Question: I read your article about two years ago saying there are two restrooms owned and maintained by the Hilton Hawaiian Village that are supposed to be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. These restrooms are rather hidden on a side street, Kahanamoku Street, which is between the Hilton’s newest tower and the Ilikai Hotel. The brown doors are not labeled restrooms, but they were open to the public previously for personal use. I walk this way frequently to the beach, and twice I have tried to use them and they were locked. Well, I asked the custodian why they were locked, and she said you need a key to use them. Why was the policy changed so the public cannot use these restrooms anymore?
Answer: The restrooms — one at a time — are still available for public use, but the Hilton Hawaiian Village says continued vandalism and safety issues may force it to close them both soon.
However, if that happens, it won’t be with the blessing of the city Department of Planning and Permitting, which required Hilton to provide the public restrooms as a condition to getting approval in 2011 for its redevelopment plans.
First, Hilton’s side of the story.
Because of damage to toilets and fixtures by vandals, only one restroom is open at a time, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., "so that we can quickly exchange parts for the other," said Hilton Hawaii spokeswoman Cynthia Rankin.
"Unfortunately, there has been a growing problem with undesirable use of the restroom," she said. That includes, on occasion, the doors being locked for hours at a time with more than one person inside.
"Our cleaning professionals have reported finding blood, drug paraphernalia and clogging of the drains from paper towels and toilet paper," Rankin said.
On top of that, "Our team has been exposed to continual harassment and intimidation by people taking over the restrooms," she said.
"We now need to enlist our security team to come to the location in order for us to clean the facility three times per day. This has now become a safety issue."
Rankin said the Hilton is looking at "possible solutions" for people who legitimately would like to use the restroom.
"We do not want to continue to put our team or the general public in harm’s way and may resort to shutting (the restrooms) permanently soon until a solution becomes available," she said.
Not So Fast
In response, the Department of Planning and Permitting says it believes it is "appropriate" for the Hilton to set hours of operations and to close the restrooms for routine maintenance.
However, "a permanent shutdown" would violate the conditions of approval in the permit issued by DPP, according to Director George Atta. He said his department "will continue to enforce these conditions."
Atta explained that in December 2011 the Honolulu City Council adopted a resolution approving a conceptual plan for the redevelopment of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, including two new time-share towers and improvements to Rainbow Bazaar.
Among the conditions of approval, Hilton was required to maintain Kahanamoku Street, a beach access road, including sidewalks, plus two restrooms as part of the "public benefits" it proposed in exchange for added density and yard encroachments, he said.
In a letter to DPP in January 2012, Hilton "reaffirmed its commitment to meeting all of the conditions in the resolution," Atta said.
Mahalo
To Derek of the Freeway Service Patrol. My husband was driving on the H-1 freeway when a tire blew out. He tried to change the tire but could not remove the lug nuts. As he was calling for assistance, Derek knocked on his car window and offered to change the tire. He did so quickly, and my husband was able to continue home. Mahalo to Derek and to the Freeway Service Patrol, a free emergency service offered to Honolulu motorists (by the state Department of Transportation). The number to call is 841-4357. — Kathy and Jim, Ko Olina
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