The construction restart of luxury hotel/condominium Mana‘olana across the Hawai‘i Convention Center is good for folks who can afford $3.6 million to $21.3 million, the sales range of the tower’s units.

But it also should restart serious talks about needed affordable housing around rail stations. Mana‘olana was approved under a city Interim Planned Development-Transit (IPD-T) permit, allowing projects near rail greater heights and density, toward the goal of smarter growth that includes more affordable housing. But don’t expect any such units at Mana‘olana; it was allowed to pay a $2.4 million fee for the city to build affordable housing elsewhere.