Posted on: Monday, March 15, 2004

EDITORIAL
Kamehameha estate: A chance to do it right

Nearly a quarter-century ago, Kamehameha Schools, then known as Bishop Estate, announced an international competition to come up with what would be a world-class design for its retail property between Kalakaua Avenue and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The core goal, the estate said, would be to honor the heritage of the place, once the home of Kamehameha I, and to open vistas between the street and the sea.

Well, even the estate's best friends would conclude that the project that ended up being built missed those marks. What emerged is a pleasant-enough shopping complex.

But it also has a fortress-like quality that looms over the street and largely blocks valued mauka-makai views.

Now, according to a report by staff writer Andrew Gomes, Kamehameha is going back to the project in an effort to get it right. We salute the effort and hope that this time the promise will match the reality.

Some might argue that the best course would be to tear down the structure, known as the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, and start over. That's tempting, but undoubtedly unrealistic from a physical as well as economic standpoint.

But short of that, much could be done. We are impressed with the plan to convert the existing performance area into a coconut grove meeting place.

Imagine a lush grove of palms, with places to sit, mingle and meet.

This would be an important amenity for Waikiki and would contribute to the overall goal of drawing more local people back.

Done right, it might even inspire the right kind of redevelopment and upgrading of the International Marketplace.

There are also plans to replace heavy pedestrian bridges in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center with something less intrusive so that views from the street toward the ocean, the old Pink Palace and its Banyan would be enhanced.

Again, this is appealing and potentially an important addition to the overall revitalization of Waikiki.

Hawai'i's premier visitor attraction has taken a turn for the better recently, with street and beach improvements sponsored by the city and bootstrap efforts by local merchants and property owners through self-imposed improvement districts.

If Kamehameha gets it right, it would be a huge step toward restoring Waikiki to the full glamour and reputation it once enjoyed.