Kamehameha Schools is still determining what to do with a trio of properties in Hawai‘i Kai.
Three adjacent commercial-zoned parcels on Hawai‘i Kai Drive, about eight acres in total, will have their leases with Kamehameha Schools expire in 2028. And although KS has not made any announcement about their plans after that expiration date, residents in the area are worried about the land being used for high rise development.
But KS spokesperson Sterling Wong told Aloha State Daily that the planning process for the land is still ongoing.
“Through years of meetings and community engagement, we’ve come to understand the deep significance of this place to both our tenants and the wider community,” Wong said via email. “We are committed to identifying viable plans for our Maunalua lands that align with all our ʻāina stewardship and business goals — cultural-based land management, support for community needs, and the generation of financial returns to improve the well-being of Native Hawaiians through education.”
Nonetheless, community members have been mobilizing to prevent redevelopment of the area, as ASD has previously reported.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Hawai‘i Kai Neighborhood Board, Cheryl Park of Haha‘ione Advocates for Respectful Development — a volunteer community organization raising awareness about the properties — said lawmakers are getting involved.
Park said HARD is working with Sen. Chris Lee to explore the possibility of the former Japan-America Institute for Management Sciences building — which is the centerpiece of the largest of the three properties — being leased by a charter school.
Furthermore, Park said, Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters will hold a town hall meeting on the matter at a yet-to-be-determined future date.
“We’re very interested in hearing what the community says,” Park said. “That’s an opportunity for people to say what they consider appropriate development for this area.”
