HONOLULU (KHON2) — An effort to revitalize Downtown Honolulu became official on Oct. 20 as Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed Bill 51 into law.
Bill 51 replaces and expands the former Fort Street Mall Special Improvement District with the new Downtown Honolulu Business Improvement District designation.
“The downtown area is the commercial and cultural heart of our city — a place where people work, gather and conduct the business of our island every single day,” Blangiardi said. “This BID is a proven solution and a smart investment in safety, cleanliness and economic confidence.”
Improvements include enhanced cleaning, safety patrols, landscaping and other beautification services to strengthen the overall safety of the area.
Services may include:
- Dedicated cleaning and trash abatement
- Coordinated safety and outreach presence
- Landscaping and public space stewardship
- Lighting, wayfinding and streetscape enhancements
- Programming and activation to encourage foot traffic
Blangiardi said the BID is not intended to replace City services.
“This community-driven approach is part of a larger effort to revitalize our city’s urban core. It complements what we’ve already accomplished, like making outdoor dining permanent and streamlining office to residential conversions,” said Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam.
The BID has a proposed annual budget of $1.9 million, which will be funded by special assessments on non-residential property owners, said the City and County.
“We are really focused and that focus is about revitalizing what’s really really important to me, as well as what I’ve found that’s important to the community, is to redevelop Downtown Honolulu,” founder and CEO of Avalon Development Christine Camp said in a Working For Hawaii: Unscripted interview.
Her company has been part of major revitalization efforts downtown for several years now.
“We’ve converted the downtown Walmart building into a hub of entertainment and recreation that we’re calling Forté. And that includes a pickleball center, as well as shops and restaurants and maybe some nightlife there too,” said Robby Kelley, vice present at Avalon Development.
Camp and Kelley also spoke on their hope the BID will be done “by the end of this year.”
“I feel that you can make the most impact by looking at our land uses and really filling the gaps where people live,” Camp said.