A derelict plot of land along Kuhio Avenue has been put on the market, likely bringing an upgrade to a critical portion of Waikiki’s expanding tourism center.

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation recently listed the property on the corner of Kuhio and Seaside avenues for $19.5 million.

The foundation last year evicted about a dozen businesses from the complex leased by the Bloss Family Lp. Evictions included the Swat Gun Club, Seaside Bar &Grill, Tsunami’s Waikiki nightclub, Vietnamese restaurant Old Saigon, a tattoo parlor, the Amnesia and Envy nightclubs, Club Alley Cat, strip club Hawaii By Night and adult video store King Video. Soon after, the state Health Department said the foundation had to clean up and remove lead at the former gun club site. The area has seen its share of late-night trouble, including a 2017 shooting outside Club Alley Cat in which a man was killed and two others injured.

“There was a seedy element there,” said Waikiki Neighborhood board member Jeff Merz. “It was a real eyesore and it’s been boarded up for some time. I’m glad to see that it’s being sold so that it can be redeveloped into something that would better suit the neighborhood.”

The fee-simple property, comprising two parcels with four buildings, is zoned apartment mixed use and has a 280-foot height limit. It was listed about a week ago, said Mark Bratton, a Colliers International senior vice president.

“We’ve had very good interest in the property so far. It’s fee-simple ownership — that’s rare for Waikiki and it’s in a location that attracts foot traffic of 15,000 people a day,” Bratton said. “Any redevelopment will bookend what’s already taken place along the corridor.”

Kuhio Avenue always has been secondary to Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki’s prime commercial hot spot. But in the last several years, redevelopment on Kuhio Avenue has included the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach at the Ewa end, a Denny’s at the Diamond Head end, and Hotel Renew, Hilton Garden Inn and the Hyatt Centric in between. Construction of the planned Brookfield Properties residential project is about to start at the old Food Pantry site.

Merz said there has been a glaring difference between the mauka side of Kuhio Avenue and the makai side since the International Market Place was renovated.

“On one side, everything is bright and shiny, and on the other side there is graffiti, trash and broken windows — the kind of ugliness that contributes to crime and lowers values. Also, the lack of activity there has contributed to crime,” Merz said. “Redevelopment of these parcels is critical to completing the gentrification of the Kuhio Avenue corridor.”

Merz said the site is zoned for condominiums or apartments and also could accommodate mixed-use retail. He said it couldn’t be used for a hotel without a zoning change. Merz said he hopes it might attract residential units and “community-serving” businesses like a dry cleaner, bakery and other retailers that cater to local residents instead of tourists only.

Waikiki Neighborhood Board Chairman Bob Finley said he’s looking forward to the coming redevelopment.

“I’m happy that they are finally taking action,” Finley said. “I hope (the buildings get) knocked down really soon. Anything they put there would be an improvement. Change can’t come soon enough.”