Commission OKs Henry Street hotel proposal

KAILUA-KONA — The Kailua Village Design Commission on Tuesday gave its approval for a proposed new hotel on Henry Street.

The commission last month deferred taking action on the proposal to put a hotel on the south-makai corner of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Henry Street intersection. The hotel would be owned by the same company that owns the Holiday Inn Express &Suites on Sarona Road.

Some commission members expressed concern about the project during that meeting, specifically pointing to issues like its color scheme and topography of the area.

In response to commissioners’ concerns, architect Fritz Harris-Glade revised the plan that was submitted to the commission.

That new submittal included some street-level images from Henry Street to give commissioners a better idea of what the proposed building would look like.

He also proposed changing the shape of the structure and its layout.

The revised submission also indicated increased landscaping and a change in color scheme. It passed 5 votes to 1. It now goes to the Hawaii County planning director for further action.

The lone “no” vote came from commission member Michaela Ikeuchi. Ikeuchi said during the meeting that she had “a very strong concern” about an archaeological site in the area of the property.

Files submitted to the commission in advance of the hearing laid out a plan for that site, including landscaping and a rock wall barrier, in accordance with a burial treatment plan.

During the vote however, Ikeuchi said she didn’t feel she could support the motion.