Dark clouds are looming in Manoa, where a planned development promising to bring market-rate and affordable housing faces stiff opposition from a stalwart group of residents vehemently opposed to any encroachment upon their community, real or perceived.
Avalon Group, a local real estate development firm with a track record of executing diverse projects from the West Side to Downtown and East Honolulu, is behind the push to clear the former Saint Francis School campus to make way for a planned 79 single-family houses — each with an accessory dwelling unit, or “in-law suite,” conversion option — and 14 multifamily units. Dubbed Aria Lane, the cluster of new Manoa homes will be spread across 11.12 acres, minus affordances for archaeological and environmental concerns. The project should move forward, but with continued careful consideration for current residents.
Understandably, neighbors are apprehensive. An influx of occupants has the potential to wreak havoc on local traffic — the site is nestled next to Manoa Stream and the University of Hawaii, and is mainly accessed via the narrow Pamoa Road — and divvying up a former school ground into multiple residential parcels can strain aging infrastructure and raise fire safety worries. However, with an eye on growing Oahu’s housing supply, these obstacles can and should be overcome with proper due diligence, prudent planning and active partnerships with government stakeholders.
Save for a minor Hawaii Pacific University presence and a swim school, Saint Francis sat vacant since its closure in 2019. Avalon President and CEO Christine Camp said the property was purchased in February for $23.25 million, enough to provide funding for the retirement and care of the former school’s nuns. Multiple use cases were considered, including educational leaseholds involving the state Department of Education, and the company landed on residential development.
Pricing is yet to be determined, but Camp estimates market value of the single-family homes will fall in the $1.5 to $2.2 million range, depending on association dues, while at least seven multifamily units will be affordable and sell for between $500,000 and $800,000 to buyers earning 100% of area median income. An opportunity to expand home stock in Manoa, a desirable neighborhood, is exciting and must be pursued, with thoughtful preparation and design.
Among the most pressing issues is increased traffic flow that might hobble ingress and egress routes, many of which are currently used for street parking. Camp, at the behest of neighbors, contracted a traffic analysis assuming maximum occupancy of 172 units, calculated by assuming each single-family home owner would opt to convert the attached bedroom into an ADU. A pair of reports found no appreciable bump in traffic compared to current levels, though conditions must be regularly monitored should Aria Lane move forward, with possible city involvement to restrict street parking during peak hours.
Fire safety is another topic of debate, with some claiming a batch of new homes brings with them elevated and unnecessary risk to residents living at the base of Waahila Ridge, which was impacted by at least three wildfires over the past seven years. Avalon proposes outfitting each unit with a fire sprinkler system, but that plan will go into effect only if the 14 multifamily dwellings are part of the plan. Alternative tacks could be to off-site the multifamily homes, negating fire code sprinkler requirements but decreasing unit density, raising prices and removing affordable units. That would be unfortunate.
Avalon has exhibited a willingness to operate in good faith, meeting with residents, updating plans based on feedback and taking proactive steps to address archaeological and environmental issues before they become problems. The former Saint Francis School campus will be developed — the questions are when, by whom and for what purpose. It is in the best interest of the neighborhood and city to work with a company inclined to listen and respond rather than brute-force a project through to potentially devastating effect.
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Hearing today: At 10:30 a.m., the city Department of Planning and Permitting hears the application for Aria Lane Manoa, at the Fasi Municipal Building, 6th floor.
Correction: An earlier version of this editorial cited an incorrect single-family housing price range for Aria Lane.
