Landowner didn't want to save historic theater

Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Published March 26, 2008

The demolition of the landmark Varsity Theatre in Moiliili is a striking blow to that community. It is an example of anticipatory demolition, where a new property owner acquired a site with known historic resources, which it then failed to maintain and has now destroyed in favor of a parking lot.
Adding insult to injury is the lack of communication with either the preservation community or local stakeholders who cherished the building as a community anchor and who were actively interested in helping find a plan for its reuse and rehabilitation. Both the outcome and the process are shameful.

Kiersten Faulkner
Executive director
Historic Hawaii Foundation