http://www.coco-palms.com/articles/20070919_up4sale.htm
With any luck this will turn out to be good news in disguise. These developers wanted to build 200 privately owned condos (yuck) and just 104 hotel units. Hopefully the new owners will redesign the plan to be faithful to the original use of the property (as one of Kauai's premiere resorts).
And if anyone wants to lend me ~$15 million I'd appreciate it very much.
With any luck this will turn out to be good news in disguise. These developers wanted to build 200 privately owned condos (yuck) and just 104 hotel units. Hopefully the new owners will redesign the plan to be faithful to the original use of the property (as one of Kauai's premiere resorts).
And if anyone wants to lend me ~$15 million I'd appreciate it very much.
Just returned from Kauai and took and took a tour of the place.
Pretty fascinating.
Ken
Pretty fascinating.
Ken
Oh, how I loved the old Coco Palms. Way back in 1988, our family stayed in two of the King's Cottages. If I recall, it was around $300/night per cottage back then. It was a special trip so we splurged. But wow, what a place! I remember my then 5-year-old son fishing from the little bridge. I've got a photo of him with a fish about 2 inches long, but was he ever proud!
Then the destruction came. So sad.
Sure wish I had an extra $15 million to help out, lol!
Then the destruction came. So sad.
Sure wish I had an extra $15 million to help out, lol!
Maybe it's just nostalgia run amok, but I also have some very fond memories of the Coco Palms -- back when Kauai was much more of an exotic, undiscovered paradise than it is today. I was just in my early teen years at the time, but for some crazy reason I remember the bathrooms (with those funky shell sinks) more than anything else, except maybe the grove of coconut trees, lagoon and friendly hospitality. My family went there only a few times, yet everyone seemed to know our names.
Everyone's fond memories would be shattered, if they could see the Coco Palms now. Everytime we drive past it on our way into Lihu`e, I am disheartened by the wreck it has become.
Hurricane `Iniki clobbered the property -- the gorgeous lava rock walls remain standing, the pool is cracked and filled with green water and strange organic matter, and the once-lovely landscaping is just a tangled jungle of weeds. Most of the roofing is gone, as is the wood siding on all the buildings. The guest rooms (clearly visible as you pass on the highway) have slimey black mold inside the windows, and the drapes hang in mildewed tatters. One can only imagine the stench!
All of the various hearings held by our Planning Commission made it clear that no more underground parking would be permitted by any new owner (tsunami AND flood zones). So the first thing that needs to happen, is demolition of this place that is now nothing more than a health and safety hazard.
Rebuilding -- if it ever happens -- will have to be from the ground, up.
Hurricane `Iniki clobbered the property -- the gorgeous lava rock walls remain standing, the pool is cracked and filled with green water and strange organic matter, and the once-lovely landscaping is just a tangled jungle of weeds. Most of the roofing is gone, as is the wood siding on all the buildings. The guest rooms (clearly visible as you pass on the highway) have slimey black mold inside the windows, and the drapes hang in mildewed tatters. One can only imagine the stench!
All of the various hearings held by our Planning Commission made it clear that no more underground parking would be permitted by any new owner (tsunami AND flood zones). So the first thing that needs to happen, is demolition of this place that is now nothing more than a health and safety hazard.
Rebuilding -- if it ever happens -- will have to be from the ground, up.
I drove by the grounds a few years after Iniki. Coco Palms was my mom's favorite spot on Kauai.
We first visited the Coco Palms in 1972 for a week. We had our little daughter with us. Beautiful memories. I would imagine it could never be rebuilt and be the same.
AuntieMaria, does Hawaii (or at Kauai)not have laws and codes that require destroyed properties to be torn down etc? Evidently not but that surprises me. It sounds horrible.
AuntieMaria, does Hawaii (or at Kauai)not have laws and codes that require destroyed properties to be torn down etc? Evidently not but that surprises me. It sounds horrible.
We drove by it when we were on Kauai a couple months ago. It was very sad and almost shocking to see the condition it is in today. Too bad no one has come forward to rejuvenate the place and bring it back to life again. I guess life goes on.
No laws requiring demolition -- our Planning Commission will determine whether that needs to happen. But their discussions thus far have indicated that demolition will be a requirement when (if?) the next buyer steps up with a "remodeling" plan.
Remember please that we are talking about structures which were battered and almost totally destroyed by a major hurricane (winds at 165mph+) -- and that was over 10 years ago. Windows which were broken, were not replaced or boarded up. Wooden doors which were blown in or out, were not replaced.
Since the hurricane, these oceanfront buildings have had zero maintenance -- just the constant sea spray and sun which has rotted all the wood and rusted out all the metal fittings.
Yes, the stone walls are intact -- but imbedded with dirt, sand, and assorted debris from the hurricane and the decades of the aforementioned weather stuffs.
Rebuilding the current structure just isn't an option anymore...unfortunately.
Remember please that we are talking about structures which were battered and almost totally destroyed by a major hurricane (winds at 165mph+) -- and that was over 10 years ago. Windows which were broken, were not replaced or boarded up. Wooden doors which were blown in or out, were not replaced.
Since the hurricane, these oceanfront buildings have had zero maintenance -- just the constant sea spray and sun which has rotted all the wood and rusted out all the metal fittings.
