The ambitious redevelopment plans for the former Kam Drive-In site across from Pearlridge Center won final approval Wednesday from the Honolulu City Council.
California-based Robertson Properties plans to construct up to 1,500 residential units, retail and office space and possibly a limited-service hotel and senior living facility.
A first-ever development agreement reached by the developer and the city will also result in up to 450 affordable housing units in the area or the vicinity of other hubs along the city’s upcoming $5.26 billion rail line. At least half of those units are required to be on-site.
Council members voted 9-0 Wednesday to approve Bill 68 giving rezoning to the 15-acre project dubbed Live Work Play Aiea. But Resolution 14-30, sealing the development agreement, received an 8-1 approval including five "with reservation" votes after concerns were raised that the document did not hold Robertson to more concessions.
Opposition to the project has come largely from neighbors troubled by the potential for increased traffic and the loss of view planes.
The bill allows three of the five towers to be as tall as 350, 300 and 250 feet. The two others could be up to 150 feet. The current height limit is 60 feet.
Robertson has promised several million dollars in road improvements, including a new thoroughfare that cuts through the project from Moanalua Road to Kaonohi Street.
Proponents like Aiea-Pearl City Councilman Breene Harimoto called the project "a model for the future" because it is designed to integrate well with the Transit Oriented Development hub just makai of the project site.
The developer could have built "this ugly square box" of retail that likely would have added to the traffic woes in the area, Harimoto said. He credited Department of Planning and Permitting officials, and singled out DPP Chief Planner Kathy Sokugawa, for persuading Robertson executives to think more ambitiously.
The project will be "a catalyst to start the process of redeveloping the aging neighborhood around it," Harimoto said. "Some of those buildings are well over 50 years old."
Kika Bukowski, executive director of the Hawaii Building and Construction Trades Council, said his labor organization supports the project but that the development agreement gives the developer too much flexibility, and possibly at the expense of affordable housing units.
"It’s a great developer’s agreement … not a great community development agreement," Bukowski told Council members, saying that the document also gives the option of building hotels and senior living facilities instead of traditional residential.
John Manavian, a Robertson representative, said the three main towers have always been envisioned as residential while one or possibly both of the smaller, 150-foot towers may contain a limited-service hotel or senior housing.
Market conditions likely won’t allow the developer to deviate from that plan, he said. Besides, he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the developer already has zoning allowing for commercial development.
"We wouldn’t have gone through all this effort if the objective was not to build residential," he said. "We’re not going to build more than 175-180 hotel units."
As for the affordable housing component, 50 percent of all affordable units must be on-site. The remainder, achieved through development purchases or investments, must be within a half-mile of what’s described as the Pearlridge Transit Oriented Development area, or within any of the other transit hubs planned along the 20-mile rail route from Kapolei to Ala Moana.
Units outside of the Pearlridge area, however, must be rentals. They must also be priced for those at 60 percent of Oahu’s median income and must remain categorized as affordable for up to 60 years; or priced for those making up to 80 percent of median and remain affordable for 20 years.
The sole dissenting vote on the development agreement came from Council Chairman Ernie Martin, who said he agreed with Bukowski that the language contained "loopholes" advantageous to the developer.
Not all construction unions opposed the development agreement.
The Hawai‘i Construction Alliance testified in favor.
Also on Wednesday, the Council gave first reading approval to:
» Several bills designed to address illegal dumping, grading and stockpiling, introduced by Councilwoman Kymberly Pine.
» A bill that would make it illegal to own or operate simulated electronic gambling devices, introduced by Councilman Joey Manahan.
