Hawaii County officials have issued strict removal orders and mounting daily fines to two property owners whose downtown Hilo buildings were destroyed by a fire late last year.
Demolition Orders and Stiff Penalties for Property Owners
The enforcement action targets properties that have sat in ruins since a late-year blaze leveled several downtown structures. Letters dispatched in mid-September by the Hawaii County Department of Public Works put the owners on notice that the charred remnants are legally classified as unsafe structures.
Aaron J. Spielman, the chief of the DPW Building Division, sent official notices on Sept. 16 to Emilia Wagner-Prekaski and Lynne Kushi. Days later on Sept. 18, Alan Keone Thompson, chief of the DPW Engineering Division, issued additional citations to Wagner-Prekaski.
Wagner-Prekaski holds the titles to two of the destroyed commercial sites located at 193 Kinoole St. and 207 Kinoole St., alongside a small, vacant parcel at 144 Haili St. Meanwhile, the Lynne K. Kushi Trust retains ownership of the severely damaged property at 140 Haili St.
Before the fire, these parcels supported two-story commercial spaces featuring ground-floor businesses topped by residential apartments. Tax assessment records highlight the roots of the lost architecture. The structure at 193 Kinoole St., a gray wooden building accented with purple trim, dated back to 1941 and previously hosted a real estate office, Pinao Productions, and Grinds. The Goo Building next door at 207 Kinoole St., characterized by its gray wood and pink trim, was constructed in 1933 and once housed Avani Yoga alongside a dedicated massage studio. The third structure at 140 Haili St., built in 1931, formerly accommodated Kushi and Kushi Attorneys at Law as well as Olena’s Massage.
Landowners Face Deadlines to Clear Fire Debris
County inspectors who evaluated the properties in February concluded that the remaining fire debris poses an ongoing public safety hazard. Under the issued directives, landowners face a strict 60-day compliance window following receipt of the documents, which were delivered either by process servers or certified mail.
Owners must choose between entirely clearing away the fire debris or submitting a comprehensive mitigation report. This report must outline corrective measures already taken alongside proposed completion dates for obtaining demolition permits.
Failure to meet these demands triggers severe financial penalties. Noncompliant owners face fines of $1,000 per day for each unaddressed property. These cumulative penalties must be paid monthly via check to the County Director of Finance.
Beyond the structural debris, engineering officials flagged significant pedestrian safety and environmental hazards. Silt fencing installed around 193 Kinoole St. and 207 Kinoole St. unlawfully encroaches on the county right-of-way. Inspectors noted that temporary barriers fail to adequately protect pedestrians from falling from the sidewalk into the drop-off zone. County code mandates safety guards wherever public walkways sit adjacent to vertical drops exceeding 30 inches.
The undeveloped lot at 144 Haili St. and the 207 Kinoole St. parcel also drew citations for potential stormwater runoff. Under Hawaii County Code Section 10-24, owners are legally obligated to prevent silt and debris from washing into public roadways. Owners were given 30 calendar days to establish erosion and sediment controls at their own expense or reimburse the county for performing the remediation work.
Landowners retain the right to appeal the orders to the county Board of Appeals within 30 days of delivery. However, filing an appeal does not halt the ongoing enforcement requirements. Attempts by local reporters to reach the landowners for comment were unsuccessful.
