City may convert 'Baywatch' set to youth center
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser North Shore Bureau
HALE'IWA — The "Baywatch Hawai'i" set at the Hale'iwa surf center could become a youth facility for the community under a city proposal to upgrade the structure.
Advertiser library photo • Feb. 7, 2001
The city is obtaining the necessary permits for the structure and bringing it up to city building codes.
The addition to the John K. Kalili Hale'iwa Surf and Recreation Center was built in May 1999 for "Baywatch Hawai'i." The city is considering a youth center, city office space and storage for the site.
When "Baywatch Hawai'i" folded its operation at Ali'i Beach Park earlier this year it left behind a second-floor addition to the John K. Kalili Hale'iwa Surf and Recreation Center. The addition, built in May 1999 and used strictly as a set, was given a variance that allowed it to be built quickly and without the necessary permits.
Under a condition of the variance the city would take possession of the addition once filming ended and make the necessary upgrades to comply with building standards.
"Everybody's eyeing that facility as their private office," said city Councilwoman Rene Mansho, who represents the area. "I said no, no, no. We would like that to eventually be a community center because our teenagers don't have a place to go."
The North Shore Neighborhood Board supported a Mansho resolution to convert the space into a youth center and for other uses, said Kathleen Pahinui, chairwoman of the board.
The city has released a draft environmental assessment on the project and the board will review it this month, Pahinui said.
"(The city) is anticipating a determination of a finding of no significant impact," she said.
According to environmental notices from the state Office of Environmental Quality Control the city is looking at options like a youth center, city office space and storage. Anyone wishing to comment on the project has until Oct. 8.
"No substantial environmental impacts are expected from the proposed conversion, which would include only minor interior modifications to the structure," the notice said.
Ed D'Ascoli, president of Xcel Wetsuits Hawaii, first proposed a youth center at the facility. D'Ascoli said the city's proposal is a step in the right direction for kids in the community whose parents often hold two jobs.
Send comments to the city Department of Design and Construction, 650 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96813, Attn: Steven Tong; and to Planning Solutions, Inc., 1210 Auahi St., Suite 221, Honolulu, HI 96814, Attn: Charles Morgan.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266
Correction: A previous version of this story gave an incorrect address for the city Department of Design and Construction.
