Date post: | 07-Apr-2016 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | ward-village |
View: | 218 times |
Download: | 0 times |
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
An Urban Village Takes ShapeA new sustainable urban community by The Howard Hughes Corporation
kakaakomagazine
2015 EDITION
Urban Living on the Rise
Buying into the Neighborhood
Unpaving the Way for a Public Park
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
OVER 135 SPECIALTY SHOPS & RESTAURANTS TO DISCOVER
Ward VillageCenters
Around You
WARDVILLAGESHOPS.COM
Ward Centers is changing to Ward Village.
Untitled-9 1 11/14/14 2:25 PM
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Bobby SenahaVP & [email protected] (808) 534-7575
Christine [email protected]
Jen Tadaki CatanzaritiART [email protected] (808) 534-7592
Jill HamasakiDIR. OF SALES & [email protected] (808) 534-7569
David SurASSOCIATE AD [email protected] (808) 534-7124
Marche KawanoSR. ACCOUNT [email protected] (808) 534-7554
Gary DelizOPERATIONS [email protected] (808) 534-7540
Kakaako Magazine is published by Hawaii Business magazine, December 2014.
©2014 by PacificBasin Communications, 1000 Bishop St., Suite 405, Honolulu, HI 96813.
3DECEMBER 2014kakaako magazine •
CONTENTS
4 The Center of EverythingKakaako’s unique stores, restaurants and events make it a destination worth exploring.
6 An Icon RestoredThe IBM Building has returned to its rightful place as a treasured symbol.
8 A New Direction for WardHoward Hughes Corporation’s Hawaii team explains the vision behind the changes of its property and new name Ward Village
10 Kakaako RememberedWhile the neighborhood is changing, its history is still alive.
13 Changing PlacesA suburban lifestyle has dominated the pattern of development for decades until recently.
16 Buying in KakaakoThe real estate outlook in Kakaako is positive.
18 Unpaving ParadiseA 4-acre privately-held public park is being planned in the middle of urban Kakaako.
21 The Future of Kewalo BasinImprovements are planned to ensure that the harbor is maintained and easily accessible to the public in a sustainable way.
23 Building a Community, One Grant at a TimeThe new charitable arm of the Howard Hughes Corporation is helping Oahu’s nonprofits.
kakaakomagazine
A NOTE FROM DAVID STRIPH
Ward Village – Revitalizing a Neighborhood
It’s a particularly energetic and
inspiring time of year at Ward Village, and
much has changed over the course of a
year as our master plan for the community
comes to life. We’ve introduced several
exciting new recurring community events, launched the Ward
Village Foundation, broken ground on our first two residential
projects, and announced great new retailers who will soon be
moving into our neighborhood – including a much-needed
flagship grocery store for the people of Honolulu.
All of this contributes to a vision we all share for Ward Village
– to create a thoughtfully designed, thriving gathering place that
truly offers something for everyone.
Over a hundred years ago, Victoria Ward and her family
began to transform Ward Village into a place where people
could come to enjoy their free time. Historically, this place was
a vibrant fishing community and gathering place. Today, we
continue that legacy, offering even more ways for people to
enjoy Ward Village, through
public events showcasing
our arts and culture like the
Courtyard Cinema, and
promoting healthy lifestyles
with events like the Ward Village
Nite Run and the weekly yoga
series in partnership with Core
Power Yoga.
As Ward Village moves forward with its master plan, people
have begun to experience a truly vibrant and interconnected
neighborhood with dynamic public spaces, exceptional
residences, complete streets, and community attractions.
Nestled between Waikiki and downtown Honolulu, Ward Village
is evolving into a place that will truly change the quality of life
for the better for all that live, work, and play here.
TThe Center of EverythingKakaako’s centralized neighborhood of unique stores, restaurants and events make it a destination worth exploring. BY CHRISTINE HITT
THERE ARE MORE THAN 135 specialty shops and restaurants at Ward Village
today, including Na Mea Hawaii, Eden in Love, Paina Café and T.J.
Maxx, and its plan is to continue to add more that are uniquely local,
along with national ones that appeal to local shoppers.
WHOLE FOODS MARKET
Next year, Hawaii’s flagship Whole Foods Market store will break ground
with a completion date set for 2017. Its 50,000 square foot store will sit on
the corner of Queen and Kamakee Streets on Ward Village’s property—
the block where Office Depot is now located. “One key difference
between Whole Foods Queen and our existing Hawaii stores is that we
will have more room to play with the new store, as it has significantly
greater square footage. This will allow us to offer a greater selection of
the highest quality of natural and organic products. We also hope to
offer a full restaurant setting with a bar,” says Claire Sullivan, Hawaii
Coordinator for Whole Foods Market. It will also bring with it around 200
jobs at opening and contributions to the local economy by way of its local
purchasing program. “In our fiscal year 2014, we purchased over
$11 million worth of products from local Hawaii producers, of which over
$6 million was from farms, ranches, dairies and apiaries.”
