HONOLULU
Hawaii's historic Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, can push ahead with building a controversial, 26-story tower fronting Waikiki Beach, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser and Pacific Business News.
The oceanfront resort, which opened in 1901, has for years wanted to replace an eight-story wing with a high-rise tower. But the owner's plan been challenged by local groups that didn't want to see the beach blocked, the Star Advertiser said.
Honolulu's zoning board, however, has upheld the 2010 approval by the city's planning and permitting department. That means owner Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts can move forward with the expansion plan, the story says.
The battle may not yet be over though. A lawyer representing the opponents — Hawaii's Thousand Friends, the Ka Iwi Coalition, the Surfrider Foundation and KAHEA: The Hawaiian-environmental Alliance — vowed to appeal the recent decision.
