Senate budget would provide $500,000 for Hui No'eau

The Maui News
Thursday, April 07, 2005

By BRIAN PERRY, Assistant City Editor

HONOLULU – A $500,000 appropriation to help the Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center purchase Kaluanui has been included in the Senate version of the state budget, according to state Sen. J. Kalani English.

The funds would come from a state general obligation bond and be applied to the cost of purchasing the property at 2841 Baldwin Ave., the former Ethel Baldwin Estate and the home the hui has occupied for three decades.

The state money would be added to approximately $4 million the hui has raised so far through a capital campaign.

"This appropriation is a key element of the capital improvement projects requests I have made for the sixth Senate district this year," English said. "These funds will help the people of Maui retain one of our community's cultural treasures. The outpouring of support from private donors has helped persuade my colleagues that this is a worthy project."

In early March, the hui opened escrow to purchase Kaluanui after a successful capital campaign that raised enough to purchase the historic property that has served as its home. But the campaign was $1.5 million short of its fund-raising goal of $5 million to provide an escrow fund for maintaining the home.

At the time, David Cole, chairman of landowner Maui Land & Pineapple Co., said he thought the sale with the hui could close as early as May 1.

The hui had had an option to buy the property for a decade, but previous boards never acted on it. ML&P had granted a long-term lease on the property for $100 per year, with 10 years remaining on the lease.

But ML&P, facing its own financial challenges, received an offer for the property, and, in December, announced that Janet Zand and Michael Marcus of Austin, Texas, had agreed to buy Kaluanui, its 10 acres and another 14 acres of adjoining agricultural land.

The notice of the sale led to an outcry from hui members and supporters, who said they didn't want to lose the historic home. In an agreement mediated by Mayor Alan Arakawa, Zand and Marcus said they would withdraw from the purchase if the hui could raise the purchase price and if they could find another appropriate residence.

On Wednesday, hui Executive Director John Lofgren said the fund-raising thus far had put together $4 million.

"We've been very fortunate, but it's been a lot of hard work," he said.

Lofgren said the $500,000 appropriation in the Senate budget came as welcome news, and he credited English with taking the initiative to get the money inserted into the state budget.

"I can't tell you how delighted we all are," he said. "Grass-roots support for Hui No'eau has been tremendous. This is a major step to make sure people will always be able to enjoy this wonderful property."

Lofgren said he understands it's only a first step toward having a $500,000 appropriation included in the budget.

"At least we're in the Senate version," he said, adding that he understands there's also support for the appropriation in the House of Representatives and from Gov. Linda Lingle.

"It's absolutely a one-shot opportunity for the state to show their support," Lofgren said. But "we cannot shout 'hurray' yet. There are many, many steps yet, but the initial feeling is that it looks very favorable."

If the state appropriation does become a reality, Lofgren said the hui still would be $500,000 short of its $5 million goal.

He said an anonymous donor had issued a challenge to hui members that if all members donate something, even as little as a dollar, then the benefactor would contribute $250,000 to the hui.

Lofgren said the hui has 1,000 members and 600 so far have donated some money toward purchasing the Kaluanui property.

There's "another 400 or so we need to try to reach before the end of the month," he said.

Brian Perry can be reached at bperry@:mauinews.com.

Copyright © 2005 The Maui News

Original article: http://www.mauinews.com/print_version.aspx?id=7654

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