Makiki residents ridicule development plan
By Jessica Webster
Advertiser Staff Writer
Developer Gary Furuta wants to build affordable housing in Makiki for Hawai'i's poor families.
Kyle Sackowski • The Honolulu Advertiser
So he's not exactly sure why more than 100 people packed Makiki District Park last night to lambaste his company, call him an idiot and question his common sense.
A large crowd attended last night's neighborhood board meeting, including condominium owners who oppose development of an affordable housing unit in Makiki.
After all, a multimillion-dollar for-profit agency could build a 11-story high-rise that wouldn't be as intrinsically valuable to those in need, he said.
But a swell of condominium owners who attended yesterday's Makiki/Lower Punchbowl/Tantalus Neighborhood Board meeting protested Furuta's proposed development of an eight-story affordable rental housing unit at 1566 Wilder Ave., known as Punahou Vista.
They expressed fears of hellish traffic, a loss of parking, crowded conditions and the destruction of monkeypod trees. They questioned if more children should be introduced to the accident-prone area.
The board did not take any action yesterday and only two board members offered their opinions on the project — both in support of Punahou Vista.
Project supporter and board member Joseph Zuiker was met with hissing and laughter when he said: "We have a duty to balance the interests of the poor people in our community; we need to keep our arms open and not close the gates."
In turn, some people in the crowd replied: "No — no, we don't."
The Punahou Vista project is in the works because the YWCA wants to sell about half of its 52,000-square-foot site to the Hawai'i Housing Development Corp., and use the money for renovation of the transitional residence for women.
The Hawai'i Housing Development Corp. is a nonprofit corporation that was set up in 1993 by community leaders searching for ways to provide rental housing for people with low incomes.
Furuta takes pride in the Punahou Vista proposal because he believes his company is taking strides to build an attractive building in an environmentally friendly way. He said the project will be affordable, provide a small play space for children and will not add congestion or parking difficulties to the area.
But many residents are incredulous, and have dozens of concerns about the construction of a highrise in the already congested and densely populated area.
Manoa resident Brian Baron, a member of Citizens Against Irresponsible Development, would like to see the Makiki neighborhood board join the Manoa board and buy the property for $1.7 million.
"To put any project in that space violates every common sense rule known to man," said Baron. "The project is needed, but not there."
Baron's sentiment was echoed by the crowd, composed primarily of area condominium owners.
"My first thought was not in my back yard," said Makiki resident Sandy Myers. "But I like the talk about a public park, and I would like to know more about this project."
Punahou Vista would offer one-bedroom apartments for rents as low as $253 a month, and two-bedroom units for $649 a month — fractions of what most renters pay in the area. The group has already developed affordable and senior housing at Birch Street Apartments, Wisteria Vista and Kalakaua Vista.
Consultant Keith Kurahashi said the construction may not begin until 2003 because of the necessary approvals from the state and city, and the developer is asking for a number of permit exemptions, including permission to allow some of its 61 parking spaces to extend into some of the required side yards on the site.
