By Katie Kissling, Field Services Program Manager
Preserving Hawai‘i’s historic neighborhoods is vital to maintaining the character of these places. Think of historic neighborhoods and towns like Kaimuki, Manoa, Honoka‘a, Lana‘i City, and Hanapepe just to name a few. They all evoke specific images in our minds. We like these towns or neighborhoods because they have unique characteristics that make them distinct from other areas. Their history is told through the “sense of place” that the buildings convey, making a neighborhood an attractive and unique place to live. Tearing down buildings in historic neighborhoods wipes away that “sense of place” and creates a sterile environment void of character.
A 1920’s home in Manoa was demolished in October.
A pre-WWI home in Kaimuki was replaced by a much larger new structure last year.
In most cases historic neighborhoods are wiped out slowly—one by one historic homes are demolished and larger homes out of scale with the neighborhood are built. This continues until the neighborhood eventually bears little resemblance to the place that it once was.
What can be done to protect these neighborhoods? There are a number of tools that communities use to address teardowns. An important step is to initiate discussion about the future of the community. Asking a community what characteristics make their neighborhood a special place to live is an important step. This can be done through opinion surveys, town meetings, focus groups, interviews with key leaders, and design charrettes. The goal is to develop a common consensus for the future of the community.
Some other states and municipalities have used demolition delay ordinances to prevent the demolition of a potentially historic building for an established waiting period. If the building is deemed historic, communities can explore alternatives to demolition for a set period of time. This tool is especially important for identifying and protecting historic structures that merit protection under historic preservation ordinances. To date, jurisdictions in Hawai‘i have not used this option.
Vacant lots and bulldozers erode Manoa’s neighborhood character where historic homes once stood.
It is also important to ensure that any new development compliments and does not detract from the historic characteristics of the neighborhood. Design guidelines can be developed to show which design features and elements are considered acceptable and appropriate for a building, neighborhood or area. In Hawai‘i, communities such as ‘Ewa Villages and Lahaina have design guidelines to show property owners the characteristics that help shape the character of the district and guide new development.
These are just a few of the tools available to help prevent demolition of historic neighborhoods. The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) highlights a number of creative methods that communities throughout the country have employed to prevent teardowns and guide new development in their communities. Click here for additional resources and more information on teardowns from the NTHP.
