A plan to redevelop downtown Honolulu to
reduce crime and spark economic activity may include the use of the narrow, city-owned roadway named Chaplain Lane.
A Honolulu City Council measure, Bill 48, initially sought to convert a 200-foot stretch of that thoroughfare into Chaplain Lane Mall — a non-vehicle, pedestrian-
friendly spot in the busy downtown area. But that same Council bill now seeks to incorporate the lane into Fort Street Mall itself, to allow for things like sidewalk dining and more community events.
Introduced in June by Council member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, Bill 48’s latest committee draft would “expand Fort Street Mall to include the segment of South Pauahi Street beginning from the intersection of Fort Street and South Pauahi Street and ending at northwestern property line … and that segment of Chaplain Lane beginning from the intersection of Fort Street and Chaplain Lane and ending at the northwestern property line.”
Bounded by Nuuanu Avenue, and South Beretania, Bethel, and South Pauahi streets, Chaplain Lane, on its mauka end, is commonly used by Hawaii Pacific University students for the parking of mopeds, adjacent to the school’s downtown science laboratories at 1042 Fort Street Mall.
The lane’s makai side is occupied by a paid parking lot, Mark’s Garage, at 22 S. Pauahi St.
During the Council’s Zoning Committee meeting Thursday, Dos Santos- Tam said the inclusion of Chaplain Lane into Fort Street Mall makes sense not only for pedestrian foot traffic but to avert the required city rules to create a new city mall.
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“Instead of creating a whole new mall, which would have its own rules and its own complications, it would simply expand the existing Fort Street Mall by about
150 feet or so on Chaplain Lane,” Dos Santos-Tam said. “And also talk about the existing cobblestone part of Pauahi Street, and cover that under the existing Fort Street Mall rules.
“I think that’s a lot simpler,” he added.
Dos Santos-Tam said “the other issue is, for many, many years, we’ve had very prescriptive rules about
vehicular traffic including bicycles.”
To that end, Bill 48’s latest version amends city laws to allow the use of bicycles on Fort Street Mall at a speed no greater than 10 mph, and prohibit engaging in dangerous behavior while on a bicycle on Fort Street Mall.
Likewise, the bill would require the same restrictions at College Walk and River Street malls near Nuuanu Stream.
Still, some Fort Street Mall neighbors expressed concern over Bill 48’s expansion plan — namely, the Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii.
In written testimony to the zoning committee, Catholic Church representative Kekoa McClellan asserted, “The Church is a long-
standing stakeholder in Downtown Honolulu, owning several key parcels along and adjacent to the Fort Street Mall that serve as vital centers for worship, community service, and local commerce.
“We appreciate the city’s efforts to revitalize the Downtown/Chinatown corridor and clarify the usage of Chaplain Lane and Pauahi Street,” he wrote. “We offer the following comments and specific amendments to ensure that these changes do not inadvertently impede the essential operations and legal access requirements
of the church’s historic properties.”
That access includes The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace at 1184 Bishop St., which is often accessed via 1175 Fort Street Mall. But McClellan stated the church had “significant concerns regarding the physical capacity of Chaplain Lane.”
“While we support the inclusion of moped and bicycle parking, the lane is extremely narrow,” he wrote. “Even a compact pickup truck faces significant difficulty navigating the lane when these racks are occupied.
“Furthermore, if businesses at 55 Chaplain Lane utilize the area for outdoor dining, vehicular through-
access — including for essential services like FedEx, UPS, and emergency vehicles — becomes physically impossible,” McClellan wrote. “The city must clarify how legal access is maintained during allowable hours if the thoroughfare is obstructed by permitted commercial activity.”
He also noted the church “requires the ability to load and unload passengers and materials for significant life events — including weddings, funerals, and other special liturgical services — at its various Downtown
facilities.”
McClellan suggested “technical amendments” relating to the direction of vehicle travel as well as the ingress and egress in and around the Fort Street Mall area, offered by the church “to protect the functional needs of our parishioners and the long-term viability of our properties.”
Others, like real estate
development firm Avalon Group, supported Bill 48.
“The inclusion of Chaplain Lane within the pedestrian mall system improves mid-block connectivity between Fort Street Mall and Bethel Street while maintaining appropriate access to serve adjacent properties,” the company wrote in its testimony for the meeting. “This supports walkability and consistency downtown without creating unintended access constraints or
operational challenges.”
Roger Morton, the city Department of Transportation Services director, also testified in support of Bill 48’s newly proposed amendments.
“In general, we think this is a practical approach,” he said. “We think that it’s our intent to have the malls become more vibrant, and more a part of daily life in downtown.”
Morton noted Chaplain Lane “is a small addition”
to Fort Street Mall. “We’re in favor of the general principle of incorporating that,” he added.
In response, Zoning Committee Chair Esther Kia‘aina asked Morton whether he or DTS staff had reviewed specific concerns brought by the Catholic Church over proposed changes to Fort Street Mall.
“I just heard it today,” Morton replied. “But I’ve not had a chance to review it in detail.”
Although she had further questions on this project, Kia‘aina said that in light of the testimony from the Catholic Church and DTS she’d recommend deferring Bill 48.
Dos Santos-Tam agreed that further work and discussions over expanding Fort Street Mall via his measure needed to be pursued.
Ultimately, Kia‘aina postponed action on Bill 48 to a date to be determined. “To give the chair and members of this committee the opportunity to address the issues that have been raised,” she added.
Previously, Dos Santos-
Tam said Bill 48 was “part of a larger effort to revitalize downtown and compliments what we’ve already accomplished like making outdoor dining permanent, streamlining office to residential conversions, and establishing the Downtown Honolulu Business Improvement
District.”