Aloha Tower Observation Deck Is Closed Indefinitely For Repairs
The popular tourist attraction closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. But DOT’s Harbors Division has a list of renovations to address before reopening the site.
Ken Kroehler, a 73-year-old blogger who’s lived in Hawaii for the past 34 years, has fond memories of taking in the panoramic views of Honolulu Harbor from the breezy 10th-floor observation deck of Aloha Tower. But he worries other visitors may never have the same chance.
As the retired lighthouse approaches its 100 year anniversary in 2026, Kroehler is pushing for the state Department of Transportation鈥檚 Harbors Division to reopen the iconic observation deck that it closed to the public during the Covid-19 pandemic due to social-distancing guidelines.
鈥淎loha Tower used to meet and greet visitors from around the world,鈥 Kroehler said. 鈥淚 want others to close their eyes up there and imagine the old hustle and bustle down on the piers.鈥
But DOT can’t say when it will reopen the observation deck to the public.
The department is seeking bids to repair the elevator up to the observation deck as well as offering a $2.3 million contract to replace the tower鈥檚 fire suppression system, says DOT spokeswoman Shelly Kunishige. And that鈥檚 not all.
The department is asking for federal funds to support the cost for necessary renovations to the observation deck itself and the tower鈥檚 exterior. The deck will remain closed until these renovations are complete, Kunishige said. She did not specify when the structural issues were identified or what type of work needs to be done to address them.
Work is scheduled to start this fall and all floors of the tower will be closed during construction. Hawaii Pacific University, the state鈥檚 largest private university, leases Aloha Tower Marketplace and has on the marketplace’s second and third floors.
The need for renovations was news to some of HPU鈥檚 faculty. History professor Douglas Askman, who wrote about the tower’s for the university website, was not aware that the observation deck needed renovations. The last thing he heard is that the lookout closed during the pandemic.
鈥淣ot sure what the hold up is,鈥 he said.
He hopes DOT鈥檚 renovations and construction projects will be complete by the time of the tower鈥檚 centennial anniversary in two years. He says the observation deck was the main draw to attract visitors to the retail shops and restaurants in Aloha Tower Marketplace, which is still recovering from the economic effects of the pandemic.
When Gov. David Ige issued a stay-at-home order back in 2020, all in-person learning at HPU stopped and the non-essential stores in the lower levels of the marketplace were shut down. This led to a steep decline in rental income and parking revenue for HPU, according to a by Aloha Tower Development Corp., a quasi-independent state agency that manages the property.
鈥淢y personal interest is to get the tower up and running,鈥 Kroehler said. 鈥淚 think Aloha Tower Marketplace would appreciate it. It would draw more traffic. It鈥檚 a win-win.鈥
