Editorial
Punahou Vista makes sense for Makiki

The anguished objections of neighbors to a proposal to build affordable apartment housing in Makiki, while no doubt sincere, are somewhat baffling.

The Punahou Vista project, an eight-story affordable rental housing unit at 1566 Wilder Ave., appears a perfect fit for the neighborhood, in which midrise apartment and condominium buildings already predominate.

Affordable housing is clearly needed in Honolulu and obviously is within the community-minded mandate of the landowner, the YWCA. Indeed, the neighbors are lucky the "Y" isn't asserting its right to build a larger, more intrusive project.

The project's developer, Gary Furuta, has already produced what appear to be fine affordable and senior housing at Birch Street Apartments, Wisteria Vista and Kalakaua Vista. We see no reason to doubt his assertion that Punahou Vista will be environmentally attractive, with a small play space for children and enough on-site parking to prevent further competition for on-street parking — a consideration that many other builders in Makiki have omitted.

The city should insist that Furuta preserve or replace as many trees as possible, and pay particular attention to the effect on traffic of the building's street access.

That said, however, there is nothing about this needed project we have heard so far that suggests it should not go forward., in which midrise apartment and condominium buildings already predominate.

Affordable housing is clearly needed in Honolulu and obviously is within the community-minded mandate of the landowner, the YWCA. Indeed, the neighbors are lucky the "Y" isn't asserting its right to build a larger, more intrusive project.

The project's developer, Gary Furuta, has already produced what appear to be fine affordable and senior housing at Birch Street Apartments, Wisteria Vista and Kalakaua Vista. We see no reason to doubt his assertion that Punahou Vista will be environmentally attractive, with a small play space for children and enough on-site parking to prevent further competition for on-street parking — a consideration that many other builders in Makiki have omitted.

The city should insist that Furuta preserve or replace as many trees as possible, and pay particular attention to the effect on traffic of the building's street access.

That said, however, there is nothing about this needed project we have heard so far that suggests it should not go forward.