Oahu

Photos:Courtesy of Rae Huo UPDATE: 2008 Friends of the Queen Theater (http://friendsofqueentheater.org/) was formed as a community-based campaign to raise public awareness of the theater and its potential for renovation and reuse. LISTED AS ENDANGERED IN 2006 Article Written By: Michael Keany, HONOLULU Magazine What is it? The Queen’s Theatre, near the top of Wai‘alae Avenue in Kaimukı, is a survivor from the golden age of cinema. Built in 1936, the 850-seat theater hosted everything from traveling vaudeville shows to 25-cent matinées. In later years, it became a second-run theater that hosted midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and then a XXX theater that was eventually raided by the police in the mid-1980s. It has lain dormant ever since, but its fading art deco façade still tantalizes theater buffs and neighborhood activists. Lowell Angell, a local theater historian, says, “It’s still one of the few, if not the only, remaining theater facilities that could be renovated and put back into use.” What threatens it? The reclusive owner of the theater, Narciso Yu. It’s not that he wants to tear it down. Ginny Meade, executive director of the Greater East Honolulu Community Alliance, says, “Ciso used to tell me that he had a dream that it would be a theater again, and so he wouldn’t let it become a car parts store like the Cinerama.” But Yu has proved resistant to any other plans for the theater, including restoration. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to get a hold of him. “Everyone in the world wants to restore or purchase or do something with that place, and they all call me to find out what’s going on,” Meade says. These days, though, even she doesn’t [...]

Photography: Courtesy of David Croxford Update: 2016 Article Written: By: Katrin Valcourt, HONOLULU Magazine Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, which is located next to Laulima House on Ke‘eaumoku Street, purchased the property for $3.1 million in 2014 and has completed various renovations. “We saw the house itself as having great potential for the organization,” says Jerry Rauckhorst, outgoing president and CEO of CCH, especially because it lends itself to a homelike setting, rather than an institutional setting, like CCH’s Clarence T.C. Ching campus. It’s a more appropriate place for kids in foster care to schedule visits, to train volunteers or to have events, for instance. “This was something we couldn’t afford not to do.” “We respect the historic nature of the facility, so when we did various renovations, obviously we wanted to make sure we were very respectful of the historical significance,” Rauckhorst says. “We went to some lengths to ensure we were doing that in a very respectful mode.” LISTED AS ENDANGERED IN 2014 Article Written By: Loren Moreno, HONOLULU Magazine What is it? Also known as the Ernest R. Cameron House, Laulima was built in 1924 in the popular Beaux-Arts style in Makiki, and is one of the last remaining large estates in this once-affluent community. The house was built for Ernest Cameron and his wife, Alice Lewers Hopper, and its design and construction represent the overwhelming desire in Honolulu, at the time, to build homes that emulated Mainland styles. In addition to the Beaux-Arts columns and arches of the front lānai typical of Mainland homes, Architect Herbert Cayton Cohen also included more tropical elements, such as a shaded, breezy breakfast room overlooking the back lānai. With Makiki now teeming with condominiums and apartments, Laulima is [...]

Photos: Courtesy of honolulutransit.org Article Written By: Jenny Quill, HONOLULU Magazine What is it? The 20-mile elevated rail line will connect West O‘ahu with downtown Honolulu and Ala Moana Center once it’s completed in 2019. The Historic Hawai‘i Foundation (HHF) has identified 33 historic sites between ‘Ewa and Kaka‘ako that will be impacted, with potential outcomes ranging from demolition to being transformed into a rail station. These sites include the Aloha Chapel, designed by renowned architect Vladimir Ossipoff; CINCPAC, the headquarters for the Commander in Chief, Pacific Command; and the Dillingham Transportation Building.   What Threatens It? Given the scale of the project, Honolulu’s rail transit system will profoundly alter the face of the communities through which it passes. “Although the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation supports improved transportation options for Honolulu,” says executive director Kiersten Faulkner, “we remain concerned that the proposed system will have negative impacts on dozens of historic sites along the route. The adverse effects on over 30 historic properties, including at least three historic districts, will fundamentally change the cultural landscape of O‘ahu and forever diminish the civic experience in Honolulu’s historic areas.” In its defense, the Department of Transportation Services issued the following statement: “Various alternatives were considered before the selection was made of the currently proposed system and alignment. One of the considerations used in the evaluation of the alignments was impacts to environmental resources, such as historic resources.” What can be done? According to the DTS, “an agreement to minimize or mitigate the project’s adverse impact on the above historic resources is presently being developed.” Of the 33 identified historic sites, the rapid transit project will affect only the Afuso House, Higa Fourplex, Teixeira House, Lava Rock Curbs, Kapalama Canal [...]

