Horng-Wei Chen November, 2011

    Then and Now of Historic Preservation Building a Place-Based Preservation Vision The Place That Was ‘Ewa Villages Preserving ‘Ewa Villages

  What makes a property or a site significant and thus worthy of preservation? Who decides this? And for whom should such a property or site be preserved?

What made ‘Ewa Villages worth saving? How was preservation done in ‘Ewa Villages?

  Emphasis on associative history relating to national identity formation Private sponsorship, such as Mount Vernon Lady’s Association, Daughters of Hawai‘i, and John D. Rockefeller Independence Hall, PA 1853 1813 Mount Vernon, VA 1900 Queen Emma Summer Palace, HI 1920s 1915 Colonial Williamsburg, VA

   Architectural aesthetics becoming a criteria in historic preservation near 20 th century Federal government started entering into the field of preservation From single historic buildings to entire historic district, using zoning regulations 1876 Philadelphia 1900 Paul Revere House, MA 1906 National Park Service 1920s Centennial Exposition 1905 Antiquities Act 1916 Colonial Williamsburg, VA Charleston Historic District, SC 1935 1931 Historic Sites Act

   Responding to government mega-projects, such as urban renewal and interstate highway National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1949 National Historic Preservation Act, 1966  Section 106 Review  Advisory Council on Historic Preservation  National Register of Historic Places  State Historic Preservation Offices

   Lack of community involvement  Architectural standards and historic significance vs. neighborhood ambiance and olden day’s anecdotes Indifference and lack of political will  Indifference regarding local history and disinterest in preservation Rigid/irrelevant preservation regulations

   Notable scholars: Edward Relph and Yi-Fu Tuan Key to the approach: finding the essence behind the human phenomenon, place “The essence of place lies in the largely unselfconscious intentionality that defines places as profound centers of human existence.” (Relph, 1976, p. 43)

 The increased placelessness, which is a weakening of place identities, causes people to have a hard time developing authentic connections with places; therefore…  Counter homogenizing forces that cause the destruction of unique local landscapes  Cultivate people’s identification with and care for places, developing an authentic sense of place

   Notable scholars: David Harvey and Doreen Massey Key to the approach: identifying the interacting social processes, such as capital, race, class, and gender, behind the social construct, place The meaning/definition of a place depends on one’s position of observation; places are thus “contested terrain of competing definitions”

 The powerful and resourceful few impose their interpretations and imaginations upon places while the rest has little or no control over their places; therefore…  Empower communities to tell their own stories of their places so different voices can be heard  Align place-construction visions and strategies with community concerns

Tenney Village Renton Village Varona Village

    Houses in the historic villages are single walled, wood-framed construction Foundation posts on concrete blocks raising floor above ground in case of flood Entry stoop or lanai, sliding or hung windows, and simple gable or hip roof Exterior color restricted to white, off white, rust, red slate, gray, and green

    Plantation Management Office (1935)  Designed by architect Hart Wood  Featuring Hawaiian style roof ‘Ewa Shopping Basket (1935)  Designed by architect William Furer  Now the Friendship Youth Center Plantation Manager’s House (1925)  A two-story, Colonial Revival house  Currently unoccupied and in a state of disrepair Mill Buildings (1890s – 1950s)  The mill was demolished in 1985

   Development of ‘Ewa Villages: Planter’s Perspective Ethnic and Labor Relation: Worker’s Perspective Life Stories around the Villages: Resident’s Perspective

   Campbell’s artesian wells and Dillingham’s rail line made sugar planting possible in ‘Ewa ‘Ewa Plantation Company (EPC) was founded in 1890, and W.J. Lowrie was the first plantation manager.

Lowrie led the company through the very difficult beginning, marked by mechanical problems affecting sugar yield and fluctuated sugar prices due to the overthrow of the Kingdom.

    George Renton, Sr. became manager in 1899.

In 1902, Renton installed a new mill, and the same year EPC was proclaimed the most productive sugar plantation in the world.

He also advocated importing married workers instead of single men, so the workforce would be more stable. In 1906, EPC was one of the first plantations to build houses on separate lots for workers with family.

   George Renton, Jr. succeeded as the third plantation manager in 1921.

He continued his father’s legacy and improved the living condition in ‘Ewa Villages, by building public facilities such as a new administration building, a new store, a new hospital, and a sport and recreation facility, Tenney Center.

By the end of 1929, the plantation was recorded to have a residential population of nearly 5,000.

 The divide-and-rule policy of worker segregation by nationality to prevent large union strike.

 The eight villages were ethnically-homogeneous camps. Ex. Fernandez Village and Varona Village were Filipino camps; Tenney Village was “Japanese Camp”; Renton Village was nicknamed “Haole Camp”.

