Quik Stor — a self-storage company that did business for years under the freeway at Lunalilo and Piikoi streets, has cleared out.

It is also being required to remove lighting — and that has area residents worried about an invasion of homeless people and drug users.

The Makiki Neighborhood Board has seen influxes of the homeless following the city’s sweeps — and members are concerned about the appeal this newly empty lot may have, to those seeking unofficial shelter.

Nathan Char, a member of the Makiki Neighborhood Board, says “the concerns are generally about the homeless moving in and occupying the former space and taking advantage of the dark. Not only that, but we do have somewhat of a drug problem.”

At the last meeting, a Quik Stor representative said that even while doing business, people would sneak into the fenced property.

The phone number for Quik Stor no longer works and the owner, who also heads another, related business, could not be reached.

Char says, “The most we know is that the Quik Stor representative asked to leave the lights in because the neighbors clearly wanted the lights in, but they were just told ‘No, just pull the lights entirely out and all the wiring as well.'”

The Quik Stor representative also mentioned a petition being circulated to keep the lights, but the State Department of Transportation has not received a formal request.

Without specifically addressing the Quik Stor lease, a spokesman for the DOT says it is normal to require a tenant to restore a property to the condition it was in at the time it moved in.

Spokesman Tim Sakahara also said that given area residents’ concerns, the DOT would be open to possibly keeping the lights, or even installing new ones, if they need replacement.

At least a dozen light fixtures are still mounted around the lot on the underside of the freeway.

Also in the lot, are signs indicating the property is monitored by Sonitrol. A staff member there told us they do monitor the property, but they have nothing to do with the lighting.

Char believes the board needs to follow up, by formally requesting that the DOT keep the lights.

We also will follow up — and let you know the outcome.

