11 Most Endangered

Submitted by Paxman at: September 5, 2009
From Maui or Oahu, you can see Lanai and Molokai beckoning. That's what islands do best. In 1965, when I was 14, my family answered the call. We lived in Honolulu at the time and my dad bought a little 21 foot sailboat with a tiny cabin. Due to scheduling problems, I had to fly to Lanai the day after Dad and two siblings started the passage. The plane was a DC-3 and almost made pineapple juice, the runway was so short! The intrepid sailors had met bad weather and would not arrive till the next morning. I had no money, no place to spend the night. Somehow, this came to the attention of the only law officer around. He took me to the only place that served food and treated me to the best bowl of noodles I have ever had. He let me spend the night in the empty jail. The next morning he drove me to the harbor to meet my soaked but not discouraged family. We were even given several pineapples to enjoy over the next week as we sailed our way to the other islands and back to Oahu. As long as I am alive, the memory is preserved. I would hope that the place is also saved as much as possible as it was. My "night in jail" was so perfect, I have refused to stay in any other. Aloha nui.

Submitted by JoJo at: August 23, 2009
My husband and I honeymooned here. It was spectacular, and so different from our life in Manhattan, NYC. What world-class resorts - yet so private and secluded. It was also the best Chruch experience we have had! Don't demolish what is there - just promote it! Get more tourists.

Submitted by BCE at: August 21, 2009
I grew up going to Hawaii starting in the early 1970's. It wasn't until a few years ago that I had the incredible pleasure of seeing Lanai. It is one of the few places left that is the "real" Hawaii and it should be protected as such. Whenever anyone asks me about Hawaii, I always encourage them to take a boat trip over to L'anai to see what old Hawaii was all about. Please don't turn this into another huge resort... there are plenty of those on the Islands already! Mahalo

Submitted by Kamaaina at: August 12, 2009
If anything is to be changed let it be the worn down homes with the tin fences. Other than that Lanai is a beautiful and wonderful place to live. Our beaches are the best, the folks the friendliest, and our old folks are treasures. We used to be the largest pineapple plantation in the world until Dole Co. became Castle and Cook and so came Mr. Mudock and out went the pineapple. What else are we to loose? Heaven help us if we get a large supermarket. Will Burger King be next?

Submitted by Anonymous at: July 29, 2009
Please leave Lanai City the treasure it is. The larger grocery store, modern buildings, etc. can go nearer the modern resorts. If preservation on buildings in the "old city" need to be done - then do it - but please keep the charm. Too many of these places have been demolished in the name of progerss. Many people are now trying to get back to this way of life and all over America town/cities are investing on renovating and bringing back their "downtown or uptown" areas to make them the places where tourist and locals alike want to be - a revival of the past, My own town has renovated the old, vacant movie theater and brought it back to life for not only movies but local plays, musical events or anything else deemed appropriate for the stage/theater. A building next door is to become an elegant "reception hall" in conjunction with theater events or stand-alone events. Other buildings have had major face lifts. Open space has been turned into a beautiful farmers' market/parking lot for an upscale resturant-once a furniture factory; a beautiful park with covered stage for outdoor activities including weddings, musical events, local group events, etc.; convenient, safe parking areas. What an improvement in the last 10 years with more to come. It is wonderful to go through this area any night of the week and see people out walking, gathering in the public areas, visiting one of the little coffee/wine shops, etc. SAVE LANAI CITY!!!!

Submitted by Respectful Visitor at: July 9, 2009
Why must we destroy one of the most pristine parts of Hawaiian culture and life? Lana'i City is a treasure, preserving for those of us who visit it an idea of what the island had been like in the past. We have taken enough away from the original inhabitants already. My husband and I spent several days at the small inn in Lana'i City; what a beautiful place. We enjoyed talking story to a senior citizen of Lana'i..... a former teacher..... who resides on the island. We met her on the square at an arts/crafts place. The square is unique. To raze some of the buildings in order to put in a supermarket or other structure calls to mind some of the songs by Iz. What would the elders think if they could see these changes in Hawai'i?

Submitted by Hamakuapoko at: June 29, 2009
The video narration says that Lanai is a 141 ACRE island.

Submitted by green eggs at: June 18, 2009
i agree with elizabeth build it somewhere else

Submitted by Elizabeth Anderson at: June 15, 2009
Lana`i City is not only an intact plantation town, it is also uniquely American among plantation towns, surveyed and platted on a grid. Scale is tremendously important. The proposed development cannot help but severely damage the unique character of the town. If the island needs a large grocery store and parking lot, put it outside of town. Use a conditional use permit process or change the zoning. Support the use of the Lana`i City Design Guidelines or consistent form in development review.

Submitted by Fartinator at: June 12, 2009
Lanai City is cool!!!!