The Manaolana Place Hotel and Residential Condominium Project, a 400-foot-high mixed-use tower planned for a corner across Atkinson Drive from the Hawai‘i Convention Center, is moving through the permitting process.

But there’s still time for the public to comment on Manaolana Partners LLC’s plans to replace a run-down low-rise section at the gateway of Waikiki with a tower that includes 109 condominium units and 125 hotel units.

The height allowance in the neighborhood is 350 feet, but Manaolana Partners has requested an additional 50 feet for its project, which also includes park areas, a ballroom, a pool and spa, and shops. There also will be 276 parking spaces, a publicly accessible corner plaza, and other ground-level pedestrian and right-of-way improvements.

Planned on land owned by Manaolana Partners LLC and Kajima Kagaku USA Inc., the development encompasses storefront lots on Kapiolani Boulevard, Atkinson Drive, and Kona Street. Right now, the site is home to a vacant lot and single-level shopping center that includes 7-Eleven, Supercuts and Subway.

The project is within the BMX-3 Community Business Mixed Use District about a half-mile from the future Ala Moana Center transit station, so the developers have applied for an interim planned development transit and special district permit. As part of the planned development process, they have offered about $1 million in affordable housing community benefits to offset modifications to setback, height and density allowances.

A project hearing was held Friday, with little opposition save for a neighborhood resident who wanted assurance that the infrastructure could handle the additional sewer demand, said Paul Migliorato, a research analyst for the Pacific Resource Partnership. “This was one of the least-contentious hearings that I’ve attended, he said.

The Pacific Resource Partnership has yet to take a position on the project, but Migliorato said residents and the Waikiki Improvement Association supported the project’s potential to gentrify and clean up their neighborhood.

Developers could not be reached for comment, but have said that they expect the project will serve as a “catalyst for Ala Moana development,” and will provide jobs and other community benefits.

“I support this one,” said Waikiki Neighborhood Board member Jeff Merz, an urban planner. “It intensifies the use, cleans up the corner and provides housing as well. It does make the entrance to Waikiki better.”

However, Merz said the board did not take a position on the project because it is not in the Waikiki Special District.

Linda Wong, vice chairwoman of the Diamond Head-Kapahulu-St. Louis Neighborhood Board, said her group has not taken a position on the project either, but she’s against the height exemption.

“I really dislike new buildings in that area as they block blue skies seen usually coming into the Waikiki area,” Wong said. “We need to build out, not up. Urban sprawl is a farce used to keep us like mice in condo cages. Give us some breathing room.”

The city Department of Planning and Permitting has until July 5 to make a recommendation on the permits to the City Council. The public may submit written comments to the department through June 13. Comments may be faxed to the department at 768-6743 or mailed to 650 S. King St., 7th Floor, Honolulu HI, 96813.

The public won’t have an opportunity to comment in person until sometime after July 5 when the project is put on the agenda for the City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee.