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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"text":"Mr. T would pity the fool who doesn't find this funny.","type":"text"}]

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<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: An amazing chain of events</title>

Today's social media find comes from nailsbydanny, and it's all about the links.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: An amazing chain of events

Mr. T would pity the fool who doesn't find this funny. 

Arrasmith Portrait

Perry Arrasmith

Government & Politics

Columnists

The most bizarre section in Hawai‘i’s 

 is the one that relates to the state’s regulation of population growth. It is a testament to a bygone era informed by misguided local anxieties. 

Runaway population growth across the Hawaiian Islands once occupied the Hawai'i zeitgeist. While much of this mindset persists in the halls of society, it contrasts with Hawai‘i’s contemporary demographic woes. 

Between April 1960 and April 1970, Hawai‘i added 115,510 residents to its population, totalling 748,182 residents across the islands. It was a meteoric rise that stressed the Hawai‘i’s poor infrastructure, corrupt land management practices, and limited housing across the islands. 

Hawai‘i was a young, growing society. The median age of a resident was 25. Much of the State’s dynamism and vigour, in turn, were informed by a mix of talent both local and non-local.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Perhaps it was too much of a good thing. "}]

During this time, national commentators were fretting about the global population’s growth. Paul and Anne Ehrlich had co-authored 

in 1968. Internationally, the Club of Rome furnished the

report, which only further argued against overconsumption. Political views wrapped in scientific dogma started-off a new movement whose cultural salience was confirmed by the 1973 film 

While societies were wasteful and inefficient, these reports didn’t necessarily call for more efficiency. Instead, they called for fewer people. 

While the times have changed, our Constitution’s outdated language shows how we are still stuck in the ’70s. Through national debates over population control, Hawai‘i became a tragic guinea pig that used environmentalism to justify population control, opening the floodgates for arguments against urban development, immigration, and economic growth. 

These conversations continue to plague Hawai‘i’s zeitgeist, most notably when it comes to unnecessary conflict between economic growth and environmental stewardship.

In 1970, the Hawai‘i State Legislature passed Senate Resolution 305, establishing the State’s Temporary Commission on Population Stabilization. A 1972 report issued by the Commission suggested an inverse relationship between environmental stewardship and population growth. 

“It remains to be seen whether or not we will achieve a balance with the limits of the Hawaiian environment in this present period of growth in Hawaiian history,” the 

 warned, “but it should be recognized that with respect to maintaining the quality of the environment, population and prosperity are ‘trade-offs.’ If we expect to maintain a fixed level of pollution and impact on the environment by people in Hawaii, then any increase in one will require a corresponding decrease in the other.”

In the following year, the State Senate once again adopted a resolution calling for the establishment of an optimum state population. “The question of population equilibria among the Islands is a difficult one to answer quantitatively,” a 

 from the Department of Planning and Economic Development warned.

“One must consider the impact on the environment, what ‘quality of life’ should be used as a measure, means of developing a viable economy within a stable population, and the size of population on each Island which will bring about a desirable balance with the social and natural environment of Hawai‘i.”

Nationally, the Commission on Population and the American Future had been established by federal law in March 1970. A final 

 issued by the Commission was submitted to the U.S. Congress in March 1972, with proposals ranging from increased abortion access to voluntary sterilization to stricter immigration controls. Out of political embarrassment for its recommendations, the Nixon Administration largely distanced itself from the Commission.

However, the rhetoric which argued for limits on immigration had devastating consequences. In the present-day, arguments blaming immigrants for environmental degradation have had devastating 

Back in Hawai‘i, the reports stacked on one another. In 1972, Earl R. Babbie of the civic organization 

, a major argument for a cap on Hawai‘i’s population at one million (Hawai‘i’s population reached this threshold in the mid-’80s). 

These reports built a case for a more permanent state agency tasked with controlling the state’s population growth. As a result, the Commission on Population Stabilization and the Hawaiian Future was 

A primary architect of the measure, Nadao Yoshinga, was not solely worried about the influx of outsiders. Natural population growth among existing residents was another worry. Yoshinaga, an influential member of the State Senate, would 

 in the name of limited Hawai‘i’s population growth over the coming years. Limiting population by whatever means necessary (in the confines of the law) was the objective.

