It’s not that Kakaako hasn’t been planned and planned and planned. One count had 25 land plans put together during the past 40 years.
But now it seems the three big landowners — Kamehameha Schools, Howard Hughes (nee Victoria Ward and then General Growth) and OHA/state — are getting serious about what to do with their respective lands.
Now is the right time for the community to become aware of changes that are being proposed for the future and make its voice heard.
Is it all connected? Will these giants plan together? Or will the community continue to get a green space here, a remake of an old building there, and a monstrous wall of high-rises over there? A recent magazine article said, "… this time the landowners and state agencies are working together more closely as dozens of projects are going forward in the next few years."
Besides the shiny new towers in the works (Kamehameha Schools has plans for seven high-rises on its properties) for the area, there is a key question the community has to ask itself: Is there anything in Kakaako worth preserving?
In two cases, the preservation question can be answered, we believe, with a resounding yes. Let’s start with the most important face Kakaako shows the world, which is the frontage along Ala Moana Boulevard. Truly prime.
The two most important structures fronting Ala Moana Boulevard are the wonderful IBM building at the east end and the Ewa end of Ward Warehouse, two bookends well worth preserving.
The four-story IBM building was designed by Hawaii’s architect-laureate, Vladimir Ossipoff, and built in 1963. It is a highly visible landmark as thousands pass it every day. It is a graceful, well-proportioned structure that was very green for its day. The distinctive honeycomb sun screen surrounding its perimeter shades the tropical sun, cooling the building during the day.
Ward Warehouse, designed by architects Au, Cutting & Smith in the early 1970s, is also an important building, reflecting the waterfront character of Kewalo Basin and the gateway to Ala Moana. The rustic, multifaceted facade and roofs make it appear to be separate wharf structures joined together, complementing this waterfront location along Kewalo Basin.
Since early 1970, this mostly wood structure has hosted and fostered numerous small, local businesses, which is one aspect making it unique and worth preserving — at least the Ewa end of the building.
Exceptional buildings like these two examples are important to the physical character and charm of Honolulu and should be integrated into any developments proposed for the area.
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Keep Hawaii Hawaii is a monthly column on island architecture and urban planning. Robert M. Fox, president of Fox Hawaii Inc., studied architecture in California and Japan. He was one of the founders of the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation in 1974. David Cheever, owner of David Cheever Marketing, has served on the boards of the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation and the Hawaii Architectural Foundation. Comments can be sent to keephawaiihawaii@staradvertiser.com.
