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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, October 5, 2007

Dominis buyer gets state lease approval

Advertiser Staff

The state agency overseeing development in Kaka'ako approved the transfer of a state land lease for John Dominis restaurant to Ocean Investments LLC, a company buying the restaurant from founder D.G. "Andy" Anderson.

Directors of the Hawai'i Community Development Authority on Wednesday voted to allow the transfer of the lease that runs to 2042. Ocean Investments is acquiring the restaurant overlooking Kewalo Basin for possible redevelopment, which would require additional HCDA approval.

Anderson, who opened John Dominis in 1979, has arranged to continue operating the 254-seat fine-dining restaurant for a minimum of 18 months as part of the deal, but said redevelopment of the property is necessary in the longer term.

Anderson earlier this week said the restaurant's age, expensive ground rent, rising property taxes, and the property's attractiveness make redevelopment of the location inevitable.