Building proposal splits Waimanalo

WAIMANALO — A long-time Waimanalo family is proposing to construct a two story commercial building where only single-story structures are located on Wailea Street, causing some concern in a community that values its country lifestyle.

But if Gerald Chong has his way, the new building proposed for his mother’s property will reflect a lifestyle from old Hawai‘i. Not the plantation style of the Waimanalo Mall, but something more along the line of the King Kalakaua era or of the ‘Iolani Palace design, Chong said.

"I would like to put up a building that is more elegant, not a square concrete box," he said. The building would be for offices, shops and perhaps an upstairs coffee shop with balcony seating to take advantage of the view of the Ko‘olau Range.

The property is behind Keneke’s plate lunch where a Chinese restaurant and a home is located. Chong wants to tear down the restaurant and remove the house, placing the new building closer to the street.

He said he must still convince his mother of the plan. She wants to put the building in the back of the property where the house is and keep the Chinese restaurant. Under her plan, the house property must be rezoned to commercial. His idea would not require a zone change because he would use the house lot for parking, which is permitted.

Chong presented his ideas to the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board recently asking for its approval of the zone change. He told the board the building would be 6,600 square feet, less than 25 feet high and have six units.

The board entertained a motion to oppose the zone change, but it failed 3-3-5.

Board member Phillip Ellsworth said he opposed the zone change because he was concerned that once the new building is up, Keneke’s might be forced to close. Ellsworth also didn’t want to open the area to such businesses as liquor stores or adult book stores. Chong had assured the board he wasn’t going to do that.

Other people, like board member Nancy Glover, opposed the project because of traffic problems that already exist at Wailea and Kalaniana‘ole Highway. She said there is lots of empty commercial space, and she didn’t like the building’s design.

Board member Nani Akeo said she abstained because she’s not sure how Chong will address the problems. The plan seemed OK, she said but "you don’t really know until you live it." She’s also reluctant to increase commercial space at the expense of country living.

"We feel we want to keep Waimanalo country as long as possible and not commercialize," Akeo said.

But others differed, and said good would come from this project, like board member Joe Ryan, who supported it. The negative things like traffic, speeding, people hanging out at night already exist, he said.

With Waimanalo being the only Windward community expected to grow in population in the coming years, office and commercial space will be in demand. Business growth would bring job opportunities and residents wouldn’t have to travel outside the community for services.

"That project would provide more benefit to the community," Ryan said.

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