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People entering Chinatown from the west may soon find tiled gates and a landscaped traffic median marking their arrival in the historic district. Chinatown to become
Board nixes bigger hoolaulea
gateway neighborhoodBy Mary Adamski
Star-BulletinPlans to build gateway features at the King Street bridge over Nuuanu Stream were depicted last night for Downtown Neighborhood Board members.
The features intended to give arriving visitors "an experience cultural and interesting" were a top priority for the city-sponsored Vision 2000 community planning process earlier this year by area businesses, said Matt Gilbertson of Architect Hawaii.
He showed artist drawings of the entryway, which will include two pedestrian gates on the sidewalk across the bridge. Columns encircled with serpentine Chinese dragons and tiled roofs will decorate the 8-foot-tall gates at either end of the bridge.
A sign will memorialize the people who built and worked in Chinatown.
It will be erected on a landscaped triangular traffic island where Hotel Street begins and angles away on a separate bridge over the stream.
Gilbertson said the state Historic Preservation Division has approved the plans for the bridge, which is 55 years old and on the state historic registry. The structure will be cleaned in the project, which is expected to be put out for bid and awarded to a contractor by the end of the year, he said.
The Downtown Neighborhood Board sent a "thumbs down" message to City Hall when it heard about belated plans to expand the Aloha Week downtown hoolaulea into Chinatown. Board says nay
to expanding
Aloha Week
hoolauleaStar-Bulletin staff
Board members voted 5-1 last night against the plan that would take the Sept. 15 festival beyond Bishop Street onto Nuuanu Avenue, Hotel Street and Merchant Street.
In recent years, Bishop Street between Beretania Street and Nimitz Highway has been closed to traffic for the evening outdoor party which includes entertainment stages and food booths.
Board members expressed concern that adding streets with bars and restaurants to the mix would change the alcohol-free character of the celebration.
"I oppose it for security and safety reasons," said board member Kanoe Cazimero.
She said it was "crafty and underhanded" for the city administration to make the changes without notifying the board or other groups.
Board member Tom Smyth said they were provided only "piecemeal information."
He said extending the party to additional streets would be costly because additional special-duty police officers would need to be hired.
Board Chairwoman Lynne Matusow said she learned about the expansion secondhand through a city announcement for publication in a downtown shopper.
Police officers who routinely attend the board meeting described the planned street closures.
Alvin Au, city administration representative on the board, said adding other streets would be similar to the Nuuanu Nights block party, which is held periodically to encourage business for downtown businesses. That party also involves closing the street for entertainment. The promoter gets a special liquor license permitting alcohol to be served in street booths.
Au arrived after the vote was taken and did cast a vote.