The Honolulu City Council Zoning Committee has approved the 350 feet height exemption for the second Ritz-Carlton Waikiki tower, but added stipulations that would increase the amount of space between the two building and add open space and other amenities. Under the amendment, the minimum distance between the two towers would be 75 feet, an increase from 50 feet. Furthermore, the developer would have to create additional open space and landscaping as well as traffic, pedestrian and sewer line improvements. Developer PACREP2 LLC has stated that they would not object to the concessions that they would have to make to increase the building height to 350 feet.
Residents of Waikiki and the Waikiki Neighborhood Board are still extremely unhappy with this decision and feel that PACREP has been deceiving the general public and government officials through a practice called "segmentation". Segmentation is when a developer purposely splitting up the project to gain approvals separately so decision makers don't see the whole scope of a project at once. Opponents also noted that there have been recent large political contributions made by PACREP employees, family members and affiliated companies to Honolulu Councilman Ikaika Anderson, Councilman Stanley Chang and Mayor Kirk Caldwell. All three politicians have denied the contributions have had any effect on their decision-making process.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 3-10-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
