HONOLULU -- The Nimitz Corridor from the airport, and the neighborhood near the convention center are two areas targeted for a facelift.

Audio Sound Specialists is a stereo shop sandwiched along Nimitz highway.

It is one of dozens of small businesses in a mostly industrial area that said it would do its part to try and clean up around their storefront.

"We will power wash. Take down our stickers and banners. Change it. Do something," said Chris Cariaga.

In the past month, graffiti artists tagged their garbage bin as well as their banners that used to hang outside. He agreed it was unsightly.

He thinks the biggest challenge for some companies is manpower.

“We have three people on staff and we can barely do anything, said Cariaga,

The APEC Host committee tapped the engineering firm of Bowers and Kubota to reach out to business and property owners.

"Some have asked for small things. They said we have the manpower, but we need the paint, so we have been able to help them out that way," said project manager Lance Takehara.

"Some have general graffiti and some have actually painted over graffiti, and what you get is a patchwork quilt so we asked them to to paint over again with a uniform look to it," Takehara said.

The effort has also tapped the professional expertise of landscape architects and contractors who are offering input and suggestions to help boost curb appeal.

Takehara had been walking door- to- door along Nimitz Highway talking to some property owners and reaching out by phone to others.

Some businesses said they had not been approached to do anything, and probably would do nothing.

"Some of the landowners have been hesitant. It of course has to do with money and budgets, and some of them said they don't have the time. It's just around the corner and some have not done as much as they could," said Takehara.

The APEC committee is hoping the community will see the event as a matter of civic pride.

This weekend there will also be a mass community cleanup in preparation for APEC. Volunteers with TAG —Totally Against Graffiti will be out in force painting and picking up trash.

Members of the APEC Host Committee plan to help paint a building near the Hawaii Convention Center on Saturday, Oct. 29th.