Over three decades ago Japanese developer Omori had the foresight to buy the Baldwin Packers Cannery in Lahaina and convert it into the first air-conditioned shopping center on Maui.

With similar out-of-the-box thinking, the County of Maui could buy the enormous warehouse that HC&S used to store bagasse that was used to run its electric-producing generators. The county could then enter into a partnership with a private developer to build affordable housing within the warehouse. It could also house state and county offices that provide numerous medical, dental and educational services to the homeless, together with vocational, agricultural and other job-training programs.

As for employment opportunities, there are many big-box retailers within a half-mile radius of the warehouse. The tenants would be able to walk to their jobs.

As for transportation, the Maui Bus that services Paia and Upcountry Maui can have a stop there. (The tenants can be given special subsidized bus fare cards.)

Although an agricultural company may be interested in buying all the machinery that’s in the mill, I seriously doubt that it would be interested in buying the warehouse and transporting it to anywhere in the world.

Because of the growing problems of homelessness, drug addiction and lack of treatment facilities, I hope our elected officials will give serious consideration to developing the HC&S warehouse into a one-stop center for the problems mentioned in this letter.

William “Bill” Kinaka

Wailuku