Maddeningly slow efforts to rebuild the burned-out downtown area delay the return of an arts district.

Without many visible signs of progress toward regenerating Lahaina’s core two years after most of the town was destroyed by fire, artists, photographers and writers are still focused on what used to be there, when oceanfront streets housed the top art market in all Hawaiʻi.

Half a year ago, federal workers were finishing up. Lahaina town, a national historic landmark, was cleaned up and ready to go. Most of the historic stone buildings had been stabilized . Many property owners in the historic district said they were eager to restore their buildings.

By now, downtown construction should be well underway. But while construction of individual houses is moving forward, mostly in Lahaina

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