‘Major facelift needed’

First part of a series

For an area that’s considered Saipan’s central business district and a hub for tourists, Garapan looks derelict.

It is a place that has a lot potential to represent what the Marianas is all about—optimistic, bustling, vibrant, and rich in culture—but now appears like a has-been, with a few pretty spots and lots of aging infrastructure.

But now help is finally underway.

With the creation of the Office of Planning and Development under the Office of the Governor and the appointment of former Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Chris Concepcion as its deputy director, a team called the Garapan Revitalization Task Force will soon be taking the lead in transforming Garapan.

“We strongly feel that, after many years of neglect, Garapan is in need a major facelift. …The task force aims to transform Garapan into a premier family-friendly destination, featuring a wide range of shopping, dining, entertainment, civic and commercial uses in a world-class beach resort setting that is attractive for visitors and residents,” he said. “The plan envisions Garapan affirming its claim as the center of economic activity and the heart of our tourism industry.”

Paseo de Marianas, which residents and tourists frequent, stands in the middle of Garapan. (Bea Cabrera)

The Garapan Revitalization Plan is not a new idea. According to Saipan Tribune archives, past administrations of former governors Pedro P. Tenorio and Juan N. Babauta executed plans and spent millions of dollars to develop Garapan but consistency was evasive due to a variety of factors.

“We’ve seen time and again that the government is usually short of resources to cover basic needs in the Garapan Core—daily street cleaning, minor repairs of sidewalks and curbs, resurfacing of streets, providing adequate street parking, citing property owners for noncompliance with zoning laws, trimming of trees, grass and shrubs, basic landscaping, repair or replacement of street lights, and more,” Concepcion said.

In 2007, the CNMI Zoning Office commissioned the Garapan Revitalization Plan. “It was a great guide but, unfortunately, most of it were never implemented. The plan itself is well-written and almost all of it is still relevant today, with a few minor changes needed, so there is no need to pay for another study to tell us what we already know,” he said.

That means Concepcion’s office is using the 2007 Zoning Plan as their basic guide and is just updating it.

According to Concepcion, the GRTF today is composed of stakeholders that have direct interest in ensuring that the Garapan Revitalization Plan is a success. He said it is made up of over a dozen business leaders, residents, and government agencies collaborating to alleviate some of the many challenges facing the area.

“The experience in Honolulu and other U.S. jurisdictions taught us that the business community must step in to help the situation when the government is unable to fulfill its mandate,” he said.

Speaking at an MVA membership meeting last year, Waikiki Improvement District Association president Rick Egged said it took the effort of an entire community to make Waikiki what is now as a popular destination for travel and leisure. “Waikiki today is the brainchild of the people, business community and the government.”

“A planning office is key to tie the pieces together, getting departments to talk to each other and coordinate their activities and having it become a part of a bigger plan,” he added.

Citing Waikiki’s success, Concepcion said that forming a Special Improvement District to handle the day-to-day maintenance of Garapan is key and this group only supplements the work that the government is legally responsible for and it is able to focus resources on major infrastructure projects.

“That’s a critical point: the creation of a Special Improvement District does not absolve the government of their responsibility to provide services for the public. …We are working with the House [of Representatives] to introduce legislation authorizing each senatorial district to create Business Improvement Districts as needed. We are working with our partners in the private sector to create a non-profit entity to form the BID, which will essentially be the governing authority for the Garapan Core,” he said.

“That’s one important factor—the BID is actually run by a non-profit organization that will be responsible for doing daily maintenance within Garapan Core. It will not be another government agency with more government employees and this is important to note,” he added.