At around this time, Robert C. Schmitt, the State Statistician of Hawai‘i, 

 of the emerging field of population policy. Proponents of population control, at least in the early Statehood era, had started to organize in the late ’60s through such organizations as the University of Hawai‘i-sponsored Zero Population Growth-Honoulu, Citizens for Hawai‘i, Life of the Land, the Sierra Club, and Save our Surf. 

These groups advocated for policies to halt population migration, economic development, and other factors like densified communities in the name of environmentalism. Perhaps tragically, this misguided approach to Hawai‘i’s prevailing problems created a manichean world of values in conflict with one another.

Arguments for population control in the name of environmental stewardship had a real impact on policy in the late ’70s. Most notably, this came to a head in 1977.

During his annual State of the State address, Governor George Ariyoshi directly addressed population control, arguing for immigration controls and density regulation in the name of the ‘aloha spirit.’

“The problem of excessive population seems to be central to nearly every problem in the State.” he started. “Too many people means too few jobs and too much competition for them. Too many people means too little land for agriculture, parks, and scenic vistas. Too many people means too much crime and too much erosion of possibly our single most important commodity: the Aloha Spirit. Too many people means too much pressure on all our governmental and private institutions.” 

Ariyoshi wanted fewer people in Hawai‘i, plain and simple. To reinforce his views, the State Legislature even sponsored a 

 on population and the Hawaiian future in March 1977. 

One piece of legislation would have discriminated against recent arrivals to Hawai‘i through residency requirements for state jobs. A Federal Judge based in Honolulu, the part-Hawaiian Sam P. King, condemned the State of Hawai‘i’s flirtation with a flagrantly “anti-migratory” statute.

These attempts provide a marked contrast with the present day. In January 2025, the Department of Human Services 

 that the State suffers from a vacancy rate of 24% of all civil services positions (equivalent to more than 4,000 jobs). 

Nevertheless, Hawai‘i still inserted a section into its Constitution at the 1978 Constitutional Convention that called for population planning. To date, it is the only Constitution in the United States with such explicit language.

Instead of promoting smarter urban planning methods that conserved space while reducing sprawl or incentivizing farmers to bring more fallow agricultural land into cultivation, it was more convenient to blame the outside migrants for Hawai‘i’s development problems.

Instead of fostering solutions which invite greater societal innovation, it is more convenient to fall for an ideology wrapped in the veneer of science. 

Since 1970, Hawai‘i’s population fortunes have reversed.

Global population growth is not exponential, nor could it sustain the growth rates witnessed after the Second World War. In fact, our planet’s 

 will likely begin declining before 2100. 

The paranoia of the ’70s became irrelevant over the following decade. By 1983, the Commission on Population and the Hawaiian Future had been abolished.

For a majority of Hawai‘i’s residents in 2025, the ’70s are a foreign, unknown domain. Since Hawai‘i’s 

 was 41 as of 2024, it’s safe to conclude more than half of Hawai‘i’s population was born after 1980.

Today, Hawai‘i is missing people. It is one of the fastest aging states in the United States. The population is contracting, with more than half of all Native Hawaiians on the planet living outside of the archipelago.

Culturally, it is still easy to blame the outsider for our own problems. Instead of acknowledging our own complicitly in failing to plan for the future, it is far easier to find that the outsider is only exacerbating the problems we are not addressing. Policies which now arrest growth not only injure potential migrants. They also hurt residents.

The debates over population control in the ’70s were about a fear of change and a society’s failure to properly navigate the pressures wrought by new forces.

Contemporary conflicts over growth still magnify this attitude. Not unironically, stewarding Hawai‘i’s environment means Hawai‘i’s environment needs to also steward Hawai‘i’s people.

“It should be remembered,” Governor John Burns said in 

, “that the key ingredient in any environment is man himself: he is part and parcel of and the key to the value of our total system of symbiotic relationships on this earth. Being a part of the environment demands that we consider human economics together with biological ecology.” 

“If man is hungry, ill-housed, undereducated or poorly treated in his society,” he wondered, “what service is it to him that his environment remains in its pristine, natural state?”

A society without one cannot have the other. We need to think about growth, not stabilization. We need to think about people.

