HONOLULU—The Honolulu Board of Water Supply is looking to develop its six-acre Beretania Street property in Downtown Honolulu to easy the rate-burden on users.

The semi-autonomous agency of the City and County of Honolulu has issued a request for proposals for the project, says the Honolulu Business Journal.

“We are evaluating the potential for our Beretania property to generate lease revenue to help pay for the operational and capital improvement needs of the water system,” BWS Board Chair Duane Miyashiro said in a statement. “However, any proposed development must prove to be economically beneficial to the BWS and the customers we serve before we pursue it.”

Operations at the Beretania Complex will continue to function during pre-construction and construction activities.

 “The BWS plans to retain its Beretania Pumping Station on this property, as well as maintain a customer service presence here,” Manager and Chief Engineer Ernest Lau said in a statement. “Not only is this area part of the Capital District, the civic center of government, but this site is a convenient and centralized location for customers to meet with the BWS for in-person customer service.”

Those interested in the project must secure their own financing and assume the risk of developing the property.

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