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE ONGOING EVENTS IN KAKAAKO.
KAKAAKO FARMERS’ MARKET Pick up locally-grown fruits and veggies.
Every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. Ward Warehouse, wardvillageshops.com
WARD VILLAGE COURTYARD CINEMA Watch unique free outdoor films.
Second Thursday of each month. Ward Village Information Center and Sales Gallery Courtyard (former IBM Building), 1240 Ala Moana Blvd., wardvillagecourtyardcinema.com
ART & FLEA Shop clothes, art, vintage collections and food.
Every last Thursday of the month. 1020 Auahi St., artandflea.com
WARD VILLAGE YOGA SERIES Enjoy a complimentary yoga class.
Every Thursday from 5:30-6:30pm, Ward Village Information Center and Sales Gallery Courtyard (former IBM Building), 1240 Ala Moana Blvd., www.wardvillage.com
(CorePower Yoga will open its Ward Village studio under T.J. Maxx by the end of 2014.)
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
kakaakoTake advantage of the free valet on the second floor of the Ward Entertainment Center from now through the end of 2014.
TIP:
4 DECEMBER 2014 • kakaako magazine
APPROVALS
art director:
copywriter:
acct mgmt:
print prod:
client:
proof reader:
_______/______
_______/______
_____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
client:job #:
campaign:publication:
element:live:trim:
bleed:color:
launch:today’s date:
Bank of HawaiiBH-4184Jumbo / ARMStarAd07" x 10"0”4C
† #1 Residential Lender ranking is for total number of residential loans and total dollars made by a lender in the State of Hawaii in 2013. Information compiled by Title Guaranty derived from Hawaii Bureauof Conveyances tax data recorded information for 2013. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
©2014 Bank of Hawaii Member FDIC
boh.com/mortgages
Downtown694-4786
Kahala694-7447
Kapolei694-1444
Merchant St.694-8505
Pearlridge694-6090
Kahului856-2510
Lahaina856-2530
Wailuku856-2500
Kaikoo854-2000
Kamuela854-2210
Kona854-2200
Waiakea854-2002
Kihei856-2520
Kauai855-2700
JUMBO LOANS
MORTGAGE PRODUCTS
ADJUSTABLE RATEMORTGAGES
FIXED RATE MORTGAGES
NEW PROJECT FINANCING
†
1#
As Hawaii’s #1 residential lender, Bank of Hawaiiknows there are as many kinds of homesas there are homeowners. That’s why weoffer so many different kinds of homepurchase loans. Whether you’re lookingfor the flexibility of an Adjustable RateMortgage, a fixed rate mortgage or aJumbo Loan, Bank of Hawaii has Hawaii’s#1 mortgage team standing by and readyto help. We’re fast, reliable and local, sodecisions are made right here. To learnmore, call any Bank of Hawaii branchtoday or visit boh.com/mortgages.
Condos and new developments arespringing up everywhere. Talk to usabout financing. Call 1-877-616-2636
In total dollars and number ofloans made in the State of Hawaii.
we’ve got the perfect purchase loan.From a first house to a new dream condo,
•
•
•
•
FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER’SLOAN PROGRAM
•
Untitled-12 1 11/12/14 4:57 PM
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
TAN ICON RESTOREDAfter being on the brink of demolition, the IBM Building has returned to its rightful place as a treasured symbol of Honolulu’s past. BY CHRISTINE HITT
THE HOWARD HUGHES CORPORATION unveiled its $24.4 million renovation
of the IBM Building earlier this year and received a Historic Hawaii
Foundation preservation award for its efforts. This is a remarkable turn of
events, given that the building was slated to be demolished only six years
earlier.
Previous landowner General Growth Properties had planned to tear
down the IBM Building. The nonprofit, Historic Hawaii Foundation, whose
goal is to preserve historic properties, was not happy and added the building
to its list of endangered places with the intent of drawing attention to
the plans. “We felt that was an inappropriate decision and felt that people
would agree with us if they knew what was going on,” says Historic Hawaii
Foundation executive director Kiersten Faulkner. When The Howard
Hughes Corporation (HHC) acquired the IBM Building as part of its Ward
Village portfolio from General Growth Properties, the tides changed.
