Every Sunday, “Back in the Day” looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar.

The prospect of a new 24-story skyscraper near the base of Diamond Head today brought outraged protest from groups fighting to preserve the profile of the famous landmark.

Their wrath was directed at an ordinance pending before the City Council which would permit putting up a high-rise apartment building near Diamond Head, even though other such structures will be illegal after March 26.

The apartment, to be erected by the Tai Construction Company, would be built on Kalakaua Avenue next to the Sans Souci apartments.

The construction company in 1959 announced plans for a 15-story building, and later in the year was granted a variance for a 24-story structure.

But the variance would be void on March 26 when a new law regulating building heights and densities goes into effect.

The ordinance now pending before the Council would keep the variance in effect for an indefinite period of time beyond March 26.

Councilman Herman G.P. Lemke, the only City lawmaker to vote against the ordinance on the first two of three required readings, said the proposal was in conformity with the City’s planning ideas.

Noting that spot zoning in the Diamond Head area is presently the subject of a hot controversy, Lemke said the "timing is all wrong" for considering a new skyscraper there.

Robert S. Gordon, chairman of the community affairs committee of the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce, spoke out against permitting construction of the proposed skyscraper.

"Passing of the ordinance to permit construction of a 24-story building near Diamond Head only perpetuates and compounds an error," Gordon said.