HIGHLIGHTS OF AUGUST 6, 2008 HCDA MEETING

Following is a summary of actions taken at the August 6, 2008 regular meeting of the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA). 

Maintenance of Kewalo Basin Park, Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park, and Makai Gateway Park

The Authority authorized the HCDA Executive Director to amend the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the State Parks Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) for maintenance of the three State-owned parks in Kaka‘ako  and approved funding for maintenance of these parks for the next three years.  

Currently, the State Parks Division of DLNR provides certain maintenance services for the Kewalo Basin, Kaka‘ako Waterfront, and Makai Gateway Parks, which comprise approximately 41 acres of land.  DLNR’s services include custodial work, lawn mowing, coconut tree trimming, payment of utility costs, cat feces clean up, and daily monitoring of the Parks.  Supplemental landscape maintenance services are provided by a private contractor.  Under the proposed amendments to the MOU, HCDA will assume payment of the utility bills and reimburse DLNR actual costs until the utility account transfer is completed, and HCDA will fund any capital improvements costs as they are incurred.  

The Authority also approved expending up to $188,000 in revolving funds for maintenance for each year up to 2011.

Cancer Research Center of Hawaii Lease

Authority members authorized the HCDA Executive Director to execute a lease agreement, and/or a supplemental agreement, with the University of Hawaii for the development of a Cancer Research Center of Hawaii on a 5.5-acre land parcel immediately Ewa of the John A. Burns School of Medicine.  The U.H. is planning to build a Cancer Research Center with research laboratory and administrative space; a Hawaii Cancer Institute with space for clinics, physician offices and ancillary areas; and a parking structure. 

HCDA’S Five-Year Work Plan for Public Facilities, Infrastructure Improvements and Planning Project

HCDA members deferred action on the agency’s proposed five-year work plan for future Kaka‘ako public facilities, infrastructure improvements and planning projects.