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Historic Ala Moana Pumping Station
Board Highlights
The KIA members who attended the first KIA General Membership Meeting were treated to great presentations from Mayor Kirk Caldwell and Dr. Brennan Morioka, Deputy Executive Director for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Mahalo goes to the Honolulu Design Center who provided the venue and lunch at a discount to KIA.
The Mayor brought a book “Save our Kakaako,” and said this is a very, very special place to the native Hawaiians and those who followed. HCDA was created to take care of the property between Waikiki and downtown. His talk was well prepared to talk about Kakaako’s history, current and future, adding his points of view. He talked about the two most controversial issues for the area, which are homelessness and the rail. The Governor and Mayor are trying to work together, especially on the homeless in Kakaako, which continues to be a constant problem. He also said that 769 homeless have already been moved to shelters, with 596 being homeless Vets. Mayor Caldwell said that the City is also buying properties that will be renovated and used for the homeless throughout Oahu.
Mayor Caldwell said the transit orient development is creating zones to encourage developers who own land or are interested in developing around rail stations, telling them that they can get their zoning upfront. If they build affordable housing, particular rentals, they can get a height increases, density bonuses, parking options and let the marketplace decide. For his administration, it is about infrastructure, which moves people around and creating a city where everyone can live well. There will be three stations in Kakaako; and this driverless system, will be the first system to allow surfboards. The Mayor also talked about bike lanes, sewer system, road repairs, park renovations, and even the private roads in Kakaako owned by the Chun brothers.
Dr. Morioka had a power point presentation that gave the facts about rail so that attendees could make up their own opinions as to whether they like or dislike rail. This is the most visible and largest capital project in the history of our state, as well as controversial. The rail will be a 20-mile elevated guideway system; and it is a fully automated, driverless system, first in the United States. It will start in East Kapolei and continue down Farrington Highway to Pearl Highlands (Leeward Community College and Waipahu High School) where their maintenance facility is, through Pearl City Kamehameha Highway, pass Aloha Stadium, Pearl Harbor Navel Base, into the International Airport, onto Dillingham, continue into downtown, onto Halekauwila, then enter Kakaako proper and finish at Ala Moana Shopping Center.
The rail will run 4am to midnight and may change depending on demand. Every night the trains go back to the maintenance yard. Trains arrive at every station once every five minutes during peak hours and every ten minutes non peak hours. Fully ADA compliant and the first system to allow surfboards, as well as bicycles, wheel chairs, stroller and luggage. There will also be free wi-fi. Six miles of guideway are complete, to include tracks on them. First ten miles go from Kroc Center to Aloha Stadium. The first four-car train set is expected to land here the last week of March. Dr. Morioka also showed the Pearl Highlands Complex with a station and bus transit center, 1,600 parking stall garage and an offramp connection from H-2 into the parking garage and bus transit center. This is the second highest rated ridership station in the 20 miles. There will be parking stall counters before having a choice to go to the parking garage.
Watch the above video of the entire General Membership Meeting to hear the Mayor’s and HART’s entire presentation.
KIA New Members
Kauwe and Associates, Inc.
Blaine Kauwe
Commercial Real Estate, Leasing & Sales
P. O. Box 38045
Honolulu, HI 96837
P (808) 566-6822
F (808) 595-6387
E bkauwe@hawaii.rr.com
Jay Miyaki CPA LLC
Jay Miyaki
CPA Firm
600 Queen Street, #C-4
Honolulu, HI 96813
P (808) 522-1042
F (866) 236-2755
E jay@miyakicpa.com
