Community Planning Set for Pioneer Mill Company Office Building

Lahaina Restoration Foundation is inviting the public to participate in community planning sessions to determine uses for the Pioneer Mill Company Office building on Lahainaluna Road.

The two story cement building, next to the West Maui Senior Center, has stood empty since the mill closed in 1999.

Although the building needs a full restoration before it can be used, the focus of these meetings will be on how the community wants to use the building once it is restored. The meetings will include the history of the building, and an explanation of existing regulations.

The building and the surrounding property belong to the County of Maui and the community has long expressed a desire to see the building used, according to the Lahaina Restoration Association. Planning Consultants Hawaiʻi, LLC will lead the planning process.

The meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, April 21 at 5:30 p.m. and on Saturday, May 8 at 2 p.m. The public can access the meeting via phone by calling 1-669-900-9128 or by computer.

Comments and ideas can also be emailed. To get a link to join the Zoom meeting by computer, or to send in comments use this email: [email protected]. The Zoom meeting is limited to 100 people.

“There are some constraints that the community needs to keep in mind when they think about how the building should be used,” said Theo Morrison, executive director of Lahaina Restoration Foundation.

The building needs to be self-funding after it is restored. Revenue could be generated through rental income or some other means to pay for electricity, the cleaning of the common areas, repairs, maintenance, and capital improvements. Planning for a combination of both for-profit and nonprofit uses is one way to achieve this. Space for parking is also a concern, and the needs of the senior center next door and the neighbors need to be taken into consideration.

“Despite these constraints, these planning meetings will give the community a voice in the future of this historic building,” said Morrison. “I encourage everyone to attend or send in comments.”