The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-12-24
BIG YEAR
INBU|LD|NGL|NES
Business Men Think Settlement
Of Federal Site Win Bring
New Business Blocks =. +.

Definite settlement Of the federal site
by the Treasury Department s decision
to buy the Irwin property is causing
business men to discuss again for the
thousandth time the effect that big
project is to have on building opera.
tons and improvements in the city,
There appears to be a fairly wide
spread impression that extensive con.
structive industry win begin in the inn
mediate future. On this point local
architects are sanguine, some of the
craftsmen declaring they believe 1916
win prove the biggest year in a build.
ing line that the municipality has OK.
perieneed. .4
The governments acceptance of tho
Irwin site, for one thing, means that
the Spreekels and Mahuka sites, en-
which improvements have been with
held for several years are available
now for other purposes. 1t is only a
matter of a short time, probably, be-
fore the Mahuka property held by the
government will be sold. Business mon
say this as well as the Spreckels lands,
because of their excellent location are
too valuable to remain long in unim-
proved condition, and the feeling seems
to be that when edifices are erected
they will be large and modern. 3.
Honolulu is TO lose its historic old
opera house; this is fairly certain. One
Of the first questions that seemed to
rise in conversation everywhere the fed
eral site matter was discussed yester-
day, was whether the city Is to have
another playhouse in which operas and
the more pretentious theatrical enter
tainments can be given. "
Joel Cohen has been quoted as say
ing that the Consolidated Amusement
Company will erect an up TO date thea
tire on practically the site of the Bijou;
provided however, that the city pro-
coed with its long proposed project of
extending Bethel street through at least
as far as Pauahi street.A But since the
city refuses to do this until IL can widen
Hotel street at Fort, and the owner of
the property at that point is asking
what is regarded as pfchihitive price
for his holding, the amusement COM
pany's may not materialize for many
years. . ..E
There was a plan afoot few months
ago for a modern theatre in the Will
liam Wolter block, which at present is
in course of construction between Fort
and Union streets, but the owner vetoed
the scheme. Whether he will resurrect
the plans is now uncertain.
Another interesting feature of the
federal site matter is the situation In
which the First National Bank of Ha-
waii finds itself. Whe1 the Il. o. Hall
and adjoining properties had been con.
demned and il appeared certain the
postofiice and court building would be
erected on the Mahuka site the bank
purchased a large property at the Inau-
ka Waikiki corner of Bishop and Mer
chant streets, with the ayowed ihten-
ton of building a large modern bank
building there, .
The location would have been highly
desirable had the government finally
settled on either the Mahuka or Spreck-
els site. Whether it will be so desir.
able now is a question the bank must
decide.
Other banks and business houses in
lower Fort street are badly eramped for
space and the opening of the additional
tracts for general building purposes,
many say, may result in number of
first class blocks Waikiki from Fort.