Tuesday, June 24, 2008

By Order of Kamehameha, Kalaniana`ole Hall restoration breaks ground.

By Order of Kamehameha The Molokai Dispatch
Kalaniana`ole Hall restoration breaks ground.

Falls of Clyde falls on harder times - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

Falls of Clyde falls on harder times - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

FORT KAMEHAMEHA HISTORIC DISTRICT CONSIDERED FOR DEMOLITION OR DISPOSAL BY AIR FORCE

Public Comment Sought at Scoping Meeting July 8

The Air Force has issued a notice that it intends to dispose of the Fort Kamehameha Historic District at Hickam Air Force Base by the end of 2009.

The options for disposal include adaptive use, relocation and demolition. The Air Force is preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the project. The public is invited to a scoping meeting for the DEIS on Thursday, July 8, 2008, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Āliamanu Elementary School, 3265 Salt Lake Boulevard.

Fort Kamehameha was built in 1916 and originally consisted of both residential and non-residential sections. There are 33 homes in the Bungalow/Arts and Crafts style that are located on Hickam Air Force Base, adjacent to Pearl Harbor. The homes are in two styles, four in a large H shaped plan and 29 in a smaller U shaped footprint. Over time, the non-residential area was demolished and now only the Chapel, bandstand, original post flag pole and batteries remain from the non-residential area.

The official notice of the proposed undertaking notes that, “the handmade appearance of the homes in the shoreline setting manifests the rural lifestyle of the era. Some of the distinguishing features include: moss rock foundation walls and piers, board and batten siding, exposed eave rafters, …hip roofs that originally had wood shingles, diamond pattern muntins in the front center glass window, … and wood panel doors with brass hardware.”

The homes are located in an intact residential context with a graceful neighborhood feel of mature trees, large expanses of grass and open space, access to the waterfront, and a children’s playground. A burial vault houses iwi of kupuna who were disinterred during the construction of the nearby Pearl Harbor wastewater treatment plant. The vault is maintained and visited by Native Hawaiian Organizations with cultural and lineal ties to the area. The entire area is a high-sensitivity zone for probable additional native Hawaiian burials. The last of the residential occupants will vacate the homes by August.

The proposal to dispose of Fort Kamehameha is the result of an Air Force regulation that limits the uses that can occur along the flight path of runways at nearby Honolulu International Airport, which shares the runways with the Air Force and Hawai‘i Air National Guard. The Accident Potential Zone (APZ) regulates and restricts uses. At Fort Kamehameha, 29 houses and the chapel are located within APZ 1, which allows some structures, but not residential, office, commercial or other uses with regular occupancy. Uses such as parks or recreation are also restricted.

The Air Force is interested in finding a new tenant to use the buildings for storage or warehousing in place, subject to its security and access limitations, with maintenance and upkeep at the expense and the responsibility of the tenant. Alternatively, the Air Force will consider allowing the buildings to be relocated to another location or demolished. The DEIS will also include an alternative for long-term caretaker status of the buildings, preserving them in place without a user, to maintain options for the future.

For more information, contact Ms. Tiffany Patrick at 808-449-3197, or via mail to 15 CES/CEVP NEPA Program Technical Support, 75 H Street, ldg. 1202, Hickam AFB, HI 96853.

Ewa's 'lost battlefield' of World War II may disappear under developments | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Ewa's 'lost battlefield' of World War II may disappear under developments HonoluluAdvertiser.com The Honolulu Advertiser

This Old House Names Waimea as one of the Best Places for Outdoor Enthusiasts to Buy an Old House

Best Places for Outdoor Enthusiasts to Buy an Old House Home & Real Estate Planning and Ideas This Old House - 5

Friday, June 20, 2008

What Does a Listing on the National Register of Historic Places Really Mean?

Making it All Register
By Elizabeth Benjamin Online Only June 13, 2008

"The belief that inclusion on the register renders historic structures or sites impervious to demolition or change is a widely held misconception, as is the idea that owners are restricted from making alterations to properties once they're listed. "

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Falls of Clyde Faces Uncertain Future


By Jill Byus Radke, Historic Hawaii Foundation
After years of struggling to keep the Falls of Clyde afloat, the Bishop Museum issued a call for a new benefactor who can provide the resources necessary to save the National Historic Landmark. Should a benefactor not be located by the end of this June, the Falls will either sink at its berth or be towed and sunk.

The Falls of Clyde is the last floating fully-rigged four-masted ship in the world. Originally launched in Scotland in 1878, she arrived in Hawai‘i in 1898 as the ninth ship of Captain Matson’s original sugar fleet. She transported sugar from Hilo to the mainland until she was converted to an oil tanker in 1907. After serving as an oil tanker and being sold several times subsequently, she was saved from the scrap yard and returned to Honolulu in 1963 as a museum ship. In 1973 she was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1989 she was listed as a National Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior.

