Development / Self-described pragmatists, who favor looking forward instead of back, tend to be skeptical of those ever-vocal members of our community who set out to save the crumbling, peeling, faded remnants of what once vibrantly surrounded us.

Be it in the name of a rusted carriage from the Hawaii Consolidated Railroad–never rebuilt after sustaining damage in the 1946 tsunami–or the Beaux Arts behemoth Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial–closed to the public due to safety concerns since 1979–historic preservationists, it’s often complained, are tireless romantics with their priorities out of whack. Nevermind, the preservationists will fire back, that their efforts stopped treasures like ‘Iolani Palace and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel from being demolished and converted into parking lots. And around and around it goes.

When it comes to determining what to keep and what to leave behind, Hawaii residents have been treated to some of the most vocal, outrageous and in some cases downright uncivilized public battles around.

So when the eighth annual Historic Preservationist Awareness Day took place on the third floor of the State Capitol Monday morning, the Weekly sought to find some middle ground. If preservationists aren’t as indiscriminate and nostalgia-sick as their critics make them out to be (and since their critics weren’t there, we couldn’t pick on them), we’d like to know: What in Hawaii wouldn’t they mind seeing on the receiving end of a bulldozer? Here’s what they told us.

Tina Aiu, Trust for Public Land Intern

“When it rains a lot on Kauai, the rivers flood and everybody gets stuck on either side of the Hanalei Bridge. That bridge should get torn down and they should build another because it’s been sitting there forever. Plus, it looks pretty unsafe. I’m afraid to drive on it!”

Lisa Barton, Laupahoehoe Train Museum

“If they took down this building [the State Capitol], I wouldn’t be that sad. I mean, it’s got nice lanai but they don’t even call them lanai, they call it the mezzanine. Architecturally, it’s interesting, but it doesn’t say ‘Hawaii.’ I wish it did.”

Jan Tucker, Malama o Manoa

“The McMansions along Kahala Avenue. You know, things that are not sensitive to the natural environment or compatible with the existing neighborhoods.”

Kiersten Faulkner, Historic Hawaii Foundation Executive Director

“On Preservation Awareness Day [laughs], you’re asking people what they wouldn’t mind losing? You know, it’s an interesting question, but I have to think about it. What is it OK that we don’t see anymore?”

Leigh Marcello, Waimea Valley Cultural Program Specialist

“Wow, there’s a lot I could say but I have to be nice I guess. I would want to get rid of a lot of the myths about the Hawaiian culture. A lot of people, when they think Waimea Falls, they’re thinking, ‘Cliff divers! Hula shows!’ But we don’t do that anymore. Waimea is primarily a botanical collection, and in the midst of that we have cultural sites.”

Kai Markell, Office of Hawaiian Affairs

“The only problem with telling you is whatever I choose ends up offending somebody. We focus a lot on Native Hawaiian and pre-contact, and we may not always get as excited about old buildings and old theaters, but there still are people who do. When I drive by and see some new condo or car dealer and that building’s gone, you keep feeling less and less like you are at the place where you were before.”

Jill Radke, Historic Hawaii Foundation Director of Development

“Mine’s Kukui Tower. That thing is not distinctive, it blocks views, it just doesn’t add anything to the skyline. Oh wait, it’s a tie! At the corner at Iwilei and King, they demolished a whole block of Chinatown and built this big condo thing.”

Laura O’Rourke, Army Garrison Cultural Resources Program Manager

“I’m an archaeologist by training so, in theory, we would want everything preserved in perpetuity. I never like to see anything torn down. But archaeology is actually destructive. So whenever you excavate something, you’re–on some level–destroying it.”

Jacquelyn Pacheco, Bishop Museum Archaeology Volunteer

“How about all of Waikiki? I think it was nicer when it was taro fields.”

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