LAHAINA – Lahaina Cannery Mall plans to expand with two free-standing buildings along Kahoma Stream.
Warren Freeland, a senior associate at mall management company CB Richard Ellis, said the goal is to turn the mall into “a one-stop shopping center” for the west side.The mall, opened in 1987, is anchored by a Longs Drugs store and a Safeway.
Freeland said a two-story building is planned near the entrance at Honoapiilani Highway next to the stream.
The first floor, of about 10,000 square feet, would likely be home to “lifestyle apparel” businesses. The second floor, of 6,000 square feet, is designed for a restaurant. It would have two lanai dining areas, with views of the ocean and of the mountains.
“I think the West Maui Mountains are underrated” as scenery, said Freeland.
The second building, slightly larger, would wrap around and screen a small building near Longs that houses utilities.
This is targeted for a bank, retail shops and perhaps a restaurant, with offices on a 5,500-square-foot second floor.
The design of both would mimic the 120,000-square-foot mall, which was built to look like a pineapple cannery.
When Hawaii Omori Inc. developed the shopping center, the first idea was to reuse the Baldwin Packers cannery. When that proved impractical, the distinctive corrugated style and factory-like open conduits inside were adopted for the design.
In 2004, the cannery and three other Omori properties nearby were purchased by the Gianulias family of Sacramento.
Freeland says the longer-range goal is to manage all the properties “as one destination.” The expansion will be on two of the lots, and the fourth property is the “Cannery Commercial” area along the shore that is home to several businesses, such as Old Lahaina Luau and Aloha Mixed Plate.
The luau uses an unpaved lot mauka of Front Street as overflow parking. This would be paved as part of the mall expansion.
In total, the mall’s 620 parking stalls would increase to 855.
Parking and access have always been key attractions for the mall, said Freeland. With traffic signals at either corner of the property on Honoapiilani Highway, access has been easy.
With a new “lifestyle center” to be called Lahaina Gateway under construction by another property owner mauka of Honoapiilani Highway, Freeland said there is some expectation that the mall area could become the center of local commercial activity for West Maui.
The Lahaina Cannery Mall is for both tourists and residents, he said, although at any time there will be more tourists.
Today, the mall is almost full. Only three spaces are unleased, and two of those are in negotiations. The most recent large addition was E&O Trading Co. restaurant.
When the Gianulias family took over, Freeland said, a lot of the existing tenants had been on month-to-month leases with Omori. Within the next year or so, at least 17 businesses renewed, but there was some turnover. However, besides the anchors Longs and Safeway, the mall has a number of original tenants such as Compadres Bar & Grill.
The project will require a special management area permit. The public hearing before the Maui Planning Commission is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 27 in the Planning Department conference room in Wailuku.
Harry Eagar can be reached at heagar@mauinews.com.
