Viewpoint by Jonathan Starr
Wailuku town is the geographical center of Maui County, as well as our business hub, seat of government and home to our hospital, college, courts and professional services. Approximately 20,000 Maui residents work in the Wailuku area. We must find a path to-
ward more diverse residential, retail and entertainment options in Wailuku town.
For many decades, Wailuku was Maui’s busy shopping and entertainment district, and a preferred place to live. Beginning in the 1960s, as part of the great American romance with our automobiles, things changed on Maui and Wailuku declined, along with other town centers throughout the United States. Retail businesses moved to the malls where parking was more convenient, and residential preferences began to favor larger houses in far-flung suburbs.
More recently, throughout the nation, the trend has reversed and both young and older families are moving to compact, urban environments where they can be closer to jobs, schools, medical and entertainment centers. This trend toward a more efficient lifestyle not only saves people a lot of money in transportation and utility costs, but also adds hours of usable time to the day saved from commuting and the maintenance of large properties. This is also the way communities can reduce the need for fossil fuels and carbon emissions, and save green vistas for food production and recreation.
A business plan for Wailuku was created last year at the impetus of the Wailuku community through the efforts of the county Planning Department and the Maui Redevelopment Agency. Progressive Urban Management Associates, the world experts on energizing urban downtowns, prepared the Wailuku Market-Based Plan after extensive research, community meetings and consultation with more than 1,000 Maui residents who work or live in Wailuku.
Forty-five thousand people live within three miles of Wailuku’s center. Many more would like to live in downtown Wailuku and use it for shopping and entertainment if the town continues to regain its historic vibrancy. Areas cited in the study as being in need of improvement are the lack of convenient parking, the desire for more restaurants, nightlife, services, one-of-a-kind shops, a safer, cleaner pedestrian environment and greater density creating mixed-use residential/retail opportunities.
Currently, it is impossible to add restaurants, retail and entertainment uses to Wailuku due to a shortage of parking in the downtown area. The new municipal lot parking structure, which has been under discussion for decades and was the subject of numerous design and planning discussions over the years, is finally in the works. It’s scope and construction drawings, along with a parking management plan are now ready. If this project is supported and funding authorized by the mayor and County Council at a time when costs are low and the construction jobs are sorely needed, the project will be complete within three years. This will spur the viability of other steps of the market-based plan, including a downtown farmers market and entertainment district, and will create a market for affordable, efficient housing close to our existing jobs and other infrastructure.
At a recent conference of the International Downtown Association in Chicago, the keynote speaker described the ingredients necessary for a thriving, vibrant downtown district. These consist of a clean and safe, well-managed streetscape, adequate parking and transportation infrastructure, diverse entertainment and dining opportunities, including outdoor cafes, and the opportunity for visitors and residents to stumble into some fun.
Vibrant streetscapes attract people who want to live close to stores and restaurants, where they can walk or bicycle to work and enjoy the neighborhood after hours. This is a lifestyle that is healthy, authentic, fun and free of future impacts of rising fuel costs or shortages. For more information, please check out the Wailuku Redevelopment Area Market-Based Plan online at www.mauiredevelopmentagency.com/maui.php?id=3&sid=26&page=completed&content=marketbasedplan.