Mayoral hopefuls talk preservation of historic sites

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

What does historic preservation have to do with electing the next Honolulu mayor?

Plenty for the people attending the sixth annual Statewide Historic Preservation Conference at the Honolulu Academy of Arts yesterday, which included a panel discussion with three mayoral candidates on the subject.

About 60 people at the conference heard former City Councilman Mufi Hannemann, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono and former city Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro discuss how historic preservation can benefit business and tourism and make Honolulu a better place to live.

Deputy state Health Director Gary Gill moderated the panel. The other mayoral candidates, City Councilman Duke Bainum and former Mayor Frank Fasi, did not attend.

Gill reminded the audience that there would only be a race for mayor if the present office holder, Jeremy Harris, resigns to run for governor.

In her opening statement, Hirono said only 89 individuals have taken advantage of the city's tax incentive for residential historic homes and she supports a similar tax relief plan for historic commercial buildings.

Commercial buildings are taxed at their highest and best use, said Hirono, and a tax break for preserving a historic site would benefit the entire state in the long run.

Tourists today want more than just a place to sit in the sun, Hirono said. They want "experiential" tourism where they can be actively involved in the culture and natural environment of the place they are visiting.

With Hawai'i's wide diversity of culture and historic places associated with many different ethnic groups, focusing on cultural diversity will draw tourists and help support the state's No. 1 industry, she said.

Kaneshiro said he supports a special tax break for renovating historic buildings. He said preserving historic areas will improve neighborhoods and raise property values, therefore increasing property taxes that the city depends on to balance its budget. The tax break would help preserve the past and beautify the island, he said.

Kaneshiro said creating an "old town" experience has been successful for tourism in cities in California and Virginia and the concept could be used along the Honolulu waterfront and downtown to draw tourists.

Hannemann said federal grants are available for historic preservation and Honolulu should take advantage of them. If elected, Hannemann said he would create a position in the city Department of Planning and Permitting to oversee historic preservation.

The audience then asked the panel questions about city finances, the natatorium and development in Waikiki.

Hannemann said because of conflicting budget accounts, with the administration saying the city's finances are fine and some City Council members saying there's trouble ahead, an independent financial audit needs to be done to "get to the heart of the city's financial condition."

Hirono said using the city sewer fund and refinancing the city's long-term debt to balance the budget is not a good situation.

"We can't keep doing that," Hirono said. "It mortgages the future of our young people."

The audience broke into applause after all three candidates said they oppose a plan to convert Irwin Park, near Aloha Tower, into a parking lot. Aloha Tower Development Corp., the state agency that oversees development of the Honolulu waterfront, has struggled to add parking to make Aloha Tower Marketplace more accessible to tourists and shoppers and considered Irwin Park for a new parking structure.

"We need as much green space as we can get downtown," Hirono said.

The candidates also agreed that the city condemnation of property for private development, which the city did for Outrigger hotels on Lewers Street in Waikiki, is inappropriate, but supported redevelopment of the area.

Hannemann and Hirono opposed reopening the natatorium's saltwater swimming pool for health and economic reasons, but Kaneshiro said it should be done.

"I believe in the restoration of the pool," Kaneshiro said. "I learned to swim there as a child. I'd like to see it reopened and made safe."

Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.