In our own time, we need a Constitution whose thinking is not tethered to the past. While the language in outdated documents like our Constitution locks our zeitgeist in another time, we need to get over our history. We need a better zeitgeist.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Crowd i Stock 1357524756

<title>Hawai‘i's bizarre legacy of population control (and why it's still here)</title>

In the 1970s, Hawai‘i gave in to fears of overpopulation, so much so that population control was put into the State Constitution.

Hawai‘i's bizarre legacy of population control (and why it's still here)

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Hawaii History

Mysteries of Hawaiʻi has been named No. 1 on USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 

. The company, run by the husband-and-wife duo Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui, has taken the 

Mysteries of Hawaiʻi was founded in 1997 and offers tours and storytelling events in Waikīkī and Honolulu. The pair are also 

“This recognition means so much to us, and it shows that our business is not just about ghost stories,” said Lopaka Kapanui in a written statement. “It’s about making connections with every person we meet along the way. Storytelling builds bridges, reminding us that we’re all connected through shared history and human experience.”

among the top five ghost tours in the nation

 for six consecutive years. The list of top ghost tours is selected by USA Today's 

Kapanui will also be a headliner in a special performance with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, Oct. 18. The 

 is called “Hapa Halloween: Mysteries of Hawaiʻi in Concert,” and takes place at Hawaiʻi Theatre. Attendees can also arrive an hour before the concert for a costume contest and trick of treating.

“The really cool thing about the concert is when I spoke to the conductor, I told him that a lot of times stories that I write are inspired by music,” Kapanui told Aloha State Daily earlier this year. “There's a story I wrote about Princess Kaʻiulani that was inspired by Claude Debussy — his composition called ʻArabesque.’ And then I told him, there's a night marcher story that's kind of brutal, but that was inspired by a group in the 70s called ʻThree Dog Night,’ and the title of the song is ʻMama Told Me (Not to Come).’ It's about these people who go on a night marchers trail and are told not to go, and it's kind of brutal.”

“Hapa Halloween: Mysteries of Hawaiʻi in Concert” will be the first in this season’s HapaSymphony series, which features local performers as headliners, alongside classical musicians. Previously, HSO has performed alongside 

, among others, as part of its programming. For the upcoming concert, the orchestra will be led by Conductor 

, who is also its composer in residence. 

Lopaka Kapanui

<title>Ghost tour company ranks No. 1 in nation</title>

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui run this ghost tour company, which was just named the best in the nation by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The company has been named No. 1 on the list for three years in a row.

Ghost tour company ranks No. 1 in nation

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

The Mānoa Falls Trail is one of Oʻahu’s most beloved hikes, leading through lush rainforest to a 150-foot waterfall at the back of Mānoa Valley. Managed by the state’s Nā Ala Hele trail system since 1988, the path is maintained as part of the Honolulu Mauka Trail System, which links multiple routes across the ridges and valleys above Honolulu. In recent years, the trail underwent significant improvements to better accommodate the many visitors who explore the valley each day.

While a popular attraction, the trail has also seen its share of challenges. The Honolulu Fire Department regularly responds to rescues for lost or injured hikers, with some requiring helicopter evacuations. In rare but serious cases, hikers have suffered fatal accidents near the waterfall itself. Temporary closures are also not uncommon, especially after heavy rain or storm damage, when fallen trees and slippery terrain make conditions dangerous.

By day, the Mānoa Falls Trail feels like a living postcard. Its lush forest and idyllic scenery draw countless visitors to its famous water cascade. But as with many places in Hawaiʻi, the beauty of the landscape holds a deeper layer of stories passed down through generations. Long after the hikers have gone home and the valley quiets under the canopy of trees, Mānoa takes on an entirely different presence that locals whisper about with caution, and visitors sometimes stumble upon when they least expect it. It is in these hushed moments, after dark, that the trail reveals its other side.

One weekend night in the early 1970s, Vance went on a double date with a friend. His girlfriend was beside him in the front seat, while the second couple sat in the back. On a whim, the group decided to drive up toward Mānoa Falls. They reached the chain that blocked cars from going farther and parked beneath the trees. It was late, and the valley was wrapped in silence and heavy darkness. The two couples sat for a while talking inside the car. That was when Vance noticed something strange: two eyes, suspended in the air in front of them.