UPDATE: SAVED IN 2013 Repairs to reverse wood rot and termite damage at the historic Ft. Ruger chapel have been completed by Kapi‘olani Community College. The work was funded by a $575,000 capital improvement project appropriation from the state legislature in 2010 for interior repairs, maintenance, refurbishment work, new paint and a new roof for the chapel. The white chapel located on the Diamond Head side of the Kapi‘olani Community College (KCC) campus has always stood out from KCC’s low-lying, 1980s architecture. Built in 1925, the chapel hosted church services for the Fort Ruger military community, O‘ahu’s earliest U.S. Army coastal defense fortification, established in 1909. The Friends of the Chapel worked with KCC and state officials, especially then-Representative Barbara Marumoto, to secure the funding and see the project to its successful outcome. UPDATE: 2010 Article Written By: Jenny Quill, HONOLULU Magazine Good things come to those who wait, and it seems that the chapel, which is still being used for classes and other activities, might finally get some much needed TLC. Recent legislation (House Bill No. 2303) appropriated $575,000 for interior repairs, maintenance, refurbishment work, new paint and a new roof for the chapel. The bill took effect in July, and the funds released. Additionally, KCC recently presented its long-range plan to the University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents. “The chapel was identified as one of the most cherished places on the campus,” says Carol Hoshiko, the dean for Culinary, Hospitality and College Advancement. “In addition to the chapel, it was proposed that there be an auxiliary building [built] next to the chapel for joint use for the community and the campus.” The development plan was “approved in principle” by the board, meaning that, [...]

Update November 2023 & January 2024: Falls of Clyde removed from the Hawaii & National Registers of Historic Places In November 2023 the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board voted 4-1 in favor of removing the Falls of Clyde from the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places and recommending removal from the National Register. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) Harbors Division had initiated the application for the ship’s removal with a case that the qualities which made it eligible for listing are no longer present based on an evaluation of the ship’s physical condition. A 2023 assessment by a maritime archaeologist concluded that due to its current condition, Falls of Clyde has lost the historic integrity that qualified the ship for listing in the historic registers. The level of damage to the ship has been characterized as “irreparable.”  The report found that there are holes both above and below the waterline, loss of structural integrity for the decks and overall deterioration of materials. HDOT then initiated an application to the Hawai‘i Historic Places Review Board requesting that the ship be removed from the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places. Designated historic properties may be removed from the Register for one of only three reasons: when the qualities which caused them originally to be listed have been lost or destroyed; upon proof that an error in professional judgment was made; or for failure to follow the procedures for listing. HDOT’s application to remove Falls of Clyde from the Hawai‘i Register rested on an evaluation of the ship’s physical condition as it relates to historic integrity and the structure’s ability to convey its historic significance as described in the nominations to the State, National and NHL registers. The [...]

Photos: Courtesy of Olivier Koning UPDATE: DEMOLISHED IN 2014 Fisherman's Wharf building makes way for redevelopment Article Courtesy of: http://www.oha.org/news/fishermans-wharf-building-makes-way-redevelopment HONOLULU (Nov. 20, 2014) – The vacant building that Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant used to occupy on Ala Moana Boulevard in Kaka‘ako Makai was demolished today in favor of new opportunities that would benefit Native Hawaiians. Demolition crews with Waipio-based North Star Contracting Group Inc. took less than a month to tear down the dilapidated 10,000-square-feet building, which was built around 1940. The demolition project called for salvaging the two iconic restaurant signs that used to grace the roof of the building as well as a free-standing restaurant sign at ground level and incorporating them into the future redevelopment of the site, which is part of 30 acres the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has owned in Kaka‘ako Makai since August 2012. For private investors and others who have previously expressed interest in the property, the building became too cost-prohibitive to renovate. In fact, the demolition project was a direct response to health and safety concerns stemming from the building, which became infested with termites and rats after sitting empty for a few years. The demolition project also comes at a time when OHA is drawing up a master plan focused on fulfilling the potential for its properties in Kaka‘ako Makai to generate revenue that could support the agency’s efforts to fund community-based programs aimed at improving conditions for Native Hawaiians.   LISTED AS ENDANGERED IN 2013 Article Written By: Victoria Wiseman, HONOLULU Magazine What is it? Fisherman’s Wharf is typical of roadside, or pop, architecture, the likes of which you’d see along Route 66—motels, souvenir shops, even the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign with its starbursts and [...]

Photos: Courtesy of Rae Huo UPDATE: 2016 Article Written By: Katrina Valcourt, HONOLULU Magazine In 2008, the six Chief Petty Officer bungalows previously deemed endangered were included in the newly established World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. All six were meant to be restored after an environmental assessment in 2012 called them “unique examples of historic Navy housing in Hawai‘i” and laid out plans for rehabilitating them into visitor areas and office space. However, earlier this year, it was discovered that a contractor hired by the National Park Service demolished one of the homes. “We deeply regret the damage done to the bungalow and have already begun working on implementing report recommendations, including scheduling cultural resource compliance training for staff,” said the monument’s superintendent, Jacqueline Ashwell, in an email. The cottage has since been replaced with a similar building. UPDATE: 2011 Stabilization work is complete, and long-term planning is taking place. Read more Background on Ford Island. LISTED AS ENDANGERED IN 2005 Article Written By: A. Kam Napier, HONOLULU Magazine What are they? These six single-wall bungalows on the edge of Ford Island were right alongside Battleship Row when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941. The nearby explosions singed the houses, and sailors swimming away from their sinking ships came ashore on Ford Island and took refuge here. On a less dramatic note, the Navy built the bungalows in 1923 as quarters for junior aviation officers as Ford Island developed into a naval air station. Closely related to plantation housing of the same era, such military quarters are unique to Hawaii. They were last used as chief petty officers' quarters. What threatens them? The bungalows have been unused for about 15 [...]

