The Lahaina fire was tragic, resulting in deaths and forcing residents from their homes. But one aspect of this tragedy must not be ignored: the destruction of historic Front Street. The mainstream and local media mention Front Street in passing, not addressing the impact on Maui’s economy if the town is not rebuilt to its former self. It is one of the reasons that tourists come to West Maui. It is a microcosm of Maui and Hawaii’s history; an important tool for visitors to learn about the history of Hawaii’s first royal capitol, and the missionary, whaling and plantation eras.
Lahaina is also a National Historic Landmark, the highest designation of the National Park Service’s historic preservation program. And although the county has plans to rebuild Front Street, federal and state funding is thin on the ground.
As it should be, the governor and state officials have concentrated on providing federal and state funding to rebuild homes, so they may not have considered other ramifications of this event. Residents who worked in the vibrant businesses on Front Street lost their jobs as well as their residences in Lahaina. The economic impact is enormous.
There are businesses that may never return even after the street is restored. One was an artist’s gallery: he may move to overcrowded Kauai, or to Hilo or leave the state altogether. Boat tours to Lanai and for fishing are unable to conduct their businesses from the ruined dock, forcing them to find somewhere else to operate, presumably congested Ma‘alaea Harbor, or worse, to a culturally and environmentally sensitive area nearby.
When tourists return to Maui in numbers, they will have little to visit in West Maui. They will flock to stay and play in Kihei, deserting the West Maui hotels. They will crowd locals off the beaches, impact nearby archaeological resources and ruin the peace of the neighborhoods mauka of the beach. Though this will be good for struggling businesses, will unemployed residents of Lahaina now be forced to travel to Kihei to work? Tourists will clog the overstressed Hana Highway, mobbing small Hana town and Wai‘anapanapa Park, which now requires reservations to control the influx.
Perhaps one solution could be building the historic facades of the wooden buildings with fire resistant materials, and apartments in the back made of concrete with fire sprinkler systems for Front Street residents to return to. And provide Native Hawaiian perspective by restoring the royal residence at Moku‘ula now buried beneath a baseball field.
But developers are lurking. Though Lahaina is a National Historic Landmark, there has been a suggestion that a national hospitality chain could build a new hotel of their own design on the site of the Pioneer Inn. One architect has suggested a plan to build a historic “town” on one block at the end of Front Street, and leave the rest of the town to modernize. Do we really want a Safeway or Longs plopped down on Front Street?
The governor recently formed a controversial commission composed mostly of government officials to address housing issues. Perhaps the Lahaina Restoration Foundation can form a committee that will follow and support the historic preservation process, rules and regulations. Membership could be comprised of representatives from the Maui Planning Commission and Maui Cultural Resources Commission, the state Historic Preservation Division, the National Park Service, Native Hawaiians, local architects, architectural historians, historians, planners and archaeology firms who specialize in historic sites. Finally, the meetings should be public, transparent and televised with unfettered public access.
Wendy Tolleson is a historian and preservationist who specializes in the 19th- and 20th-century history of Hawaii.