“It’s an iconic building and it does have a special history,” says Nick
Vanderboom, senior vice president of development for HHC. The IBM
Building was designed in 1965 by Vladimir Ossipoff, a premier architect
in Honolulu in the 20th century. Faulkner believes it to be one of the best
examples of Ossipoff’s commercial design work, and points out that it’s
¡ The IBM Building and its concrete brise-soleil facade now has a firm presence in Kakaako’s future.
kakaako
also an early example of using
formed concrete. “He was
looking at having a reflection
of the Polynesian tattooing
and geometric pattern, but
also melding that with the IBM
Corporation’s symbolism,” says
Faulkner.
After meetings with
community members and
organizations, including the
Historic Hawaii Foundation, HHC
decided against demolishing the
building and, instead, it invested
in bringing the building up to
modern standards. The ground
floor now houses the Ward
Village information center and
showcases models of the planned
60-acre Ward Village project.
“We saw the opportunity to take
the existing building, reinvest in
something that had been really left
to deteriorate for the last decade,
and to make it that place where
everyone comes to learn about
what’s happening at Ward Village,”
says Vanderboom.
The building, Faulkner says,
also adds a layer of history to the
city as it moves forward.
6 DECEMBER 2014 • kakaako magazine
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
7JANUARY 2013 · MAUI BUSINESS REPORT
Untitled-4 1 10/30/14 3:35 PM
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
restaurants, and also the great
national ones that maybe don’t exist
here yet that has something that
appeals to the local buyers. We don’t
want to be another Ala Moana or
Kalakaua Avenue. From a residential
perspective, our goal is to continue
to appeal to a range of audiences
but to make this a place that people
live, and the units are occupied, and
it’s really a vibrant neighborhood.
own character and so, to us, we’re
transforming this into an urban
master planned community, and so
it became the idea of a village. It’s
not a whole city. We wanted this to
be an urban village in a community.
Q: What is the demographic of people that you’re hoping to attract from a retail and residential perspective?
A: We’re really focused on
continuing to be the home
for locally owned shops and
kakaako
A NEW DIRECTION FOR WARDWith condos being constructed and other projects pending approval, the area known to locals as Ward is changing, but not just in the form of the landscape. Here, The Howard Hughes Corporation’s Hawaii team explains the vision behind the changes of its 60-acre property and its new name Ward Village. BY CHRISTINE HITT
NICK VANDERBOOM Senior Vice President,
Development
The Howard Hughes Corporation
Question: Why was Ward Village chosen as the community’s name?
Answer: The name Ward has a great
history and a lot of recognition.
We felt in looking at a name for the
community that [the Ward family]
was such an important part of the
history, that honoring Ward in the
name was important.
Ward Centers was a name that
reflected the current nature of
the project where you have a lot
of different retail projects built at
different times. Ward Warehouse
was built in the ‘70s, Ward Centre
in the ‘80s, some of the other
buildings in the ‘90s, and the
theater around 2000. It kind of
reflected this collection of different
shopping destinations. Each had its
8 DECEMBER 2014 • kakaako magazine
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Eat. Drink. Play. Watch.Visit daveandbusters.com/specialevents or call (808) 589-2215 to book your event today.
make your next event the most fun ever
corporate events | sales meetings | brainstorming sessions | teambuilding
Located at the ward center
DB_Hawaii Business Ad_v3.indd 1 11/4/14 9:58 AM
Untitled-2 1 11/4/14 9:59 AM
RACE RANDLE Senior Director, Development,
The Howard Hughes Corporation
Q: There is a large park in the master plan. How does this fit into Ward Village’s plans?
A: Ward Village’s vision is to continue to be a gathering place. So, the easiest way to get people to gather is to give lots of space with different uses that people like to do together, like eating, entertainment and outdoor activities—and you make it really easy to get there. The yet-to-be-named public park will evenutally be nearly four acres.
BOBBIE LAU Senior General Manager,
Ward Village
Q: What should shoppers expect with the changes and new developments?
A: We are moving toward a community experience. We have different things going on already, the Ward Village Courtyard Cinema every month, our weekly yoga series with CorePower Yoga every Thursday, Art & Flea with us every fourth Thursday, The Kakaako Farmers’ Market every Saturday, and we’ll continue to build and become an integrated community.
9DECEMBER 2014kakaako magazine •
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
H¡ Victoria and Curtis Ward’s family home, Old Plantation, once stood where Neal S. Blaisdell Center is today.
kakaako
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Kakaako—created in partnership
with the Bishop Museum—
including information about
Victoria Ward, for whom the land
is most commonly identified.
