Posted on: Thursday, December 18, 2003

EDITORIAL
Harborfront upgrades can change city's face

A happy convergence of state, city and private interests is moving ahead on what should be a core goal for Honolulu: Reuniting the city with its waterfront.

Much has already happened, including the development of Aloha Tower Marketplace, the state's planned fish auction site and even discussion of a farmers' market.

In addition, major strides toward beautifying Nimitz Highway have been made with the city's beautification effort in the median of Nimitz between Ward Avenue and Atkinson Drive.

But there is potential for far more.

It is heartening that the state, working through the Hawai'i Community Development Authority and the Aloha Tower Development Corp., is prepared to put up $400,000 against an $800,000 beautification project for Nimitz.

This city project would continue the landscaping effort that is in place between Ward and Atkinson and extend it as far as possible toward Iwilei.

Considering this is a major route for tourists traveling from the airport to Waikiki, the work is long overdue.

But it is not just for tourists. The beautification can also become part of larger efforts to link the city with the harborfront. Toward this end, developer Ken Hughes is further refining his proposal for a mixed residential and commercial complex on the harbor.

He proposed repaving that section of Nimitz between the Federal Building and Fort Street Mall with some kind of decorative material. Combined with heavy landscaping, it would create the feeling of a park-like drive, slowing traffic and posing less of an intimidating barrier between the harbor and the city.

Some have dreamed of putting Nimitz underground along this stretch — a proposal that has huge cost and engineering implications. That most likely will never happen. So making these changes at street grade is the next-best option.

At this point, many of these ideas are still at the talking point. That's understandable. But they must move forward.

Using the talents — and money — of the state, the city and private interests, Honolulu can achieve the people-oriented, active, vital and exciting harborfront it has long deserved.