Posted on: Thursday, January 6, 2005
Merchants help push crime off Nu'uanu
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
Crime is down and business is up on Nu'uanu Avenue nearly a year after merchants organized and set goals of getting drug dealers off the street so their customers could feel safe in the Chinatown neighborhood.
A new upscale restaurant opened last month in the stretch of historic buildings on the 1100 block in a space that has been vacant for years. More shops will soon open in a new building across the street. Police are bringing back foot patrols to escalate the fight against crime.
Hank Taufaasau, Nu'uanu Merchants Association vice president and owner of Hank's Cafe Honolulu, said the awareness and cooperation between shop owners and police has made a huge difference.
"When we went into this, we realized we weren't going to solve the drug problem," Taufaasau said. "But for the most part, Nu'uanu is a lot better than it was. There are flare ups every now and then. We get out there and start taking pictures, they see us writing down their license plate numbers. I can say 80 percent of the open pandering and selling and drug paraphernalia is gone. I can tell you that."
But many drug dealers have simply moved to Pauahi Street, Taufaasau said, creating problems for businesses in those areas.
A year ago, the block of Nu'uanu between Pauahi and Hotel streets, which is in the Kalihi/Palama/Chinatown Weed & Seed crime-fighting district, was rife with illegal drug use despite the presence of a police substation just a block away.
Drug dealers had created a virtual drive-through service, with specific spots on Nu'uanu, Pauahi and Smith streets where they stationed themselves and waited for customers to pull up. Shop owners and customers were intimidated walking through the area.
In May, the association held a sign-waving demonstration to draw attention to the problem.
"We know now that it can be done," Taufaasau said. "Everyone said there is nothing you can do about it but our collective minds did it."
Sam, who did not want his full name used for fear of reprisals, owns a lei shop on Pauahi. He said for several months now drug dealers have moved into his block. He no longer lets his children play near the shop, which only last year he considered safe. He was attacked once in his shop and now closes up soon after dark.
"I want a safe shop," Sam said. "The street people don't bother us. It is the drug dealers and it is getting worse. I wish the police would patrol here more and chase them away."
Maj. Kevin Lima, police commander for the downtown area, said crime on Nu'uanu has been reduced and by the end of the month there should be five officers on foot patrol in Chinatown, which will help police stay in close contact with residents and business and make more arrests.
"We think it will make a bigger difference on foot patrol than driving around in cars," Lima said. "It's not against the law to stand on the sidewalk all day long, but if they are going to be selling drugs or prostituting themselves, that is a different story. If criminals are going to stand around the sidewalks, then our officers will be on the sidewalks, too."
The federal Weed & Seed program is a nationwide effort intended to weed out drug dealers and violent criminals while fostering a sense of communal responsibility. The "weed" portion applies federal law enforcement and tough penalties to rid communities of gangs, drug dealers and repeat and violent offenders.
The "seed" part applies crime prevention, intervention, treatment and neighborhood revitalization to help make a community safer.
Kim Coffee-Isaak, managing director of The ARTS at Marks Garage and secretary of the merchants association, said there are many ongoing "seeding" activities, including the First Friday downtown gallery walk, the development of a culture and arts association, poetry readings, and special festivals and activities that draw new customers to the area.
Developer Allen Stack Jr. said Nu'uanu Avenue has the longest stretch of historic buildings on the island and his new building at 1150 Nu'uanu Ave. was designed to fit with that look. He is finishing construction and interviewing potential tenants.
"I was approached by a lot of people as the building neared completion," Stack said. "I ruled out the bad stuff.
Stack said a pawn shop and laundromat were both rejected.
"I realized I have a chance to contribute to the character of the neighborhood," he said. "We are still in negotiations, but (the tenants) will be something sympathetic with the character of the neighborhood."
Chef Kate Wagner is the newest tenant on Nu'uanu Avenue with her Starpoint Cafe in the old Havana Cabana.
The "urban" cafe offers lunch and dinner using local products and has a dessert menu to attract the late night theater crowd.
"Although I'm new here, I look forward to participating in the association," Wagner said. "I think Nu'uanu is a lot better than it was. Downtown has a vitality and a life of its own. I think it has the population to support alternative activities that are of a more wholesome nature. I'm thrilled at the opportunity to be here. Now if we can just work on Pauahi."
Reach James Gonser at 535-2431 or jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com.
