andrew Robbins, said that the route is coming Kakaako’s way, and construction will be coming on over the next few years, starting in July 2018. They will begin with utility relocations - underground and overhead utilities to get ready for overhead guide rails to include electrical, communications, drainage, water, sewage and roadway modifications. The next phase of the project is the 2020 timeframe and four years after that to construct the elevated guideways, from Middle Street up through to the Dillingham area, through Kakaako and on the way to Ala Moana Shopping Center. Elevated guideways are constructed off site and erected from an elevated standpoint to minimize construction on the ground level. Andy said that the final phase will be from 2024 until operation in 2025, restore the roadway, signage, traffic lights, etc. that were disrupted during construction. The test period will have trains moving and getting ready for full operation for the end of 2025. All stations will be given Hawaiian names. The Kakaako location will be where the Sports Authority building is right now. The strategy for moving forward with the rail project is pretty simple - managing more effectively with more of a focus of staying on budget and on schedule. There will be an Industry Day in mid-February to invite the private sector to come and meet, understand their plans and give feedback as to what they see going forward and the most optimized strategy that they can put together to take on the remaining construction that is needed to do for this project. There is still over a million dollars’ worth of new construction that goes to procurement in order to complete the project and they look to the private sector for their very strong participation.
The Howard Hughes Corporation had a presentation made by Todd Apo on their projects in Kakaako. He said that the two speakers before him are probably the most important pieces of our city going forward, with HPD and HART in Kakaako. He told attendees what was happening in Kakaako with Howard Hughes, where they are transforming vision into reality, along with their sixty-acre master plan, which runs from the Diamond Head end, South Shore Market, corporate headquarters and across Ward Avenue right up against Kamehameha Schools’ master plan. If you look at the larger vision of developing Kakaako, it means to continue to talk with Kamehameha Schools and other landowners as to how together they can complete this vision of an urban core community. One thing they are proud of is the recognition coming to the City & County of Honolulu from the Architectural Digest, and most recently National Association of Homebuilders Best Planned Community of the Year for the Ward Village development. Todd went through the condominium projects that are complete or under construction. He also said that their component of commercial space will have Whole Foods and Longs Drugs in Kakaako, when completed.
The KIA General Membership Meeting can be found at http://www.kia-hawaii.org/n022018.html for those who were unable to attend. Please take the time to see what you missed.
