Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 5, 1 May 2005 — OHA proposes new Hawaiian center [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA proposes new Hawaiian center

$32-million waterfront complex woulel include offices and cultural center

By Sterling Kini Wong In April, OHA presented a preliminary proposal to build a $32million complex on the Kaka'ako waterfront that would include the first Hawaiian cultural center in the state and office space for the agency and other Hawaiian organizations. The directors of the state's Hawai'i Community Development Authority, whieh manages the Kaka'ako district, heard the proposal and gave OHA the green light to proceed. Administrator Clyde Nāmu'o said that OHA will

now begin more studies on the feasibility of the site and will eventually provide a development plan to its Board of Trustees for approval. The agency would then present a formal proposal to HCDA, whieh would be followed by either lease or land acquisition negotiations. Nāmu'o said that if everything goes smoothly, the proposed complex could be completed in 2 1/2 years. "The center is an excellent opportunity for Hawaiians to have a plaee of their own, a plaee where their culture ean thrive," Nāmu'o said.

"Many other groups have their own community centers, and it's about time Hawaiians got their own, too. But this isn't just for Hawaiians, it's for all of Hawai'i." The complex would serve as a multifunctional location for a variety of Hawaiian activities. It would provide space for people to practice and learn about different aspects of Hawaiian culture, including lua (martial arts), hula, navigation, kalo farming and traditional cooking using an imu. The proposed three-story complex would include conference space, an OHA

boardroom, an outdoor performance area, a food service court and an adjacent 180-stall parking lot. The complex would also include 60,000 square feet of office space for OHA and other organizations. Wesley Kaiwi Nui Yoon, an architect OHA contracted to develop the project's preliminary plan, said that he used Hawaiian culture to guide his conceptual design of the complex. "Hawaiian culture is very deep, and the cultural nuances should be reflected in the design of the project," Yoon said, adding that the project's design was inspired by the Kumulipo genealogy chant. "People will see that the building isn't just beautiful, but that it also has meaning." While the outdoor facilities wouldhave obvious Hawaiian cultural elements, such as taro patches and a eanoe house, See CENTER on page 5

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A conceptual draft of what an OHA headquarters and Hawaiian cultural center might look like at the Kaka'ako waterfront site. While the actual design is likely to change, the complex is intended to include outdoor areas for cultural practice. niustration: courtesy ot Architects Hawan

CENTER from page 1 Yoon said he imagines the design of the offices also incorporating Hawaiian values and protocols. He said, for example, the offices would be more open than conventional corporate offices in order to be conducive to the Hawaiian value of wala'au, or communication. The complex would be located on a 5.2-acre parcel on the 'Ewa end of the Kaka'ako waterfront area, between Hawai'i Stevedores ine. and the Waterfront Park. OHA is also considering a site on the Diamond Head end of Kaka'ako, fronting the surf break Point Panie, near John Dominis Restaurant. Nāmu'o said, however, that while the Point Panie site may provide more oeean views, there are concerns about the Hawaiian cultural center and OHA offices being a part of a larger retail complex that the HCDA is considering for the lot. Regardless of what site is ultimately chosen, Nāmu'o said, the proposed complex would eventually be transferred to the Native Hawaiian governing entity when it is created. While OHA will shoulder most of the financing, it is seeking some funding from the state Legislature for the project. A bill that would have provided funding to help build the complex stalled in February, but the Legislature is still considering a $6-million appropriation to be included in OHA's operating budget. OHA is also exploring several financing options, including issuing bonds. OHA currently spends a little under $800,000 a year to rent 23,000 square feet of office space. The agency has been searching for a permanent home for several years and has considered such possible sites as the historic downtown post office and federal building, and the historic Ala Moana sewage pump station property in Kaka'ako. However, those sites did not prove feasible.