At first, he didn’t understand what he was looking at. But the longer he stared, the more dread crept in.

[{"type":"text","text":"Grabbing his date’s arm, he blurted out, “Look! Eyes!”"}]

She followed his gaze and screamed, as did his friend’s date when she looked up. In the back seat, Vance’s friend kept his head down, refusing to see for himself.

“No! No! I’m not looking!” he shouted when Vance demanded to know if he could see it too.

The hair rose on Vance’s neck, chicken skin running down his arms. In a rush of panic, he started the engine, threw the car in reverse, and sped down the road, not slowing until they were safely back in the residential streets of the valley.

Years later, Vance shared the story with a younger co-worker who had graduated from Roosevelt High School. The co-worker grew animated and hurried off to fetch an old yearbook. Flipping through the pages, he pointed out a photograph of students standing at the same chain that blocked the Mānoa Falls trail. In the picture, clear as day, were a pair of eyes. This time, they were not high up in the trees, but close to the ground. It wasn’t a trick of light or imagination. That picture, he said, is still in that old Roosevelt High School yearbook. Vance was shaken all over again.

His unease deepened when, on a tour years later, he listened to storyteller Glen Grant describe disembodied eyes seen across the island with warnings not to follow, for they beckoned people to the other side. Standing there listening to Glen’s stories, Vance’s wife turned to him, eyes wide, and whispered, “That’s exactly what you’ve been telling me all these years.”

Those strange encounters in the 1970s weren’t the last time someone would see something unusual there. Just a few years ago, while the trail was officially closed for maintenance, four friends decided to visit at night, hoping to capture evidence of something paranormal on video. They had already made stops at Morgan’s Corner and Tantalus Drive when one of them suggested the Mānoa Falls Trail.

[{"type":"text","text":"It was a moonless night, so he joked, “Guarantee get night marchers!”"}]

The group’s excitement overrode any hesitation that an individual might have had. Around midnight, they parked in the middle of the dark road, headlights shining on the closed gate. One man stayed behind in the car to take a call from his girlfriend, while the other three stepped out with their phones set to record. A cool breeze moved through the valley, carrying the damp scent of mud and rotting vegetation. Mosquitoes buzzed in their ears. One man held an EMF meter, but its lights stayed still and dark.

[{"type":"text","text":"Then came the first sign that something wasn’t right."}]

“Aw man, my phone died!” one of them shouted, and seconds later another man’s phone went black.

Confused, they huddled by the car, trying to make sense of the sudden power loss, while the fourth man inside continued his call without interruption. Out of the corner of his eye, one of the men caught movement by the trail. His blood went cold; not from thoughts of ghosts but of feral pigs. He grabbed a flashlight from the car, but the beam was weak, and the shadows at the gate were impenetrable. Uneasy, he climbed back inside the car and called to his friends, who had moved closer to the gate.

Several long minutes passed before the pair suddenly ran back and jumped into the vehicle. The driver started the engine and tore down the rough road, potholes rattling the tires, not slowing until they reached the residential neighborhood.

After they’d finally calmed down, the two men explained what happened. As they approached the gate, they saw a pair of white lights floating about four feet off the ground. They looked like two eyes. It was weird and confusing, and neither of them could figure out what they were looking at—two lights, about the same distance apart as a pair of eyes on someone’s face. But there was no face, no head, no body. The lights slowly seemed to drift closer toward them, and when they got about a foot in front of the gate, they blinked. That’s when the men took off running. I asked if they got it on video, but they did not.

“I wasn’t aiming the camera right at the lights, so all I got was bushes and then the blurry road as we were running back to the car. But seriously, we saw what we saw.”

I then asked if they would ever return to try to get whatever they saw on video, and he laughed and said, “Maybe. Probably not for a long time, but maybe.”

Gate to Manoa Falls Trail 2

<title>Disembodied eyes at Mānoa Falls Trail</title>

If you look out into the dark of night at this storied trail, something just might look back at you.

Disembodied eyes at Mānoa Falls Trail

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

[{"type":"text","text":"When was the last time you held a CD or VHS tape?"}]

, a limited-time ’90s-themed pop-up bar now open in Central Oʻahu.