Over the years, the ship’s condition deteriorated despite the efforts of champions such as Bob Krauss, Robert Pfeiffer and David Lyman and $3 million of restoration. The Falls of Clyde was listed on Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s inaugural “Most Endangered Historic Sites” list in 2005.

The ship was closed to visitors in February 2007 and the museum hired an independent marine surveyor, Joseph W. Lombardi, who is considered one of the leading experts on marine vessels in the nation, to evaluate the condition of the ship and suggest remedies and estimated costs for needed repairs. According to Bishop Museum, Lombardi’s 195-page report found that the ship had “severe deterioration of her wooden topmasts, rigging, wooden decking, exterior shell plating, hull support, framing, rudder and hull.”


According to Lombardi, the ship’s worsening condition demands immediate attention estimating upwards of $24,000,000 to restore the ship, and up to $1 million required annually for upkeep.
Merely moving the ship to make the repairs is problematic and expensive. The fragile hull is likely to collapse without the water’s physical support, so an estimated is $1 million is needed to stabilize the hull in order to survive removal from the water.
“We are saddened by the unfortunate condition of the Falls of Clyde and we will, over the next few months, be determining the best course of action,” said Timothy E. Johns, President and CEO said in his March 19, 2008 letter to Bishop Museum supporters.

“The Falls of Clyde is an important part of Hawai‘i’s maritime history, and we intend to do what we can to preserve this rich artifact. At the same time, we must also be prudent about preserving the fiscal health of Bishop Museum. As you may know, the entire annual budget for Bishop Museum – covering all museum research programs, collections, facilities and staff- is $16 million,” Johns said.

The museum issued the call for a new benefactor in hopes that another maritime preservation organization would take ownership and responsibility for the Falls of Clyde. Over 500 letters have been sent to organizations across the globe and Bishop Museum will continue the search until later this month.

If a benefactor is not found, the ship will either sink or have to be sunk. According to Lombardi, the ship sinking at its current berth is a “very real possibility.”

Blair Collis, Vice President of Operations at Bishop Museum noted that while the museum works to find another owner or supporter for the ship, it will engage in several near-term actions, which are required for either taking the ship to dry dock for repairs or for ultimate disposal. He said that topspar on the third mast will be removed and stored on the deck for safety. Loose items and artifacts will be removed and stored. Photo documentation of the ship will be done at every stage.

For more information, or to offer assistance, please contact Blair Collis at Bishop Museum, at (808) 371-5639.

Environmental Impact Statement for Fort Kamehameha

FR Doc E8-13845


SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] Sec. Sec. 4321-4347), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500-1508), and the United States Air Force's (Air Force) Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP) (32 CFR Part 989), the Air Force is issuing this notice to advise the public of its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The EIS will assess the potential environmental consequences of a proposal to define final disposition of housing units and associated structures known as the ``Fort Kamehameha Historic District''; an area on Hickam AFB, O'ahu, Hawai'i, eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in accordance with Section 110(a)(2) of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

Alternatives currently identified for evaluation would include various options that fall under the five categories of: adaptive-use; relocation; deconstruction and salvage; demolition; and the No Action alternative. Any Proposed Action could include a single action, or combination of actions, under the five categories above. Sub-actions under these categories may include: leasing; sale; transfer to another government agency; and retention by the Air Force. Compliance with the NHPA will be done through consultation under Section 106 of 36 CFR Part 800.

DATES: The Air Force will hold a scoping meeting to solicit public input concerning the scope of the Proposed Action and alternatives, as well as to help identify other concerns and issues to be addressed in the environmental analysis. The scoping meeting will be held Thursday, July 8, 2008 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Aliamanu Elementary School, 3265 Salt Lake Boulevard, Honolulu, HI.

ADDRESSES: Federal, state, and local agencies, and interested groups and persons are invited to attend the scoping meeting. All are encouraged to provide comments on the proposed action either at the scoping meeting or by mail, postmarked by July 21, 2008 to ensure proper consideration in the environmental impact analyses.F

OR FURTHER INFORMATION: Direct written comments or requests for further information to: Ms. Tiffany Patrick, 15 CES/CEVP NEPA Program Technical Support, 75 H Street, Bldg. 1202, Hickam AFB, HI 96853, Ph: (808) 449-3197.Bao-Anh Trinh,Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. E8-13845 Filed 6-18-08; 8:45 am]B
ILLING CODE 5001-05-P