The iconic Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant building in Honolulu, which stood along Ala Moana Boulevard for nearly seven decades, was demolished on Thursday to make way for a redevelopment of the property.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the owner of the property, officially started preparations to take down the aging structure earlier this month.
PBN first reported that the building at 1011 Ala Moana Blvd. was coming down soon as a demolition permit had been pulled by LVI Environmental Services Inc., which merged with NCM Group Holdings LLC in April to form NorthStar Group Holdings LLC.
North Star Contracting Group Inc. in Waipio fenced off the dilapidated 10,000-square-feet, two-story building as part of the demolition project, which called for salvaging the two restaurant signs atop the roof of the building as well as a free-standing restaurant sign at ground level and incorporating them into future development at the site.
The land is part of 30 acres OHA has owned in Kakaako Makai since August 2012. The land, which was conveyed to OHA, resolved its claims to past-due revenue generated by the state’s use of public trust lands for the period Nov. 7, 1978 through June 20, 2012.
The land includes about 25 acres in Kakaako Makai, including the Fisherman’s Wharf property.
The demolition project is happening at a time when OHA is drawing up a master plan focused on fulfilling the potential for the properties in Kakaako Makai to generate revenue that could support the agency’s efforts to fund community-based programs aimed at improving conditions for Native Hawaiians.
The state agency has chosen a design team to develop a plan for the 30 acres in Kakaako Makai, including the Kuhikuhi Puuone Collaborative, a partnership of four Hawaiian firms, including Edith Kanakaole Foundation, DTL, PBR Hawaii and WCIT Architecture.
Duane Shimogawa Reporter – Pacific Business News