Posted on: Saturday, May 28, 2005

Aloha Tower executive resigns

By Andrew Gomes
Advertiser Staff Writer

The executive director of the state Aloha Tower Development Corp. yesterday announced plans to resign, two months after the agency's effort to facilitate a private-public $300 million residential-mixed use redevelopment at Honolulu Harbor ran into trouble.

Dan Orodenker, who has been with the agency since 2001, said he was leaving effective June 30 to seek opportunity in the private-sector real estate construction and development industry.

"With the economy and real estate development, there are a lot of exciting things happening," he said. "It's time to go on to bigger and better things."

Orodenker said he wasn't leaving in frustration or disappointment over the Legislature recently failing to approve key measures the agency sought to advance its agreement with Dallas developer Ken Hughes on the ambitious improvement plan for state land stretching from piers 2 to 11.

The redevelopment effort with Hughes, however, faces an uncertain future.

The agency had sought legislative approval to sell waterfront property near Aloha Tower Marketplace and form a joint-venture company with Hughes.

Another request that went unfulfilled was for about $37 million in state money for traffic improvements and moving a Hawaiian Electric Co. power plant to make way for a park as part of the project.

Hughes has been working on the project since he responded to a state request for proposals in late 2002, and until recently had anticipated starting construction early next year.