What to do with Coco Palms?

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What to do with Coco Palms?

its scheduled for a D9 remodel and I think condemmed by the county /state

What to do with Coco Palms?

I took the survey. Thanks for that link.

I just want it bulldozed. It looks horrible. Whatever they decide to do later is fine but tear it down.

Maybe I%26#39;m just too sentimental, but I do hope they are able to do something to retain the history and culture of what it used to be. The buildings definitely need to come down...they are rat-infested and simply not safe at this point. I would hate to see the area just become barren land.

David Penhallow wrote in Friday%26#39;s (4-24-09) Garden Island News letters the following:

';Coco Palms in decay

The owners of Coco Palms have not been good custodians, and it has become a metaphor of decay. The Planning Commission should deny the permit extension.

I believe that if Mrs. Guslander was alive today and in charge of the grounds, the lagoons and the coconut grove would be in pristine condition. There was an innate sense of responsibility of the people who live on this island that they take care of Kaua鈥榠, especially the sacred and historical area of Wailua where the Coco Palms is situated.

This is my vision: Turn the Coco Palms site into a park.

What I would do with this park is restore the Elvis Presley cottage (King鈥檚 Cottage) and other selected rooms as museum pieces. I would restore the restaurant on the grounds. All of the revenue collected to visit the site would go to maintain the park. I would bring Mrs. Guslander鈥檚 museum back to Coco Palms, which is now held in trust at the Kaua鈥榠 Historical Society. Have KHS headquartered there and curate the museum. I would have the Queen鈥檚 Audience Hall restored for meetings, Hawaiian classes, banquets, etcetera. I would open up the Seashell Restaurant across the street with an overpass.

I believe that the idea of hotels and condominiums have come and gone on the Coco Palms grounds. The land at Coco Palms needs to breathe again.

What I foresee is Santa Claus in a canoe coming down the lagoon at Christmas as before. The Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunt for the children once again a yearly tradition. The Lion鈥檚 Club contest fishing for tilapia for the children of Kaua鈥榠. The Queen Deborah Kapule celebration in August. The torch lighting and tree planting ceremony. The same events as when Mrs. Guslander lived at Coco Palms.

I would charge for the events so as to maintain the site. Coco Palms could be known around the world as a unique spot for people to come and visit where the spirit of Hawai鈥榠 still lives.

Kaua鈥榠 has always been known as the separate kingdom. This island and its people have always been different and independent. We need to own and cherish our specialness. We need to be proud that we are privileged to live on the Garden Island.

The Wailua area is probably the most sacred spot in all the Hawaiian Islands. There are seven heiau that go all the way up to Mt. Waialeale. And, we need to honor and protect our ancient heritage.

I believe that the time for a hotel 鈥?a big, cement edifice fronting the ocean 鈥?is gone. I see a return to traditions. Larry Rivera will still have his weddings; on Elvis Presley鈥檚 birthday, Larry can recreate Elvis in Blue Hawaii coming down the lagoon in a canoe.

Knowing how Elvis is connected to Hawai鈥榠 and Kaua鈥榠, it could become a known worldwide event on this island. The bottom line: having Coco Palms as a park using part of it for authentic Hawaiian traditions and another part as Grace Guslander鈥檚 vision, I believe, would bring in a constant source of revenue to our island and steady employment for our local residents.

It is visionary idea that includes everyone who loves and lives on Kauai and also includes everyone who visits our island yearly as our guests. A park concept is not an exclusive concept; it is an inclusive concept. It is a concept of aloha.';

David Penhallow, Lihu鈥榚

I agree with jebett. It is such an eye sore right now.

The park idea expressed above sounds like a great concept, at least in theory. The question is whether or not it would be economically feasible and would sustain itself in the long run. If so, then I love the idea. I know Grace Guslander died in 2000, and was living in Wailua at the time. I wonder what her thoughts were during the 8 years after Iniki, when the resort was sitting empty. I know the insurance settlement was severely tired up and there was nothing she could do.

In the survey what David wants I want. I would like to see a large community center where wedding could take place plus have local activities. I%26#39;d like to see it become a beautiful park. A museum is a great idea. Maybe Priscilla Presley wants to get involved. Anyone know her???

Whatever it becomes, the condo idea didn%26#39;t work. A hotel? Maybe a B and B or boutiquey hotel on the grounds, but a big hotel. We can%26#39;t fill up what we%26#39;ve got.

I wouldn%26#39;t give the developer an extension either. He%26#39;s had over a decade to figure this out. If that was my kid he would have had the keys to his car taken away long ago. That developer is on restriction in my book. No more chances. He blew it.

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

I agree 150% with everything David Penhallow (who wrote the ';Coco Palms'; book as well as ';After the Ball'; and ';The Betrayers';) said - I read that in our editorial section of the paper this morning and actually cut it out and put it inside the front cover to my ';Coco Palms'; book that he wrote. It will be interesting to see what actually happens, but I thought it would be nice to have his vision inside the book.

Ditto, ditto, ditto -- David - bravo!

Malama Pono,

Janet

I have the book next to my bed and have been doing a lot of reading again the past week. Clearly there is no way to completely replicate the resort to its pre-Iniki form, but the park concept sounds more and more appealing to me. I%26#39;m just a big sucker for nostalgia. I just wish I had stayed there back when I first visited the island in the late 80s.

Ought to do something with those clam shell sinks. Those are such a vivid memory for me.