Cosmic Records just opened in the former space of Chili’s Grill & Bar at Pearlridge Center. The pop-up is open from 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays to Sundays until Aug. 31. No reservations are accepted — walk-ins only — and individuals must be 21 years or older to enter.

Cosmic Records is the latest creation by 17A Productions, the company behind other pop-ups like Halloween-themed Nightmare Honolulu (at Ala Moana Center), ’80s-themed Alpha Video Honolulu (in downtown Honolulu) and The Christmas Lodge, which debuted in the same Pearlridge Center space last holiday season.

For someone growing up in the ’90s, the whole pop-up is a trip down memory lane. For starters, the interior is inspired by Tower Records, which had a location in Pearl Kai Shopping Center across the street.

As soon as you enter the pop-up, you’ll see a wall of hanging headphones — you can wear them for a fun photo opp — and a VHS display with popular movies of the era like “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie,” “Pokemon: The First Movie,” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

Speaking of movies — you can also easily spot the pop-up from the outside by the movie posters hanging in the window. You’ll see everything from “The Goonies” to “Labyrinth.” Inside the pop-up, if you look closely, you’ll also see VHS tapes that line the walls.

When you enter the pop-up, to the left is the majority of the seating area (if you remember the Chili’s restaurant layout, it’s similar). There’s also an arcade game where customers can play “Mortal Kombat.”

When you enter the pop-up, the bar area is to the right, next to a dance floor with a live DJ who’s playing ’90s hits, of course. The bar menu features mostly drinks with fun names, though one snack is included — the Fanny Pack ($15) contains assorted candies and Pringles, and guests can take the keepsake home.

Popular drinks include Orange Bangarang ($15) — Tito’s and Orange Bang topped with whipped cream — and Neon Spritz ($15). The latter features Tito’s and Harders Hawai

i tropical sparkling water with Blue Vanilla or Green River. Saturday Morning Toons ($15) — a mix of RumChata, Tanduay Silver and Cinnamon Toast Crunch milk — is an especially fun option.

If you’re there with a group, getting the Rum Punch Cooler ($45) makes for a fun, photogenic opportunity. The drink comes in an iconic Igloo cooler — remember those? — and features a mix of passionfruit, orange and guava puree, and Koloa Kaua‘i white rum. It’s complete with huge straws to use for drinking.

Stay tuned — we’re told after this pop-up ends, a 2000s-themed one will take its place. 

Open from 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays to Sundays until Aug. 31

Cosmic Records headphones 072325

<title>Cosmic Records is a limited-time ’90s pop-up bar</title>

Located in the former space of Chili’s Grill & Bar at Pearlridge Center, the themed pop-up is around until the end of August.

Cosmic Records is a limited-time ’90s pop-up bar

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Three-quarters of Hawai‘i's federal delegation have spoken out against the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration enforcement actions in the state.

On Tuesday, senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, as well as Representative Jill Tokuda, published a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemning “aggressive” actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Hawai‘i and demanding more oversight over the department.

“Rather than making us safer or more secure, your needlessly aggressive immigration enforcement has created chaos and confusion in our communities while raising due process concerns. Our offices have heard from hundreds of constituents,” the letter read. “They are concerned about your efforts to sweep up children, workers, and longtime members of our community with little apparent regard for their criminal history or lack thereof.”

The letter highlighted multiple ICE incidents reported in the state over recent months, including elevated crackdowns against undocumented Kona coffee farmers, and a May incident in Kahului when ICE agents reportedly detained a group of teachers at gunpoint before making no arrests.

“These actions damage our constituents and communities, erode public trust in DHS, and do not accomplish anything other than creating fear and terrorizing communities,” the letter read. “If this is your goal, you should explicitly say so. Otherwise, DHS must demonstrate its respect for Hawaiʻi’s citizens and communities.”

The letter also requested that DHS provide certain information about its policies by July 22. That information includes policies on how ICE agents can be clearly identified and distinguished from impersonators, what policies DHS has to limit taking enforcement actions in “sensitive locations” and the department’s policies for sensitively interacting with minors.

The letter concluded with a request that DHS provide monthly briefings about its actions in the state.