Yes, the stone walls are intact -- but imbedded with dirt, sand, and assorted debris from the hurricane and the decades of the aforementioned weather stuffs.
Rebuilding the current structure just isn't an option anymore...unfortunately.
Hi auntimarie, I remember well when the hurrican hit and the news said the Coco Palms was destroyed. Such a tragedy.
The small city I use to live in did not require damaged buildings to be torn down either, regardless of the damage to them. The final straw was a waterside restaurant, the favorite hangout for us locals, that had a fire and consequently about 3/4's of it burned down. The owners did nothing..on a very small scale rather like what you have described. After rats took over the city finally passed new ordiances..I think all the cities in my county have them now. Rebuild or tear down within a certain amount of time.
I will always cherise the memories of the Coco Palms.
The small city I use to live in did not require damaged buildings to be torn down either, regardless of the damage to them. The final straw was a waterside restaurant, the favorite hangout for us locals, that had a fire and consequently about 3/4's of it burned down. The owners did nothing..on a very small scale rather like what you have described. After rats took over the city finally passed new ordiances..I think all the cities in my county have them now. Rebuild or tear down within a certain amount of time.
I will always cherise the memories of the Coco Palms.
Thought that anyone who hasn't seen the current condition of the Coco Palms Hotel, might want to see the photos on this blog...or mebbe not?
http://retardzone.com/2008/01/08/haw...ort-abandoned/
http://retardzone.com/2008/01/08/haw...ort-abandoned/
Waaaaaaaaaaaaah.
I have a funny story from 1988. We were staying at the Kaha Lani across the road, with our 2 year old daughter. My husband had somehow discovered a couple of gibbons in a cage, near the rear of the property in the palm grove. When we took our daughter to look at them, we stood too close to the cage, one of them snaked out a hand and snatched up a handful of our daughter's hair, yanking her little head back toward the bars!
We jerked her away and stood there laughing hysterically, no harm done.
I have a funny story from 1988. We were staying at the Kaha Lani across the road, with our 2 year old daughter. My husband had somehow discovered a couple of gibbons in a cage, near the rear of the property in the palm grove. When we took our daughter to look at them, we stood too close to the cage, one of them snaked out a hand and snatched up a handful of our daughter's hair, yanking her little head back toward the bars!
We jerked her away and stood there laughing hysterically, no harm done.
Just to update this topic, the bulldozers finally started rolling two weeks ago:
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/3...ted-demolition
Reopening is next year (2017) according to the developers. They're keeping the same site layout and even square footages from the old resort.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/3...ted-demolition
Reopening is next year (2017) according to the developers. They're keeping the same site layout and even square footages from the old resort.
I hope it comes to fruition. Drove by the old Coco Palms in May and was so heartbroken by it's condition. I have very fond memories of visiting and dining at the hotel in 1970-1980's.
BarbAnn, this is the first time a major player (Hyatt) has stepped in with the nine-figure funding necessary to repair and renovate the property. So unlike all previous plans, imo this one has the legs to get the job done.
Also worth noting imo, nearly all of auntiemaria's claims made in this thread have proven false. There was in fact no need to tear down much of anything at Coco Palms. If you caught the redevelopment map shown in the video on the page I referenced, only a few and relatively minor buildings are being torn down and rebuilt. The rest are either being renovated or simply repaired. It's basically fantastic news to lovers of the original resort.
Also worth noting imo, nearly all of auntiemaria's claims made in this thread have proven false. There was in fact no need to tear down much of anything at Coco Palms. If you caught the redevelopment map shown in the video on the page I referenced, only a few and relatively minor buildings are being torn down and rebuilt. The rest are either being renovated or simply repaired. It's basically fantastic news to lovers of the original resort.
http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/conten...co-palms-hotel
If any of you are on Facebook, check out a Bob Kauai Japser's FB page.
He has been giving tours of it for the past few years. We finally took the tour about 3 trips ago was VERY glad we did before they began.
You could tell how much he loved the place...and he did a mean Elvis impersonation!
His last tour was about 2 mos ago when they started to finally begin the project and it might not be safe to take small groups thru there anymore..
It looked like the only thing holding many parts of the place together/up were termites holding hands or petrified gull poop.
I still don't think we'll see the reopening in our lifetime.
Kind of hoping so because the traffic is already bad enough thru that area and I could just see some newbie going over the Wailua Riv Bridge in the right hand lane and STOP to try and get into the Left Turn Lane to get to the entrance.
I did hear they were trying to make 2 or 3 different entrances into the property, but....
If any of you are on Facebook, check out a Bob Kauai Japser's FB page.
He has been giving tours of it for the past few years. We finally took the tour about 3 trips ago was VERY glad we did before they began.
You could tell how much he loved the place...and he did a mean Elvis impersonation!
His last tour was about 2 mos ago when they started to finally begin the project and it might not be safe to take small groups thru there anymore..
It looked like the only thing holding many parts of the place together/up were termites holding hands or petrified gull poop.
I still don't think we'll see the reopening in our lifetime.
Kind of hoping so because the traffic is already bad enough thru that area and I could just see some newbie going over the Wailua Riv Bridge in the right hand lane and STOP to try and get into the Left Turn Lane to get to the entrance.
I did hear they were trying to make 2 or 3 different entrances into the property, but....
