But some members of the Makiki Heights Community Association are opposed to the plan, saying it will forever change the quiet neighborhood.

"We are very concerned about how it will impact the neighborhood because the infrastructure really isn't here in Makiki Heights to warrant or handle such an expansion," said Bob Laguens, vice president of the association. "They are talking about having a restaurant and being open at night. Everything is more, more, more. More hours, more people, more traffic."

According to the draft environmental assessment filed Friday with the state Office of Environmental Quality Control, the exhibit space only allows 1 percent to 2 percent of the museum's 2,600-object collection to be shown at a time.

Two new gallery wings would be added at the museum at ground level to allow up to 10 percent of the collection to be shown. Two lower levels will add storage space for the collection, which is now off site, and there will be a 16-stall parking garage for employees.

"We feel it will be a beautiful addition to the neighborhood and the community and is very respectful of the incredible property we have up here," said museum director Georgianna Lagoria.

What has some neighbors upset is that museum officials are also asking to be allowed to increase hours, maximum occupancy, the number and size of special events and the size of buses allowed to bring visitors to the site.

"It is not like we are against the museum," said Laguens. "My wife and I are members. It is just such an aggressive expansion program and is going to impact the neighborhood. We are in a residential community, with no sidewalks on these roads, there are many blind curves and they have school buses that come up and cross over the double lines to bring children up. These are all safety issues that have been brought up."

Lagoria said the longer hours and the operation are "very modest."

"We continue to be a good neighbor and are very cognizant of the hours and the way we operate," Lagoria said. "We've been here since 1988. The neighbors as a whole do not oppose the project. There are individual neighbors that we are working with to address their concerns."

Lagoria said the project will take about a year to build once the museum has all the needed approvals and permits. A multi-million dollar fund-raising campaign is expect to pay for the project.

"Our goal is to engage individuals with the best and most significant contemporary art of our time," she said.

A presentation on the project is tentatively set for May 19 before the Makiki/Lower Punchbowl/Tantalus Neighborhood Board, she said.