At the historic Kakaako Pump Station on Ala Moana Boulevard, what would you think of turning it into an art gallery? Or maybe a restaurant, or a small museum? These and dozens of other uses have been proposed for this iconic building. But it still remains empty and, at more than 100 years old, continues to deteriorate. Questions remain. What should it best be used for? Why is it not in use? And why should it be preserved at all?

The building’s owner is a state agency, the Hawaii Community Development Agency. HCDA conducted a full-blown study in 2006 — involving professionals and the community — of possible uses for the pump station. Along with those mentioned above were such uses as a venue for special events, a charter school and a public works museum — and many more. Still, nothing has come together.

Some conclusions were developed from a community meeting held along with the HCDA study. The most significant was that the building should be restored and more controls put on it such as a preservation easement, which assures preservation forever.

The question of why it is not in use is complicated. For one thing, the main building is a very small space at only 1,321 square feet. That size makes it hard for a coffeehouse, retail shop or restaurant to make money to pay rent even though a separate building in the back adds about 400 more square feet. Probably a major deterrent is there is no infrastructure — no electricity or plumbing — which would be very costly to install. And because two state agencies are involved — the Office of Hawaiian Affairs owns the land and HCDA the building — there must be agreement between them for its use.

The question of why it should be preserved is pretty clear. For one thing, the Kakaako Pump Station played a significant historic role in the early modernization of Honolulu. Before it was built in 1900, the city had no real sewage system and horrid diseases broke out frequently.

Its distinctive design is another reason to preserve it. It has been called one of the best examples in Hawaii of the Richardsonian Romanesque style. The architect was O.J. Traphagen, who also designed the Moana Hotel, the Judd Block and the original Hackfeld Building. And many would agree that it stands as the iconic gateway entrance to Kakaako, which HCDA wants to "… establish as the most desirable and sustainable urban place in Honolulu in which to work, live, visit, learn and play."

There also seems to be consensus that if an acceptable use can’t be found for a while longer, the building at least must be cared for.

A nonprofit group, the Hawaii Architectural Foundation, and the for-profit Louis Vuitton have made some significant changes in the building that may not be highly visible to the public.

Working with the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation and HAF, Vuitton threw a party there for the opening of its new Ala Moana Center store in 2007. For that one-shot event, the ugly plywood coverings for the windows were replaced, which brightened and opened up the building. Grass was planted. Much more was done.

HAF, meanwhile, has worked with HCDA for 10 years to minimally stabilize the station. Its volunteer efforts have included removing two nonhistoric structures, temporary fixes to the gutters, cleaning the yard, installing an irrigation system and removing paint on the stonework.

A final word about the station’s proposed use. HHF developed a scheme in 1990 to turn it into a heritage education center. Around that time, HHF raised about $1 million and put together a comprehensive plan to restore it and fill it with displays, seminars and literature that would interpret Honolulu’s history starting with the arrival of the early Hawaiians through the whalers and missionaries. This was — and we believe still is — probably the most promising use for the historic building. It didn’t go through back then, though, over issues of money.

Maybe times have changed and this plan could be revisited.