new stadium location

[kalua pig]

got a lot of great feedback from a lot of great people.mahalo.west oahu sounds like the best choice.

[EITSwarrior]

got a lot of great feedback from a lot of great people.mahalo.west oahu sounds like the best choice.

West Oahu? Best choice? How you figure?

I’m not against a West Oahu stadium if legit reasons are given. As of yet I haven’t seen any besides that land is readily available. Though with each passing year less and less is available.

[cabanalane]

Though with each passing year less and less is available.

Many felt the same way then they built Aloha Stadium. Way out there? Now that's like "in-town" for a lot of people.

I'm not against development, but keep town stuff in-town. Don't ruin the "country" side. Like you said, there isn't much left. When my kids get to my age, Oahu is going to reach Hong Kong density.

[415hawaiiboy]

Kalua Pig, my vote is in keeping Stadium in Halawa. Central location.

Now I’m actually a fan of stadiums not surrounded by asphalt but surrounded by trees and grass like Stanford’s stadium or the Rose Bowl (golf course). For 7 or so Saturday’s, there will be cars parked on the grass. Maybe more if there are more events. Lower maintenance concrete stadium built into a mountain ridge like Berkeley’s War Memorial Stadium (minus the seismic risk). Let’s make it 50-60k seats. Go big. Now not competing with mixed use other development for space.

Looking at the map and a little search on “public” (not muni) golf courses, Pearl Country Club, is near Pearlridge and Rail. Could we fit a stadium and build it into a ridge? The retail is nearby at Pearlridge (an aging mall).

The current site of Aloha Stadium becomes Salt Lake II. The land pays for a good portion of the stadium. Boom.

[415hawaiiboy]

Just FYI, I was probably the only fan out of 50k or so who attended the UH @ UCLA game to actually walk the 3 miles from Old Town Pasadena (took the bus from Burbank Airport to LA Chinatown and then the City Metro) to the Rose Bowl. This Pearl Country Club site, and there is a ridge below the Colonade high rises, would be way more accessible. The height and the view of Pearl Harbor would be pretty. And economically, I’m sure an arrangement can be made between the State and the private landowner that would more than compensate the temporary loss of some Country Club members. In fact the money invested in the Stadium development some of it could really improve the course and amenities.

There is already enough retail in Hawaii. Make Pearlridge Great Again.

I look at highest and best use. Always.

[415hawaiiboy]

The Kam Drive In development has stalled. A mixed use stadium town concept with street facing retail would benefit from this new use (for a few weekends a year) in the Pearl Country Club - Pearlridge - Rail Station district. There are various parking options with the Mall and golf course a few holes could be designated for gameday parking and tailgate. So we don’t tear up the entire course.

Freeway ingress egress from the area would be tougher than current Halawa; however, we would be taking advantage of existing infrastructure of retail, Kam Hwy, Pearlridge parking structure.

But at least we are not building another “town” and the attributed Market risk associated with yet another retail center. The area can definitely be upzoned for high density in an already established neighborhood. The values are already there. Current Halawa area still not the greatest, but without a stadium and mixed use to be really full 7 Saturday’s a year, there is way lower retail market risk.

If this is the case, Salt Lake II (what I dub the current stadium site) would be the People’s Republic of Hawaii (just joking, but look what they do in Singapore) but the state’s way to truly build affordable / workforce housing en mass, which is in need. This site might be the best use and chance to prevent another 50k locals from leaving the state and ensure a lot of ridership for the Rail.

[kalua pig]

415 got me leaning back to halawa.mahalo for the posts.speak up people.

[415hawaiiboy]

KSBE owns the land under Pearl Country Club. Ground leased to company affiliated with Mr Honda of Japan.

Current Aloha Stadium dimensions 825x600 ft. Berkeley’s Memorial stadium 800x600. The Sun Bowl was built into a mountain 780x670.

I think a 700x600 ft (horseshoe) stadium could fit without doing too much change to the overall golf course. At the expense of turning one Par 5 into a Par 3, the people of Hawaii benefit greatly.

To increase traffic flow, we can create a special use of frame off of H-1 west bound directly onto the golf course grounds only to be used on game day. On and off ramp.

[415hawaiiboy]

Rail station access from the Pearlridge Station at the intersection of Kamehamema Hwy and Kaonohi St (where Anna Millers is) and up Kaonohi to Pearl Country Club would be the gameday walk. There you have the retail and Pearlridge to the west and the to be determined use of Kam Drive In to the west. Then there is the overpass over H-1, and then a walk east to the stadium in the golf course.

