City still on
Kakaako state land

The base yard interferes with plans
to develop the waterfront; a new
time line is being worked out

By Gordon Y.K Pang
Star-Bulletin

City base yard facilities are still operating on 13 acres of state land in Kakaako even though state officials wanted them out by Wednesday.

Jan Yokota, executive director of the Hawaii Community Development Authority, said she's agreed to let the facilities continue operations while she and city officials negotiate a timetable for removal.

But the state's schedule for development of the Kakaako waterfront would be jeopardized if the city doesn't leave sometime next year, she said.

The city uses the three parcels for industrial activities of its Wastewater Management, Public Works and Transportation Services departments.

The city is hampered in part by a lack of available facilities for relocation. Likely sites are in Halawa and Manana.

The cost also is prohibitive: One official estimated it would cost at least $27.7 million to make the move.

The state has wanted the base yard facilities off its land since 1992, when then-Gov. John Waihee gave the city a two-year deadline.

Last September, the HCDA board rejected the city's request to stay in Kakaako another three years and ordered Yokota to set an eviction deadline.

Yokota yesterday said she's been meeting with city officials to hash out a new time line.

"The city has been making some efforts," she said, noting that three of the 13 acres have been cleared.

City officials familiar with the negotiations did not return calls over the last two days.

"We appreciate the flexibility shown by the state," city spokeswoman Carol Costa said. "We're reviewing their time line; they're taking a look at ours."

The city has proposed moving out by 2001, but Yokota called that unreasonable.

Work on the $6.6 million Ward Avenue extension that would connect it with Ilalo Street is set to begin this month, she said.

That project includes expanding Ilalo Street to five lanes, a phase slated to begin in fall 1999. That would require the two mauka parcels now occupied by city base yards to be vacated, Yokota said.

The city also needs to move out to allow environmental remediation and then give prospective developers a chance to look over the properties, she said.

On the two mauka parcels, officials envision a commercial development, parking and other facilities to support a harbor-style development along the Ahui Street side of Kewalo Basin.

On the makai parcel, next to the Kakaako Waterfront Park, state officials see either an aquarium or ocean science center, Yokota said.

In related news, the new Makai Gateway Park is nearly complete. The park -- on two blocks bounded by Ala Moana Boulevard, Ohe and Cooke streets -- is intended for passive recreation.

Clearing of the area, once the site of heavy industrial use, has opened the way for motorists traveling along Ala Moana to view the waterfront park.