Hawaii lawmakers to discuss Kakaako condo plans with area residents

May 28, 2013, 7:11am HST Staff Pacific Business News Residents of Honolulu’s Kakaako neighborhood concerned about the plans to add high-rises that exceed the current height limit will meet with Hawaii lawmakers Thursday at the state Capitol. KITV reports Rep. Scott Saiki, D-McCully-Downtown, who lives in Kakaako, is one of the coordinators of the meeting,…


May 28, 2013, 7:11am HST
Staff Pacific Business News

Residents of Honolulu’s Kakaako neighborhood concerned about the plans to add high-rises that exceed the current height limit will meet with Hawaii lawmakers Thursday at the state Capitol.

KITV reports Rep. Scott Saiki, D-McCully-Downtown, who lives in Kakaako, is one of the coordinators of the meeting, along with Reps. Tom Brower, D-Waikiki-Ala Moana, and Karl Rhoads, Kalihi-Chinatown; Sens. Suzanne Chun-Oakland, D-Liliha-Downtown, and Brickwood Galuteria, D-Waikiki-Moiliili, and City Councilwoman Carol Fukunaga.

KITV reports Saiki said the public is frustrated because plans for the area dubbed “The Third City” are changing and says the public isn’t being given enough information.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority, which is charged with overseeing development in Kakaako, in December selected Forest City Hawaii to develop the 690 Pohukaina project, which may include a 650-foot tower.

The agency is scheduled to hear proposals next month from the Howard Hughes Corp. (NYSE: HHC), which last week announced plans for three condominium towers in the first phase of its Ward Village master plan, and from Alexander & Baldwin (NYSE: ALEX) which plans to acquire the site of the former CompUSA building from Kamehameha Schools and build a condo tower there.