“Ward Village is helping
reclaim her story,” says Enos.
Ward was born in Nuuanu
in 1846. She and her husband,
Curtis Perry Ward, once owned a
Kakaako RememberedWhile the neighborhood may change, its history is still alive. BY TIFFANY HILL
HAWAII IS A MOOLELO, a story. Its people and their traditions are stories and
these moolelo cannot be forgotten. This is how Solomon Enos views the
island home where he was born and raised. As a Native Hawaiian artist, he
says it’s his purpose to share Hawaii’s history with everyone. “When people
come over here, they become part of this story and it’s our relationship and
our responsibility to define these stories,” says Enos. “Defining that, how we
build and how we live, there should be a mindfulness.”
The Howard Hughes Corporation has taken a similar approach in
perpetuating the stories of Hawaii’s land and its people. Take the newly
remodeled IBM Building, for example. Now called the Ward Village
Information Center and Sales Gallery, the building’s most striking
ground-floor feature is a vibrant yellow mural of the Hawaiian goddess
Keaomelemele commissioned by Enos.
“As you walk around it, you get a sense of the story of the location
through these images of the past,” says Enos. The mural, which took the
artist a week to make, depicts Keaomelemele, who after learning to chant,
shook the island with her magnetic voice. She caused an earthquake,
splitting Oahu in two and creating Nuuanu Valley.
The building also boasts an interactive map highlighting the history of
10 DECEMBER 2014 • kakaako magazine
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Are you ready to join the makers in Kakaako? If the answer is yes, come to the bank that off ers—and approves—the most loans to local small businesses. And if you’re primed to move fast, we’re already here to help.
For more information, call 844-4444 or visit any branch.
Be the one who gets in on the ground fl oor. While there is one.
Member FDIC
F H B . C O M
Untitled-11 1 11/14/14 5:02 PM
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Shaping the Future of Kakaako
Auahi Shops
Anaha Tower
94-535 UKEE STREET, WAIPAHU, HAWAII 96797PHONE: (808) 671-6460 | FAX: (808) 676-5832
E-MAIL: [email protected]
WWW.ACK-INC.COM
Untitled-5 1 11/11/14 3:05 PM
more than 100-acre estate,
including the Ward Village
land. She was a lifelong
supporter of Native Hawaiian
rights; she supported
Queen Liliuokalani after
the overthrow and the
Wards gave to the Kapiolani
Maternity Hospital—now the
Kapiolani Medical Center
for Women & Children—
among other places.
“We are very supportive
of the culture here and learning
and understanding the traditions
and (bringing) that forward in our
development,” adds David Striph,
The Howard Hughes Corporation
senior vice president of Hawaii.
Paulette Kaanohiokalani
Kaleikini has perhaps an even
more personal connection to
the land. Her great grandfather’s
brother was a kahu (minister) to
the alii of the area. Today, Kaleikini
does her part in perpetuating
Kakaako’s history as a cultural
practitioner. Kaleikini and her
family meet with the The Howard
Hughes Corporation’s Hawaii
team monthly to discuss the
design and development of Ward
Village.
As a cultural practitioner
of Kakaako, as well as Waikiki,
Kaleikini works with several
development companies.
She is passionate about
her ancestors buried
there and has even sued
organizations before.
Kaleikini says The Howard
Hughes Corporation comes
at its development with
respect for the Hawaiian
community. “They do keep
us abreast with their plans,
they involve us in all their
consultations, designs,
we participate,” says Kaleikini.
“They’re sensitive to our cultural
issues; they recognize it.”
Both Kaleikini and Enos
continue to be involved as the
neighborhood evolves. The two
feel hopeful the history and
moolelo of the land will live on
through the art, design, landscape
and even residents of the
development.
¡ Victoria and Curtis Ward
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
point where it’s simply not worth driving an hour
or an hour and a half to get to work,” says local
economist Paul Brewbaker. So, what happens, as
a correlation, is that the further the housing is
from the city center, the more affordable it is. But,
Brewbaker says, people pay for that affordability
by spending a large portion of their lives stuck in
traffic.
Another reason for the reversing trend is the
change in traditional households. The household
pattern isn’t made up of only a married couple
with children anymore. The DBEDT’s statistics in
household growth shows the number of one-person
Changing Places A suburban lifestyle has dominated the pattern of development for decades until recently.