That is how the game day bar/Restaurant experience should be done. And the businesses can survive since they are already there (not adding new retail supply). This retail area is established.

[415hawaiiboy]

Assuming 100 acres of current Aloha Stadium land. Assuming 30% (guess) of that land is for rail, I estimate we could develop 5,000 units in wood framed podium Construction. So we can get cost effective, 6 story apartments (not Type I high rise like in Kakaako). If we go for smaller units, I think we could fit 1,000 more. That’s 15-20k local people being served with affordable housing. Now we can go more dense with high rise and maybe make it pencil like the Gerdin Eden workforce housing project in Kakaako.

I’m just saying. There is a real opportunity here to do great things with the land that we have left.

I’m just a dreamer from faraway who loves Hawaii and UH.

[UnBiasFan]

The rail station is going to be in the over-flow lot (across the street) that we already lost.
There about “zero chance” that there would be affordable housing associated with a new stadium project.
Affordable housing is just not built any more (except for maybe an occasional token project).

College football spectating in Hawaii is not for families and it is not for students. It is for rich old guys.
Of course, any project built will attempt to broaden the experience to include more than rich old people. So you will get an opportunity to pay for an almost rich young people experience as you walk to the game.

[415hawaiiboy]

The rail station is going to be in the over-flow lot (across the street) that we already lost.
There about “zero chance” that there would be affordable housing associated with a new stadium project.
Affordable housing is just not built any more (except for maybe an occasional token project).

College football spectating in Hawaii is not for families and it is not for students. It is for rich old guys.
Of course, any project built will attempt to broaden the experience to include more than rich old people. So you will get an opportunity to pay for an almost rich young people experience as you walk to the game.

I think you miss the point about affordable or workforce housing. We would build the new stadium one mile away where the Pearl Country Club is into the ridge. The golf course will remain a golf course.

Thus, the current Aloha Stadium site 104 acres would be freed up to develop housing. No stadium there. Land owned by the State of Hawaii. Probably ground leased but maybe sold so workforce housing condos can be built.

Could there be market rate housing also built? Sure thing.

[UnBiasFan]

I appreciate what your saying 415 Hawaii.

I am just too cynical to think that public input or ideas have ever or ever would be taken into consideration for any public project. It has never been done that way and it will never be done like that.

Old rich guys come up their plan and that is the only plan. Then all the other bull craap follows which is just a show. Environmental assessments and community meetings happen. But meetings are a waste of time. Only an idiot would attend one of those. Better spend quality time with your kids. Nobody gives a doo doo what you think unless you are one of the old rich guys In the old rich guy club.

[415hawaiiboy]

I appreciate what your saying 415 Hawaii.

I am just too cynical to think that public input or ideas have ever or ever would be taken into consideration for any public project. It has never been done that way and it will never be done like that.

Old rich guys come up their plan and that is the only plan. Then all the other bull craap follows which is just a show. Environmental assessments and community meetings happen. But meetings are a waste of time. Only an idiot would attend one of those. Better spend quality time with your kids. Nobody gives a doo doo what you think unless you are one of the old rich guys In the old rich guy club.

I would approach it a bit differently then focus groups. I would present the highest and best use case in financial terms and land use planning benefits. Some of my other ideas are in motion in Hawaii, quietly. It’s not that I control the process, but listening ears can see the virtue. It will take time. Do we have time for Aloha Stadium? Another poster says this project would be challenged. Would it be worth it? I think an alternate site should be studied such as this.

It makes some sense to revive Pearlridge than to create another Pearlridge “entertainment district” a mile east in Halawa.

I’ll start asking around. I don’t personally gain from the idea, because the project will be RFP’d anyway. I’m not someone who gives up easily if I see angle that could be better. Again, the idea just popped in my head yesterday. I have patience but whether or not the decision for site must be made immediately is really the question. I know the landowner relies on stable and increasing amounts of cash flow.

My idea would result in more value for development at Aloha Stadium site. More housing units. It’s more complicated than just building a new stadium next to the existing. At the end of the day, we might just do the easiest thing. But if now is still discussion time, check this out.

[UnBiasFan]

OK, I’ll play along.

The new stadium should be built at the site of Leeward Community College. Leeward Community College can be down-sized with much of it moved to land next to UH West Oahu. There is a rail stop at both places. The Leeward Community College location could also have student athletic facilities shared by all in UH system.