Front Street
Drawing by Jerome

Weinberg Buys Big
On Front Street Lahaina

From Front Street Lahaina : Big land owner Harry Weinberg is even bigger now with the recent purchase of over an acre of land in downtown Lahaina.

Weinberg, the Honolulu wheeler-dealer who owns the Honolulu Rapid Transit bus system, bought the land at the corner of Front Street and Lahainaluna Road occupied by the Lahaina Market Place.

The Market Place corporation, however, retains its original 40-year lease on the front street Lahaina property. Business will continue as usual at the Market Place, according to owner Higgins Maddigan, and Weinberg's purchase is not expected to have any immediate effect on the tourist shopping and dining complex.

Weinberg's other Lahaina properties include the entire Lahaina Shopping Center and a large unused parcel of land across Papalaua Street from the shopping center.

According to plans announced earlier this year, Interisland Resorts expects to build a 470-room hotel on the empty property. The Maui Historic Commission in January gave its approval of the design of the one hotel building that will be within a historic district.

No timetable for construction has been announced. In January, it appeared that progress on the project hinged on final agreement of a lease between Weinberg and Interisland Resorts.

There also have been reports that Weinberg plans to construct new buildings at the rear of the Lahaina Shopping Center to be leased out as office space.

Weinberg's new property in downtown Lahaina was purchased from Ronald and Isao Kondo of Lahaina and their mother. The purchase price was not known. Ronald Kondo is a member of the state legislature, representing the Sixth District, which includes Lahaina.

As part of the transaction, Weinberg also bought a lease on the property held by Amfac Properties.

The 40-year sublease negotiated between Amfac and the Lahaina Market Place in 1966 remains in effect and will not be changed by Weinberg's purchase.