Rep. Ed Case did not join his fellow delegates in signing the letter. In a statement delivered following the letter’s publication, Case said he believes it “did not fully capture the broader views on immigration of me and, I believe, the mainstream of my constituents.”

Case stated he agrees with many components of the letter, including the need for special procedures when handling immigration enforcement actions in places like hospitals and places of worship, and that ICE’s “chaotic and inconsistent” approach “

is having a negative impact on many of our industries and communities.

But, Case added, the nation still has an obligation to enforce its 

immigration laws, which he believes have been insufficiently policed for decades.

I do not believe that the answer to major issues with our current immigration system is to fail to enforce current law and to deny or rationalize away the critical failure over several decades, administrations and congressional majorities to prevent illegal immigration,” read Case’s statement.

The letter comes amid months of escalating actions against illegal immigrants by President Donald Trump's administration, including the construction of a 3,000-bed migrant detention facility in South Florida dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”

Republicans have also warned of consequences for governments that refuse to cooperate with ICE. A bill remains alive in Congress that would remove Small Business Administration support from municipalities deemed as “sanctuary jurisdictions” — i.e., areas that have statutes in place that restrict their ability to comply with immigration enforcement actions. A since-deleted list by DHS included Honolulu as one such jurisdiction.

Case and Tokuda were both united in their opposition of that bill.

Repz 16x9

<title>CONGRESS WATCH: Hawai‘i delegation divided over letter condemning ICE</title>

Three out of four congressional delegates signed a letter condemning ICE actions in the state. The fourth refused.

CONGRESS WATCH: Hawai‘i delegation divided over letter condemning ICE

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

A former office building, just a short distance away from Ala Moana Center and near the planned Ala Moana rail station, will soon have new life and bring dozens affordable rentals to Honolulu's urban core.

Dubbed Amana Lofts, JL Capital's adaptive reuse project will convert the five-story building at 765 Amana St. in Ala Moana into 32 studio, 20 one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom apartments.

The units will be available for households making at or below 80% of the area median income. According to 

 published by City and County of Honolulu, 80% AMI is $121,600 for a household of four, 

however, qualifying incomes vary based on household size.

[{"type":"text","text":"A ceremonial groundbreaking and blessing for the project was held Friday."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"JL Capital is a real estate and private equity firm founded in 2017."}]

CEO Tim Lee said in a statement that by building affordable rentals in Ala Moana, "we're putting people closer to their jobs, transportation and daily needs, helping to reduce both housing costs and commute times for local residents.

He told Aloha State Daily after the ceremony that JL Capital acquired the property in 2018 with the rental conversion in mind.

"We have long-term plans for this area," he said. "Our focus is here on Ala Moana and this was sort of a passion project for everyone in our company. ... We're in this live-work-play area called Ala Moana, and we think this is going to be a great addition to this area."

, a $507 million mixed-use twin tower condominium and hotel at 1388 Kapi‘olani Blvd. Underway now is a luxury residential and mixed-use project at 1538 Kapi‘olani Boulevard called 

. Designed by architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, its sales gallery opened last month.

Amana Lofts, however, is one of two projects JL Capital has underway that will offer 80% AMI rentals. 

, is set to get underway in about six months and will create another 37 units, Lee told ASD.

When asked why affordable housing in general is something the developer wanted to pursue, Lee said, "We need rentals. We need rentals in the city and we want to help meet that need."

Ahead of the ceremony, Michael Vachio, senior vice president of construction and development, told ASD that the apartments at Amana Lofts will have high ceilings and high quality, "very modern finishes."

"We think that it's really going to help families," he said. "This is the urban core. It allows them to walk to the mall. It's in close proximity to the bus routes as well as the future rail station."

The development also will have car share and bike share options, on-site parking and elevator access.

Vachio said an affordable rental project is "good for the community. ... We do need more affordable housing and that's something that we want to do."

The adaptive reuse of an existing building offers cost savings because you don't have to build new spaces or structures, he said. For this project, Vachio said the developer plans to gut the entire building and "clean everything out, except for the structure." The spaces, he said, will be "basically all new except for the concrete."

Work is expected to be finished by June 2026. Vachio said the estimated cost of the project is around $14 million.

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