According to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Hale'iwa is in for some major development that will forever change the face of at least one landmark, the quaint old Matsumoto Grocery, known for its long lines for yummy shave ice.
Kamehameha Schools, a huge trust that owns large parcels of property at North Shore is set to implement a plan that has been in the works for some time.
Here are the main points of the plan over the next five years:
- Up to 470 residential units on three sites in and near Haleiwa.
- A plantation-style Town Center for new businesses.
- Matsumoto store site redevelopment, estimated to cost between $3 million and $6 million. (Starting in 2009 with estimated completion by 2011.)
- Alternative Energy Developments, including 40- to 70-megawatt wind system, as well as solar and hydropower, feasibility tests estimated at more than $250,000. (Issued request for proposals for wind system on Tuesday.)
- Improvements to Waialua's 100-year-old agricultural water system to provide a more reliable water supply for diversified agricultural crops, budgeted at $4.5 million. (Started six months ago.)
- Securing long-term agricultural leases with existing and new tenants.
- Loko Ea Fishpond Restoration of roughly five to seven acres, estimated to cost more than $300,000.
- Creation of an Archaeology Field School in partnership with the University of Hawaii. Longer-term projects include restoring Ukoa Marsh for eventual educational use.
- Creation of a Sustainability Institute to innovate, educate and research and demonstrate sustainability on Kamehameha-owned lands statewide.
To the trust's credit, it consulted with the North Shore business community for two years in order to develop a plan that would solve the problems wrought by increasing - to put it mildly - tourism upon an infrastructure that is a century old. The plan is supposed to revitalize the community while retaining its rural character.
Personally, I'm torn. I love the old buildings and the funky little shops that will now undoubtedly become newer bigger buildings with more up-scale touristy shops. However, having lived in Sonoma for twenty-four years and seen that go through a long-term redevelopment, I'm hoping the same will happen here. Sonoma went from the very same type of small town with funky little old-time shops to a well-planned revitalization of the Plaza into a true community gathering place that completely retained and celebrated the character of the town and the historic buildings while making the most of tourist dollars, so I know it can be done well.
Also, the issues of the century old infrastructure and affordable housing are extremely important and need to be addressed. And it looks to me like the bulk of the plan is taking care of these issues in order to sustain the surrounding farming community up there.
The loss of Matsumoto's original building is sad, and I very much understand keeping country country, but from my perspective, being a recent arrival here, Hale'iwa is already no longer country. Hale'iwa is a quaint charming little tourist mecca; an overrun and horribly crowded tourist mecca in major need of some well-planned solutions to inevitable growth.
Personally, I'm torn. I love the old buildings and the funky little shops that will now undoubtedly become newer bigger buildings with more up-scale touristy shops. However, having lived in Sonoma for twenty-four years and seen that go through a long-term redevelopment, I'm hoping the same will happen here. Sonoma went from the very same type of small town with funky little old-time shops to a well-planned revitalization of the Plaza into a true community gathering place that completely retained and celebrated the character of the town and the historic buildings while making the most of tourist dollars, so I know it can be done well.
Also, the issues of the century old infrastructure and affordable housing are extremely important and need to be addressed. And it looks to me like the bulk of the plan is taking care of these issues in order to sustain the surrounding farming community up there.
The loss of Matsumoto's original building is sad, and I very much understand keeping country country, but from my perspective, being a recent arrival here, Hale'iwa is already no longer country. Hale'iwa is a quaint charming little tourist mecca; an overrun and horribly crowded tourist mecca in major need of some well-planned solutions to inevitable growth.
One question...will they change Aoki's Shave Ice down the street, too? That's my favorite...it's the ice cream. :)
Please keep Hale'iwa in your thoughts for successful growth with community and charm intact, particularly let's hope they have a grip on fostering local community and preserving the historic character and integrity of the old architecture.
Aloha pumehana...
1 comment:
Go girl!!
xxoo
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