Landscape that Fugly Longs

[JerryCarr]

Rob makes an excellent point about apathy. The Malama Market complex should have been the wake-up call, but Pahoa slept through it. (Imagine that.) I don't live in Pahoa (or even go there very often,) but I do drive past on the way south and the new buildings have much more "in your face" visible impact than the Malama development.

[Kelena]

Well, I would assume the best. Long's (aka CVS) is Exhibit 1 in why a design district is needed. Such districts are very common and generally do not inhibit business, including chains. I live near a design district where everything must be done in mission style, and so it is --right down to the beautiful mission-style fire station and the gigantic Lowe's home improvement center.

Had I been on island for good, I guarantee you I would have gladly done everything within my power to force design changes.

I can only wonder if the new councilmember would have supported such design changes. My guess is that he would not have supported such changes.

[critterlover]

Might the new District rep be the one with whom we work to forge ahead on 'design'? I don't think there will be much resistance from the folks who would care enough to attend public meetings and testify at the council meetings. And I would be glad to be part of such a process. I love working with Bobbie Jean!!! Perhaps brainstorming new legislation might be fun.

Toni, who is a 'critter lover'
www.write-matters.com

[Obie]

I think it was brought up on a different thread and I laugh ever time I think about it.

I didn't know that rusty,falling down and termite ridden was an architectural detail worth copying.

I don't see why it is a big deal because it is not connected to the old town part of Pahoa.I would be screaming too if someone bought Luquin's and that whole side of the street and tore it down and built a box store.
I also notice that a lot of landscaping was done and in a year or so it will be a very different looking place.

[Rob Tucker]

Obie, I don't recall anyone proposing that falling down and termite ridden as a standard to uphold. A design district could easily set standards though on electric signage in height and size and any number of practical things.

I was at colonial Williamsberg years ago and in the middle of the town was a McDonalds. You would not recognize it as such because the building blended in with the village. Even McDonalds will blend in if community standards require it. No requirement and they just pull a plan off the shelf for their standard plastic clown colored structures. But Punatics prefer to complain later rather than plan ahead.

Unfortunately Council Chaiman J Yoshimoto's Bill 194 passed in total this past summer and in doing so weakened the communities ability to set standards for our village centers. This was done with strong support from Bill Walter of Shipman and Planning Director Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd.

[Greg]

Well this seems to be the perfect opportunity to break out This old cartoon done in August 2009.

[Obie]

Thank you Greg !!

I have been looking for that and forgot who did it.

Rob,Would it be better if it looked like Pahoa High at the other end of Pahoa ??
I think that a line needs to be drawn on Pahoa Village Road.On one side new development, the other needs to be a historic district.

I have seen many attempts at trying to blend in the modern with the old that come off looking really plastic.

Look at the new part of historic Park City,Utah's main street.

[Greg]

The cartoon was just a thought that struck me as being funny and doesn't necessarily reflect my opinion on architecture.

My idea of sensible new development is the inclusion of greenspace and landscaping with the new buildings. In this regard Woodland center and even more so, Malama Center, have fallen short. At least Woodland used natives.

I think a part of a village plan should be the stipulation that 50% of a new development would be park like greenspace. This would have a more positive impact than building style. I have no idea if it would be doable, but I think it would create a nice environment.

[Rob Tucker]

Obie, I am not making any suggestions on what things should look like. If there was to be a decision it would have to be a community decision. A design district would be an opportunity to figure that out.

[DaVinci]

I'm with Rob this time. What he is advocating is not the particular design itself but the idea of designing future development. Or putting some meager controls or rules or requirements on it. The Shipmans et. al. are against such requirements because they add cost to new development. But they have nice mansions hidden in the jungle and don't care what Pahoa or Keaau look like as long as the dollars keep rolling in. I know Blas will favor development, and I would suggest that opposing development in Puna now is at best a quixotic endeavor, but taking hold of the issue and controlling it to some degree, as much as is possible at this juncture, for the good of the community, would be a better use of our collective energy than bitching about the fugly buildings after the fact.