VIDEO: A fire that destroyed four buildings in Hilo overnight served as a reminder of the Lahaina fire that occurred over two years ago, as architects work to incorporate modern fire prevention measures into the rebuild Lahainaโs historic commercial district.
Parts of the Lahaina rebuild will restore tightly packed businesses made mostly of wood, but architects are building in modern fire prevention techniques to address safety concerns. Architect Glenn Mason, an expert on historic architecture, is working with several owners of commercial buildings on the mauka side of Front Street.
Mason said builders cannot reconstruct exactly as before. โYou canโt build back in exactly the same. You just you do need to comply with modern codes, which were written for very good reasons,โ Mason said. The county will allow buildings to be attached to one another and have features not allowed elsewhere, such as lanais or awnings over sidewalks, with one significant new requirement.
