On April 5, 2019, the state of Hawai‘i issued a request for proposals (RFP) from developers to redevelop sections of the Ala Wai Boat Harbor in Honolulu. The area designated for revitalization includes a former boat repair facility, parking lots near the Hilton Hawaiian Village lagoon, the harbor office, and a former fuel dock.
The proposed work must reinvigorate maritime activities, pedestrian access, and take into consideration sea level rise.
The state seeks qualified and interested parties to lease and redevelop four non-contiguous parcels and limited redevelopment of two moles (the extensions of land piers are attached to) of state-owned fast or filled lands within the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor situated at Waikiki. The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) is offering an up to 55-year-long lease for about 11.16 acres of land subject to the approval of the Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources.
Certain adjacent submerged lands may also be available for lease for any improvements or equipment that may extend into or over submerged lands, and for use as moorings (except for current moorings used along the moles), subject to specific conditions and approvals.
The legal notice indicates, “DOBOR intends to select the applicant and development proposal that best satisfies DOBOR’s development objectives and selection criteria as stated in the RFP.” If approved by the Land Board the selected applicant will enter into exclusive negotiations with DOBOR for a development agreement that will allow the potential lessee to redevelop the Subject Property for uses permitted within the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor and the Waikiki Special District, Public Precinct zoning district, and under Act 197, 2011 Session Laws of Hawaii. The redevelopment should take into consideration input received in the DTL, LLC Final Report, dated December 2017, entitled “Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor Community Engagement Findings & Conceptual Plan.”
DOBOR will hold a briefing at its main administrative office for interested parties at 10:00 a.m. on April 12, 2019. DOBOR staff will explain development objectives and the RFP process, and answer questions. The meeting will be held in the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation Conference Room, 4 Sand Island Access Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819. Attendance by potential applicants is encouraged, but is not required.
To be eligible for consideration in the RFP process, interested parties must first complete and submit a Notice of Intent form to any of the DOBOR offices listed below by no later than 4:00 p.m., April 22, 2019. Anyone who fails to submit a completed Notice of Intent by this deadline will not be eligible to submit their qualifications and proposal and therefore cannot be considered for this project. The Notice of Intent form is included in the RFP.
The first step of the RFP process requests the submission of statements of qualifications from the applicants, which must be submitted by no later than 4:00 p.m., May 9, 2019, to any of the listed DOBOR offices. Additional deadlines and significant dates are set forth in the RFP.
Photo courtesy of Ala Wai Boat Harbor / Steve Harris.