Posts: 1,066
Threads: 26
Joined: Dec 2010
There is a large tract of land (maybe 20 acres?) being cleared in Keaau just west, north west of the Hwy. 130 / Hwy. 11 intersection.
Anyone know what the plan is to develop that? It's a prime location and we'd all love to see a hospital or even a Costco there but I haven't heard or seen anything about plans for that location next to the park. Maybe a new shopping center?
Posts: 6,214
Threads: 354
Joined: Feb 2006
That is Shipman land, and is adjacent to leased farmland (papaya fields mainly). Just by the looks of it, it looks like they are ripping more farm fields...
Shipman had presented a 50 year plan to the community a five years ago, and the way out plans for the land mauka & adjacent to the 32 acres at the west side of the 130/11 intersection were for PUD development.... but at that meeting the 5 year plan was for the then vacant land across from Puna Hongwanji were to be townhouses, and they have been farmfields for the last few years.... and the 5-10 year plan was for a shopping center on the 32 acres at the intersection. Link to that long ago thread:
http://www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1776
Posts: 1,066
Threads: 26
Joined: Dec 2010
Thanks Carey, I appreciate your reply. Considering how much land clearing cost and with so many large trees there, it doesn't make sense to spend that much money to clear 32 acres at $4-7k per acre to grow papayas. Must be a shopping center(?).
Posts: 6,214
Threads: 354
Joined: Feb 2006
They clear a lot of vacant albezia land every year. A couple of years ago it was the triangle east of the HS, & land makai of 130 near the Humane Society. 4 years ago it was the vacant land down from Puna Hongwanji (and we traded an albezia over view for a mountain view....) This spring it was the area just west of the HS, and this newer clearing this summer just mauka of their office (one reason I doubt this is for a shopping center...) The spring clearing gave some of our neighbors a great ocean view, and now we have a great mountain view (amazing what a few acres of albezia will hide!)
At the '07 meeting they did make it very clear that the main focus of the company will continue to be agriculture, and ag. land here has been ripped in the past, so I see no reason to presume that ripping it for ag. now is not reasonable (I am pretty sure they have all of the equipment...based on the clearing that they do, but maybe not....)
I do not think that the new clearing is the 32 acres that were in the plan for the shopping center, which angled NORTH of the intersection, towards the Industrial Park...
Posts: 450
Threads: 128
Joined: Jul 2007
Shipman Estates is heavily invested in biofuel production and seeing all the land clearing, I ASSUMED they were going to plant trees for that purpose. As I say, that's just my assumption [8D]
Posts: 1,066
Threads: 26
Joined: Dec 2010
That would make sense too with Big Island Biodiesel just opening in Shipman Park.
http://www.biodiesel.com/index.php/techn...ening_2012
It just seems to me that that location would be an extremely prime, valuable location for commercial development.
Posts: 2,490
Threads: 222
Joined: Dec 2005
It's defiantly AG. They just would NOT leave rows of tree stumps/branches for anything BUT that. Not only that but a few months ago, Hawaii got the green light to send Papaya to Japan. I would guess strawberry or rainbow papaya yummy!
Posts: 63
Threads: 8
Joined: Aug 2010
If it's the project I'm thinking of. They should be planting Jatropha curcas. It's a tree that produces a nut. The nut is pressed and made into Bio Diesel. You can use it filter straight in older diesels and also process it for newer diesels. They already have a pilot program going now. With good to great soil, you can harvest small at year two, but they really don't start producing well till year 4-5. I'll be planting an acre at my place. This should take care of my fuel needs.
If this is the same project. That's what they will be up to.
Take care,
Steve
