The Ilikai: see what develops

Since it has come to my attention that some mainlanders have become regular readers of this space, I begin with this: remember the beginning of "Hawaii Five-O"? Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) in his trademark blue suit is standing on the balcony of a tall building looking intently at the camera, which appears to be on a helicopter. Remember this? O.K. That's the Ilikai. As you drive across the canal into Waikiki on Ala Moana Blvd., the first hotel on the right is the Hawaii Prince. The Ilikai is the second. Brian Anderson, his daddy a famous developer on Kauai, bought the Ilikai with plans to renovate it and make it a mecca for hip young singles. He's been frustrated at approximately every step of the way. Anderson has now canceled his original plan, complaining that he did more than a dozen versions of the plan without ever winning the support of the people who own individual units within the original three-wing hotel. He was going to renovate their units without charge but now he won't. He'll renovate the units he owns -- roughly a third of them -- and leave the common areas as they are. He had a vision for the common areas. But others like the common areas. What they don't like is the way Anderson allowed the second building, called the Marina Tower, is fall into separate ownership. Those mainland investors control the common pool. The owners of the Japanese restaurant that used to be there were upset because construction work in the common area made many people think they were closed. As you can see, the lack of unity among owners and tenants has gone far beyond even what is seen at other hotels. Anderson is not blameless. His basic idea is flawed. How do you brand a hotel as a Young and the Restless mecca when the back doors open onto a parking lot instead of a beach? The independent unit owners and Local 5 of the hotel workers union scheduled a protest demonstration Thursday. Meanwhile, the management laid off two thirds of the remaining housekeeping staff, citing very low April bookings that could lead to an occupancy rate of 30% or less.

Comments

[Gilly ainoa]

Hey Howard

So whats next for the Andersons ? did you know that the other two propteries on kauai are forclosed too.Do you see him getting out fo this ? Its getting kind of scary around here.

From a concerned employee on Kauai