Photos: Courtesy of Rae Huo Article Written By: Jenny Quill, HONOLULU Magazine What is it? Built in the early 20th century, these four residences located on Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa are some of the few remaining plantation-style homes along the historic town’s main thoroughfare. “This property represents a piece of Old Hawaii plantation architecture, and part of that adds to Haleiwa’s charm,” says Antya Miller, a member of the North Shore Neighborhood Board. What threatens it? Owner Scott Wallace, who purchased the houses a couple of years ago, hired Plan Pacific, a Honolulu-based planning firm, to assess the physical condition of the homes for historic preservation or adaptive reuse, and to then devise a plan and request the necessary zoning change from a residential to a business district. Plan Pacific’s assessment was not in favor of historic preservation. “It would cost a lot [to preserve them],” says Plan Pacific president John Whalen. "The problem was for years the houses weren't well-maintained. They were in a cosmetic way, they looked OK, but some big issues weren't addressed. There are cesspool problems, termite damage, basic plumbing and electrical problems. They're still habitable, but they're reaching a point where they're not going to be." Plan Pacific has devised a plan for a single-story commercial building fronting Kamehameha Highway and three live-work units placed behind it. Because the property is located within the Hale‘iwa Special District, both the live/work units and the commercial building will have to adhere to the district’s strict design guidelines. While that’s all fine and good, says Miller, she doesn’t believe that the original charm and character of the houses could ever be replicated. “The primary reason that most of us want that property preserved [...]

Photos: Courtesy of Rae Huo Article Written By: Michael Keany, HONOLULU Magazine What is it? One of the finest examples of traditional Japanese architecture in Hawai‘i, the Sanju Pagoda in the Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park is also, believe it or not, the largest pagoda in the world. Architect Robert Katsuyoshi modeled it after the Minami Hoke-ji Temple in Nara, Japan, except 1-1⁄2 times larger, using concrete construction instead of the traditional wood to allow it to be used as a columbarium, along with the neighboring Kinkaku-ji Temple. In 2004, the pagoda was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. What threatens it? Twenty years of neglect. Over time, the neoprene roofing material has sprung leaks, exposing the reinforced concrete rafters to weakening moisture and decay. “[The neoprene] was supposed to be the best thing ever, but it turned out to be not so good, “says architect Lorraine Minatoishi Palumbo.“The eaves are in jeopardy right now, in bad condition and very heavy. At any point, one of those eaves could fall down. If one falls, it falls on the next, and the building would most likely collapse. It could happen pretty darn soon.” What can be done? Until recently, the situation had been complicated by a lawsuit over the leader-ship of Kyoto Gardens Park, the nonprofit entity in charge of fund-raising. The nonprofit’s assets were frozen pending a ruling on its rightful board of directors: a group of niche and plot owners, or City Councilman Rod Tam and Nu‘uanu businessman Vic Hejmadi. Fortunately, a settlement was reached last month that will allow regular grounds maintenance to begin again, but it will likely take $2 million or more to reconstruct the pagoda’s eaves and [...]

Photos: Courtesy of Rae Huo Article Written By: Michael Keany, HONOLULU Magazine What is it? Built in 1925, the plantation manager’s house was the most imposing residence on the ‘Ewa Sugar Plantation—a two-story colonial revival with a large yard and a grand entry drive, as well as an arched porte cochere. After sugar operations ended in the early 1970s, the house suffered from a lack of maintenance until the City and County of Honolulu bought the plantation property in 1995. The manager’s house was placed, along with the rest of the ‘Ewa Sugar Plantation Villages, on the National Register of Historic Places, and, until a few years ago, was regularly used as a neighborhood gathering place for meetings and parties. What threatens it? Although the house suffers from termite damage and its lead-based paint and out-of-code plumbing and electrical wiring must be replaced, state Rep. Rida Cabanilla says the primary threat to the property is the City and County’s lack of a plan. Since Mayor Mufi Hannemann succeeded Jeremy Harris in 2004, the house has been closed to the public, and some areas of the property look like a junkyard. “Why is it in such a state of disrepair? I call it demolition by neglect,” Cabanilla says. “It’s a shame, because it has so much historic value.” What can be done? There is no shortage of interest in the property; the ‘Ewa Historical Society has said it would like to acquire the manager’s house, as has the ‘Ewa Villages Homeowners Association. But some say that the city’s current administration has been frustratingly unresponsive. Tesha Malama, manager of the ‘Ewa Village Homeowners Association, says, “Right now, it’s a question of the city moving into action, but [...]