 George Renton, Sr. stated, “If immigrants of various nationalities would come in until there are sufficient of them in the country to offset any one nationality, we would be better off”

  Surplus labors were imported as strikebreakers.

 After the 1909 Japanese strike, Filipino workers were imported to dilute the dominance of Japanese workers.

Dependence on the plantation system was used to control workers.

 Perquisites that could only be spent in the plantation store as part of the paycheck  Plantation operated housing, hospital, and school  During the 1920 strike, most of the Japanese workers in ‘Ewa Plantation were evicted

 The labor movements played a critical role in the improvement of living condition of plantation workers.

 The hosing and public facility improvement by Renton, Jr. was a response to the 1920 strike.

 After the 1946 sugar strike, worker housing was no longer a perquisite, but it became rental.

 Homeownership became achievable since then, as plantation management agreed to a pay raise for the first time.

   Memories and stories of residents who grew up in ‘Ewa Villages but not necessarily worked in the plantation, a view of worker descendants Since people who share this perspective spent their childhood in the Villages, they tend to have the strongest emotional attachment to the place and thus are the most enthusiastic in preservation efforts.

Seemingly trivial in its historic value, it relates well to former and current residents. Most of the submissions to FFE newsletter are of this perspective.

      ‘Ewa hospital, doctors, and nurses ‘Ewa School and the many events, such as May Day picnic at DPD (Paradise Cove) Harvest time in summer with bustling machinery all day ‘Ewa Carnival with variety of ethnic food and fun activities Annual lei-draping of the Lincoln statue in ‘Ewa School Sporting events and religious gatherings

  Friends For ‘Ewa (FFE) was founded in late 1980s by a few preservationists Its first community meeting in April 1989 successfully jumpstarted the preservation works among ‘Ewa residents.

 Petition letters stopped the City’s road-widening plan  The first Clean-up Day event brought the community together and demonstrated care for the Villages

 Subsequent FFE efforts include:  A survey gathering community concerns  ‘Ewa Improvement Project: tree-planting, removing abandoned vehicles, and another clean-up day  Monthly newsletter communicating FFE activities and sharing memories/stories/histories of old ‘Ewa  Neighborhood Watch program, responding to concerns over gang activities  Garnering supports from influential figures  Providing guided tours for interested people  Hosting the EPC centennial celebration, August 1990

  To avoid the complete displacement of residents in ‘Ewa Villages, the City and County condemned about 600 acres of the ‘Ewa land from Campbell Estate in 1993 The ‘Ewa Villages Revitalization Project was initially proposed as an affordable housing project, and preservation principles were added as a result of advocacy and community activism by FFE

      Administered by ‘Ewa Villages Nonprofit Development Corporation Batch rotation rehabilitation schedule New wiring and plumbing, reroofing with historic materials Boards, windows, and doors were repaired when necessary Exterior paints using historic color scheme Central culvert on streets to maintain narrower street width and avoid modern design features

   Existing residents, or tenants of record (TOR), were given loan subsidy and purchase priority for the rehabilitated and the new in-fill houses.

Unwilling to grant Special Design District status to ‘Ewa Villages, the City opted to control physical design in the Villages with a Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions (CC&Rs) scheme ‘Ewa Villages Homeowners’ Association administers the design guideline review process, which is overseen by the State Historic Preservation Division when exterior changes are proposed in the historic core area

   Plantation town historic characters maintained By 1999, 31% of TOR obtained homeownership within ‘Ewa Villages, while half of the residents remained as renters.

Golf Course removed Villages from flood zone     By 1999, 199 houses and lots remained unsold due to housing market plummet Financial deficit resulted in issuance of more ($43.5 million) municipal bonds in 1998 Housing official fraud, convicted of stealing $5.8 million City government sued for construction and rehabilitation defects

     ‘Ewa Villages is on the State Register of Historic Places, and has National Register eligibility Recognized as historic and cultural resources in current revision of ‘Ewa Development Plan ‘Ewa Villages Master Plan for the Revitalization Project will soon be updated Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) dissolved in 1998, and project responsibilities distributed to 11 City departments Old mill site cleared in 2002, and construction of new gym and other community park facilities is ongoing.

Preserving Perceived Space Sustaining Lived Space

Protecting Sense of Place at ‘Ewa Villages

Enhancing Conceived Space

Design Center • Non-profit organization; partnership with the City in start-up • Maintaining houses and landscape within ‘Ewa Villages • Supervising rehabilitation work when Revitalization Project resumes Preservation Shop • Collecting historic documents and old photos for local culture/history research • Conducting educational events such as workshop and guided tours • Operating gift shop selling related items Community Activities • Hosting annual preservation weekend • Continuing clean-up days and neighborhood watch program • Reinstating community activities such as ‘Ewa Carnival