Group seeks to separate loft proposal
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
The Mayor's Downtown/Chinatown Task Force yesterday added its voice to that of other groups asking the city to separate a proposal to expand the Chinatown Special District and lower building height limits from a provision that would make it easier to create lofts in the historic core of the current district.
The task force voted unanimously to ask that the Harris administration separate the issues rather than offering them as a single bill to the City Council because the loft measure has wide support and the special district expansion has major opposition.
In September, the Downtown Neighborhood Board and the city Planning Commission made the same recommendation.
The bill must be approved by the City Council, but the administration has not yet submitted it.
Bob Gerell, task force chairman, said the task force had previously voted to support the entire proposal, but he would now like to see the loft portion passed before Harris' term ends at the end of the year and the task force is automatically disbanded.
Gerell said the loft proposal is an important economic issue for the community and a priority for the task force.
The loft plan would ease rules in the historic core of Chinatown to allow for artists' lofts.
Lynne Matusow, chairwoman of the Downtown Neighborhood Board, said the loft proposal is needed to support the growing movement toward a culture-and-arts district in the area and combining the two issues is effectively holding the loft portion "hostage."
The bill seeks to expand the special district by 20 acres into Iwilei, adding 'A'ala Park, the historic O'ahu Railway & Land Terminal train station and the Tong Fat Co. building on North King Street.
The plan also would reduce the building height limit from 150 feet in one area and 200 feet in another down to 80 feet.
Two developers with projects under way say that provision will kill their ventures.
A private group called Downtown Affordables plans a 23-story building with 251 one- and two-bedroom units on North King Street where the 'A'ala parking lot sits. The project has not yet broken ground, but is sold out.
The second project is a $35 million, 13-story elderly affordable housing residence near the historic OR&L building financed through the state Housing and Community Development Corp.
Patrick Seguirant, with the city Department of Planning and Permitting, told the task force the city looks at the proposal as a package deal and negotiations are under way with both developers to redesign their projects to conform to the new height rules.
Seguirant said a recent city corporation counsel opinion stated that requiring the developers to downscale their projects would not be considered a "taking" of their properties as long as the changes would still allow reasonable use.
Gerell acknowledged that the task force's role is advisory only, but said he will write the mayor with its request.
Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.
