2016-07-29 BDHRA Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lounge, in back of the clock there’s a beautiful tree already. I mean why can’t we enter right there and create a, kind of a, like a boulevard into Banyan Drive and you’re greeted by a Banyan tree. But at the same time in this development here, I think that we stand as‒‒we can be leaders in the development of protecting our community in case of inundation, like why can’t we build hills and create a healthy parkway but at the same time protect neighborhoods inside. You know I think that we have a chance here to really lead in terms of inspiring others how to develop for tidal wave, for any kind of inundation. But I think that we’re really fortunate with this opportunity and what is our long-term view? What can we do for the future generations with this land here? KANUHA: Very well taken. BEGIER: I just wanted to follow up on a couple things that were said in the presentation that‒‒on the Uncle Billy’s side, the idea of leaving that hotel‒‒if Uncle Billy’s, that building was no longer there, then that would open up the vistas on, for more rooms in both the Hilo Hawaiian and the Naniloa. It’s not our responsibility to necessarily raise their room rates, but that would happen. That would give more views to‒‒it would be more economically viable to address the situation of how do those hotels pay their lease rent. That would enhance their ability to do so. I just, I go back to the idea of‒‒that I spoke to earlier about the other hotel, that parking could be included with that. And I recently went to Miami Beach and you know, to go to Miami Beach there’s two garages, one at each end of the beach. And it’s municipal rates and no one cares about having to walk from there. Everybody knows that’s where they’re going to go to park and everybody hauls their lawn chairs and their beach mats and their barbeque and everything from those parking garages. So it’s, it would be a mindset change that we would have to get around, but that’s life. You’re addressing the having a good number for who are, how many tourist do we have and what is our real need, and since we’re partners with the State on this, because of our being granted the authority, we should be talking to UH Hilo and their events coordinator because they’re one of the leading groups that has‒‒that’s frustrated with not being able to bring‒‒they get requests to hold meetings here and then they have to deny the meeting because we can’t provide enough, you know, the housing and the meeting facility for it. So I hope that we’re in contact with them. And then just the creativity‒‒keep our minds really creative, kind of like what Sig’s saying, that we could build, we can find developers that would do affordable housing, mixed use housing, timeshare. That can all be all in one footprint. It doesn’t have to be that we have a lot of buildings in a row, or a great big high rise. There’s so many different things being done across the country in other places, so. Thank you. DELIMA: Any other comments? Barry? TANIGUCHI: Yeah, I like what Mary said. You know actually, in my mind, when you talked about keeping the Uncle Billy’s, I thought you were thinking about doing it just open area park. Can tie into the trails, walk along front Hilo Hawaiian tucked into a Page 15 of 20 Banyan Drive Hawai‘i Redevelopment Agency July 28, 2016 Minutes