February 1991 Home   Newsletters

March 1991

April 1991

Vote Counts
League Testifies
Viewpoint 2-25-91
Council Observers Needed
Membership
Annual Meeting
Hawaii Schools in the Decade Ahead

Viewpoint 2-25-91

Bill 119 relating to lowering heights in the Ala Moana District involves the relationship between height, density and open space. (Bill was filed by City Council).

Opponents of the Bill say that higher buildings will provide more affordable housing and allow for more open space.

Other things being equal, greater heights are more expensive to build than lower heights. This is because of the need for heavier foundations, more steel, more elevators, and more space wasted for corridors, stairways, etc. Also, the net amount of usable space per story is less and less as the building grows higher and higher.

Thus greater heights cannot produce lower costs for housing or result in more affordable homes. Conversely, lowering heights as provided in Bill 119 would not increase housing costs. We have seen no affordable housing in areas such as Kakaako which permits 400 foot heights. Privately built luxury high krises normally do not provide affordable housing.

In the area covered by Bill 119 the lower heights proposed would not result in "walls of squatty buildings" as depicted by some opponents. The usual pattern for buildings in areas like this is 3 to 5 floors of commercial and garage space covering 40 to 60% of the ground level with a tower above covering a smaller percentage of the lot. The higher you go, you do gain a bit more open space up in the air above the base, but not at ground level where it is needed. In all cases it is the base of the building that governs the ground level open space and not the tower. The size of this base is not influenced by the height, whatever it may be.

The pressure for greater heights is caused by the developer's desire to maximize premium priced apartments with views and often the hope of the greater density to come, such as downtown. None of this has anything to do with affordable housing.

February 1991 Home   Newsletters April 1991