Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 7, 1 Iulai 2021 — A Vision for the Future Part 2 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A Vision for the Future Part 2

Now that we have established an anchor for Kaka'ako Makai, we will begin to explore the other properties and what could be. If we continue with the oeean theme and what Rell Sun and Eddie Aikau mean to Hawai'i, we eome to lot B, the next lot along the waterfront in Kewalo Basin. This lot is a shipping yard with a ramp dry dock. This dry

dock is crucial for bringing vessels out of the water without the need for a crane to lift the vessel from the water. The University of Hawai'i is interested in relocating the Marine Education Training Center (METC) from Sand Island to Kaka'ako. Having this facility closer to town, and in close proximity to the medical school, is an attractive proposition for the University. How does this fit into this vision of Kaka'ako Makai? METC is the home of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the voyaging wa'a Hōkūle'a and Hikianalia. As we continue to add on to the vision shared in Part 1, we would now have "Rell's Plaee," the "Eddie Aikau Surf Museum," and the new home for Hōkūle'a, Hikianalia, and possibly Hawai'iloa - and all the educational classroom work that comes with them and the new voyaging curriculum that U.H. offers. We now move on to lot F/G, the "piano" lot. Here is where support ffom the legislature would be key. Envisioned for this lot would be a boutique hotel without

seeking a variance for height increases. Boutique hotels are a growing sector in the hospitality industry and attract a different type of visitor than major hotel chains or large resorts. Typical visitors to these types of accommodations are visitors traveling for business; travelers that are interested in more intimate, personal, or eommuni-ty-based stays; or eco-tourists. These types of visitors typically do not rent vehicles, rather they

prefer either ride-shares, public transportation, or public biking options. This addresses community eoncerns about increased traffic from any possible hotel. With a location in Kaka'ako Makai, this property is well positioned - a stone's throw from downtown - while not being in the heart of Waikīkī, whieh is where the average tourist would choose to stay versus a boutique hotel geared toward business travelers. This covers three of the

seven lots mentioned last month. These four projects alone provide the opportunity for not only revenue for the Native Hawaiian Trust, but also provides for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to put into plaee the concepts provided through all the public engagements: a Hawaiian sense of plaee, open eommunal spaces, a cultural gathering plaee, to name just a few. Imagine our people gathering at the Eddie Aikau Surf Museum to greet with 'oli, mele, and ceremony visiting wa'a from across the Paeihe, then sharing mea'ai at a reception catered by Rell's Plaee that goes into the night followed by the crews adjourning to their rooms at the boutique hotel right across the street. This is a process that could be repeated with any and all dignitaries visiting our state, allowing the Ofhce of Hawaiian Affairs to be the key venue to showcase our Hawaiian culture to these visitors. Next month we finish up Kaka'ako Makai and take a look at a broader vision for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. ■

Brendon Kalei'āina Lee Trustee, At-large