HONOLULU -- The public had the opportunity to weigh in Thursday night on Kamehameha Schools' proposal to develop the mauka side of Ala Moana Boulevard.

The majority at the meeting was supportive of the plan to turn the Kakaako area into a thriving neighborhood.

Kamehameha Schools wants to redevelop the mauka side of Ala Moana Boulevard. The school proposes to redevelop 29 acres or nine blocks from Ward Centers to Restaurant Row.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority is overseeing the project and hosted Thursday night's meeting, where nearly everyone was in support.

"It has immediate job creations for the economy right now and in our future our keiki what we work for today is to sort of better our community for the keiki of tomorrow," supporter Pua Dancil said.

Kamehameha Schools plans to build a community with cafes, an open market and restaurants, but with a low number of retail space. The vision includes up to seven residential towers with townhouses and lofts, adding more than 2,700 housing units to the Kakaako area.

"It would just be such a great opportunity to be more centrally located, like the (University of Hawaii) medical center or closer to downtown," one person said.

There is concern about building in an area already hit hard by the economic downturn.

"We've already got Restaurant Row half open restaurants close in Victoria Ward Center we need to rebuild the UH infrastructure there that's already created," resident Skye White said.

The 15-year master plan must meet rules created by the HCDA, including building heights and reserved housing, that is, housing more affordable to the working class.

The plan may hit a snag if Gov. Linda Lingle signs a bill requiring more reserved housing than the current plan proposes. The project developer would need to meet the requirement before the project could break ground in 2011.