Multiple outlets are marking the third anniversary of the August 8, 2023 Lahaina wildfire with coverage of a significant milestone: Front Street has officially reopened to vehicles and the public. While the reopening signals progress, commercial rebuilding remains deeply stalled, with not a single building permit yet issued for destroyed Front Street businesses.
- Front Street in Lahaina officially reopened to cars and pedestrians, nearly three years after the August 8, 2023 wildfire destroyed much of the historic town.
- As of the third anniversary, not one commercial building permit has been issued for properties destroyed on Front Street.
- The first commercial building permit is expected imminently for 612 Front Street, which previously housed Pacific Whale Foundation, Maui Hands Art Gallery, and other tenants, according to property manager Ryan Churchill of Pacific Rim Land. (Maui Now)
- Fourth-generation landowner Allison Herzog, whose family owned 714 Front Street since the 1960s, said navigating the permitting maze has been frustrating but her family is committed to rebuilding as historically accurately as possible. (Maui Now)
- Rebuilding is complicated by overlapping federal, state, and county codes β including special management area rules due to coastal proximity and known concentrations of iwi kΕ«puna (ancestral remains).
- Front Street Fresh became the first food truck to operate in the area following the reopening. (KITV)
- A ‘rediscovering’ ceremony was held for the Lahaina Shores Beach Resort, attended by State Sen. Angus McKelvey and Maui County Council member Tamara Paltin. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
- Many Lahaina fire survivors are still waiting for permanent housing three years after the disaster. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
- The nonprofit Samaritan’s Purse completed at least one rebuilt home for a fire survivor on their original lot. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
Sources
- Maui Now: 3 years after the Lahaina fire, rebuilding Front Street no longer on the backburner
- Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Three years later, many Lahaina fire survivors are still waiting for a home
- KITV: Lahaina’s Front Street has officially reopened to the public, creating an emotional yet hopeful look into the future
Share this article
