Days numbered Good-bye exotic dancers, hello coffee vendors?
for businesses in
convention center’s
‘gateway’ area
Club Rock-Za, with 100
By Gordon Y.K. Pang
employees, would be among the
casualties of Mayor Harris' plan
Star-BulletinA proposal by Mayor Jeremy Harris would displace several businesses across from the Hawaii Convention Center, including Club Rock-Za, one of Honolulu's oldest and busiest strip clubs.
Harris plans an open-air plaza to serve as a gateway to the convention center and Waikiki. Managing Director Ben Lee says the city is envisioning a central gathering place similar to Portland's Pioneer Square.
Yvonne Hee, co-owner and manager of Club Rock-Za, said she knew the strip club's days were numbered once the convention center opened directly across the street.
"I always think they were going to do this. They want to make pretty in front of the convention center and that's good," Hee said. "But you gotta be reasonable."
Rock-Za employs more than 100 people and has been at its location since 1987.
The city is looking at six properties in all. The Kapiolani end of Kalauokalani Way would also be closed off to vehicular traffic in order to create the one-acre parcel.
Another affected business, Da Hui, a surf shop, moved into a 3,000-square-foot space on Kalauokalani in December. Co-owner Eddie Rothman said his company put in more than $100,000 in improvements and is reluctant to move.
"You should have seen this place before; it was like a garage," Rothman said. "Now they want to take our business away and put somebody else here."
Rothman, who employs 12 to 13 people, was hopeful.
"Maybe they'll want to give us one of the spaces in the new building they'll have."
Lee said initial plans call for a two- to three-story structure similar in architecture to early 20th-century buildings like the Moana and Halekulani hotels. "It would have a lot of overhangs," he said. "We certainly would encourage outdoor dining, lots of trees and perhaps a place for some kind of activity during the nighttime -- cultural activity and performances."
Not all were disappointed by the potential demise of Rock-Za.
"Our area has more bars and strip clubs than any other part of the island,' said John Brei-nich, chairman of the Ala Moana-Kakaako Neighborhood Board. "If there is going to be one less bar or strip club, it would be positive for the neighborhood."
Area Councilman Andy Mirikitani said he endorses taking over the Rock-Za site but is hesitant about displacing other businesses.
The potential demise of Rock-Za is in keeping with a larger plan by the city to clean up the Kapiolani district -- long known for its strip clubs, hostess bars and other colorful nightlife.
Lee said the city wants to create a special district for the region to replace the gaudy neon signs that now define the neighborhood.
"We've had a lot of comments, concerns, if not complaints, about the number of hostess bars, topless bars and nude-dancing nightclubs all along Kapiolani," he said.
"We're not looking at any major changes in land use or any major changes in building height, but I think we are looking at more setback, more open space, more landscaping, and also provide some urban design and architectural guidelines for future development," he said.
The mayor's capital improvement budget for the 2002 fiscal year includes $6 million for the project, including $3 million for land acquisition, $1.9 million for design, and $250,000 for relocation assistance.
Hee, like Rothman, believes the $250,000 for relocation won't be nearly enough to cover the moving expenses of all the businesses. The Council must approve the project.