Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 12, 1 December 2008 — DHHL chooses Target, Safeway for Panaʻewa [ARTICLE]

DHHL chooses Target, Safeway for Panaʻewa

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has selected a partnership between Safeway, ine. and Target Brands, ine. to lease a 15.5-acre commercial property in Pana'ewa, Hilo, Hawai'i Island that will generate $18.1 million over the next 25 years to build more affordable housing for native HawaUans. "We weleome the opportunity to support the economy and improve the quality of Ufe for residents by providing job opportunities and expanded seivices," said Mieah Kāne, director of DHHL. "The revenue we generate also goes back into our existing communities and helps develop new affordable homeownerslup opportunities for native Hawaiians." The site is behind Wal-Mart, across the street from Home Depot, and kitty corner to Piinee Kūhiō Plaza. Wal-Mart was considering building a Supercenter on the site in 2007. The proposal drew eommunity opposition, culminating in an unsuccessful move on the Hawai'i County Council to ban stores like the Supercenter. Wal-Mart later eancelled the plans, citing a new strategy of slower growth. Target operates over 1 ,600 stores in 47 states. Target's first Hawai'i stores, in Kapolei and ĀUapa'akai, O'ahu and Kona, Hawai'i are scheduled to open next year. Safeway operates over 1,700 stores under five names across the U.S. and Canada, including 19 Safeway stores in Hawai'i. One Safeway is located in the nearby Piinee Kūhiō Plaza. See BRIEFS on page 23