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Artist's concept.

Restore Irwin Park,
groups say

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By Leila Fujimori
Star-Bulletin

Three groups, fearing the conversion of a historic park fronting Aloha Tower Marketplace into a permanent parking lot, have unveiled new landscape plans to restore it to original use. Any parking stalls would be eliminated.

Although Irwin Memorial Park is dedicated as an open space, it is being used as a parking lot for Aloha Tower Marketplace patrons. It has monkeypod and banyan trees dating back to the 1930s that would be cut down if a proposed underground parking lot were built on the site.

The groups -- Scenic Hawaii, Historic Hawaii Foundation and the Outdoor Circle -- presented drawings yesterday of the proposed restoration. The groups say that would complete Aloha Tower's restoration and would abide by the will of Helene Irwin Fagan, who donated the half-acre as a park to the state in 1930. The park, named after sugar magnate William G. Irwin, was placed on the state register of historic places in 1999.

"The renaissance of the cruise-ship industry makes it a timely to restore the park," said John Whalen, a director of Scenic Hawaii, a nonprofit organization.

But a consultant for Aloha Tower said the timing seems to coincide with the legislative season.

Consultant Pat McCormick said Fagan had in the past agreed with the state to the current parking.

McCormick added that Aloha Tower Development Corp. has an agreement for the master lease to provide that parking and other parking around the shopping center until it becomes a viable entity.