Maui County has announced a pivotal decision: Front Street will not be widened to 60 feet, removing a major hurdle that had stalled rebuilding plans.

Architect Glenn Mason, whose clients include owners of several now-destroyed Front Street buildings, had one of the first permit applications delayed over uncertainty about road widening. With the county’s decision now aligning with local heritage, he expressed relief and optimism. He described how the narrower scale of Front Street fostered a “certain intimacy” between pedestrians and storefronts—a quality he believes is vital to Lahaina’s character.

Meanwhile, the Lahaina Restoration Foundation is stepping forward with one of the most ambitious heritage recovery efforts in the islands. They’ve unveiled a master plan to restore eight historic sites damaged in the 2023 wildfires—including the Baldwin Home, Old Lahaina Courthouse, Masters’ Reading Room, the Seamen’s Hospital, Hale Aloha, the Old Prison, the Plantation House, and the Kindergarten Building.

The nonprofit’s plan is phased:

• Phase I: Stabilizing the Baldwin Home (walls largely intact)
• Phase II: Archaeological surveys, topographic and permitting work
• Phase III: Reconstruction of key buildings, in close sequence as conditions allow

Mason and his team contributed to the master plan, helping produce historical research, cost estimates, and design direction.

Lahaina’s path forward is being paved anew—rooted in its history, designed for community, and energized by the people committed to seeing it rise again.