To Kailua Residents and Merchants:
Introduction:
I own and reside in one of the Hokulani units within Kailua Gardens. I bought and moved into my condominium in 2002. I’ve lived on the windward side of Oahu though for 30 years, worked in Honolulu during that period and am now retired. When commuting back over the Koolaus from town I always found that first vista out over the shore to be immensely therapeutic. Truth be told, I expect the surge of juice one receives from that sight ranks among the primary reasons we all live on this side of the island.
We chose to call Kailua home in recognition of its peaceful bedroom community character, with local shops to service that clientele. But times change of course. Short-term retail pressures never seem to let up, and long-term sun and salt depreciates. Those in the second halves of their lives have perhaps been more likely forced to conclude the acceptance of those inevitabilities allows better preparation, and even affords the opportunity to actively influence outcomes, to positively benefit their property values and families. To wit,
Current Condition at the Hamakua Drive / Aoloa Street intersection:
A) Dangerous crosswalks limiting access to the merchants along Hamakua Marsh –
The speed of drivers along Hamakua Drive is inconsistent with the current and potential amount of pedestrian traffic which might otherwise frequent the Hamakua Marsh businesses.
B) Unfinished state of Kailua Gardens’ Hamakua Drive Entrance –
The Hamakua Entrance to Kailua Gardens was never upgraded to a design of a comparable stature to the Kailua Road Entrance. Its diminutive appearance seems only an afterthought, none of the dignity of the lava rock Kailua Road structure.
C) Shabby commercial aspect of the shopping center property adjacent to the Koolau Vista condominiums –
The rump of the adjacent Windward Town & Country Plaza property consists of a loading dock and garbage disposal/pickup area. Commercial usage abutting residential property leads to an assortment of varying conflicts:
– Assaults on our senses
- open smelly dumpsters
- all manner of broken/discarded retail and shipping equipment
- 55 galleon drums of unknown content
- spilled material
- noisy semi-trailers for delivery and refrigeration
- litter; garbage, organic trash
- forklift
- an abused chain-link fence
- early am shipping noise
- loud vulgarities from overnight loiterers
– Security
- vermin
- poor lighting
- water and soil runoff over sidewalk from bare earth through fence
- sanitation, public health issues
- late night drug commerce
The utilization of that end of the Plaza property is none-the-less largely consistent with its original design, and meets the needs of its commercial occupants. That usage is unlikely to change in any material way.
Action Rationale:
A significant visual and socioeconomic improvement to the landscaping at Hamakua Drive / Aoloa Street is however a change we can make.
Installation of traffic calming structures in and around the intersection would decrease risk to pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
Installation of architectural landscaping would finally end the continuing extent to which the unfinished gate and seedy character of the adjacent property has become part of the definition of Kailua Gardens. Residents have likely become inured to the eyesores, but consider the current condition pressed into the perception of a prospective buyer, or a new visitor to our neighborhood.
Proposed Solution:
A pair of matching traditional Hawaiian lava rock planters and back walls is proposed. One balancing the other on each side of Aoloa Street as it enters Kailua Gardens from Hamakua Drive. The Hokulani side structure would reside inside the sidewalk and far enough away from the street to allow the required traffic visibilty. The Plaza side structure would occupy the mirror image location. The rockwork would match our current Kailua Road Gate in material and style of construction.
Separate pillars of rock would interrupt long low rock planters following the sidewalk edges. The planter’s back walls would be vine covered. These walls and the tall vegetation would combine to largely obscure the view of the trashiness of the parking lot beyond. The walls would be taller as they curve onto Hamakua to become a more effective buffer and allow the placement of “Kailua Gardens” lettering. The face of each wall would be about 70% vegetation vs. 30% bare lava rock, subject to which plants grow most vigorously.
Process:
Alexander & Baldwin now owns the ground lease on Parcel Number 420010560000, the Windward Town & Country Plaza property adjacent to the Hamakua / Aoloa intersection. Any existing rights of way / easements granted by that property could include, or be expanded to include, the footprint of the proposed wall and planters. Otherwise a new easement would need to be negotiated.
In either case we could honor A&B’s cooperation, as well as that of other benefactors, with an entry on a dedicated plaque mounted on the new structure. As the aspect of the proposed wall visible from their parking lot will include lava rock pillars, planted vines and areca palms, it will be far more pleasing than the current bare earth and broken down fence. It’s a win for the Plaza tenants, their customers, and Kailua at large.
I have been working closely with an experienced architectural designer and a landscape artist. We’ve walked and re-walked the Kailua Gardens property, especially the Hamakua end, and hashed through the problems resulting from the current situation. We’ve devoted hours working through multiple design options, searching for the most sustainable. Always our endeavor has been to keep the result a low maintenance one, maximizing benefit over cost and always keeping the full scope of the project foremost, i.e., strengthening property values. As the ideas matured we’ve produced a series of renderings of the proposed structures and landscaping. These graphics and others are available via the “Images” menu item.
I suggest these renderings depict a landscaping treatment more worthy of Kailua. A verdant and appealing asset, emblematic of how we think of our community. Another sip of that same tonic experienced at the first peek of our Windward Side when exiting the Pali tunnels.
The Hamakua Entrance Advocacy Group was conceived to assemble and organize support for improvements at this Hamakua Drive / Aoloa Street intersection. All are welcome to join at no cost – any homeowner, business or organization who feels the obligation to return to our community some of what we’ve all absorbed and enjoyed over the years.
We are most appreciative to receive, at this stage in our growth, formal letters of endorsement of concept. There are yet many many details to be worked through and the support of influential bodies now is essential to train even more eyes on our commitment.
Best regards,
Robert Gratz
Founder