BY CHRISTINE HITT
SSITTING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC heading west on the
H-1 Freeway can be an abysmal experience. If you’re
lucky, it will take you about an hour and a half to get
to your home in Ewa or Kapolei. If there’s a traffic
accident, it could take double that time.
Within the last few years, the desire to live a
suburban life has declined, not just in Hawaii but
also on the mainland. Worsening traffic in Honolulu
could be one cause among many, according to a
report released by the State Department of Business,
Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT)
earlier this year. In 2011, urban population growth
began to outpace suburban growth. “It’s come to a
13DECEMBER 2014kakaako magazine •
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
households for the past 50 years has tripled, while
the traditional family households has decreased
from 86 percent to 67 percent in 2010.
Not only will Kakaako’s urban core lifestyle fit the
changing shape of households and communities,
but it will also provide positive impacts to the
economy through its construction projects,
increased jobs and higher property taxes. The
Howard Hughes Corporation (HHC) is the largest
landowner in Kakaako and estimates that economic
impacts will be huge. “When finished, our first
mixed-use project, Waiea, will generate about $2
million per year in incremental property taxes to the
city and county,” says Nicholas Vanderboom, senior
vice president of development for HHC. Compare
that to Waiea’s current property taxes of about
$200,000.
HHC is meeting housing demand for urban
core living, but demand will continue to far exceed
supply due to the increasing number of people in
non-traditional households who hope to work and
play in the city that they live.
2010
1,000
5,000
10,000
1990
2000
Source: Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, June 2014
POPULATION IN KAKAAKO
The population is easily expected to double within several years,
according to the state’s newest report
THE HOWARD HUGHES
CORPORATION’S ECONOMIC IMPACTS
4,250 jobs provided per year
over the span of 15 years
$700 MILLION
of state tax revenue during development
$51 MILLION
in ongoing annual state tax revenues post-
development
$11.8 BILLION
economic impact on State of Hawaii
Source: The Howard Hughes Corporation
IMPACT OF $2 BILLION KAKAAKO
CONSTRUCTION ON THE ECONOMY
$4.1 BILLIONOutput generated
$1.2 BILLIONHousehold Income
generated
$215 MILLION State tax revenue
generated
18,000 JOB YEARS Total jobs generated/
supported –
Source: Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, June 2014 Source: Department
of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, June 2014
HOUSEHOLD GROWTH IN HAWAII FROM 1960 TO 2010
Total Households in Hawaii:
2010 455,338
1960 153,064
Traditional Type (Married with children):
2010 91,610
1960 85,986
Living alone:
2010 106,175
1960 18,495
“[Residents] might work in the community, they might work downtown, they might work somewhere nearby, but basically they can get from home to work in maybe 10 or 15 minutes on foot or by bike.”
–Lindsey Doi, compliance assurance and community outreach officer for HCDA
14 DECEMBER 2014 • kakaako magazine
Not only will Kakaako’s urban core lifestyle fit the changing shape of households and communities, but it will also provide positive impacts to the economy
through its construction projects, increased jobs and higher property taxes.
HB 12-14 Kakaako v8.indd 14 11/18/14 11:48 AM
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
PAUL BREWBAKER is an economist at his own firm TZ Economics and previously worked as chief economist for Bank of Hawaii.
IS THIS A HOUSING BOOM? No. If things continue as they have the past nine months, there would
never have been a year with less housing development since 1944, during World War II. This year, 754 new housing units were authorized in the first nine months by the City and County Department of Planning and Permitting. At that rate, it will be about 1,000 units
this year. According to the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Hawaii needs 5,200 units to be built each year until 2020 to adequately supply Hawaii’s population’s growth.
THE ECONOMIST RESPONDS
RE
ND
ER
ING
: HC
DA
15DECEMBER 2014kakaako magazine •
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
ground and we are slightly above
71% sold,” she says. “It’s the first
time that Honolulu’s really had an
urban area that’s more than just a
building being planned. In other
areas, like Makiki,
you’d have a devel-
oper come in and
build a project, but
they have no control
about what surrounds
it.” This is what makes
The Howard Hughes
Corporation’s projects
so unique, she adds,
because they have the
opportunity to plan
an entire commu-
nity with retail, resi-
dential, street-scapes
and open spaces in a
convenient, walkable,
bike-friendly neigh-
borhood—and that’s what buyers
want.
Kakaako’s residential devel-
opments are planned to include
housing of all income levels, ac-
cording to the state
agency Hawaii Com-
munity Development
Authority (HCDA). All
residential develop-
ments in the area are
required to include
a certain percentage
of reserved housing
units. The HCDA has
enlisted rules to en-
sure that a buyer’s goal
is to live there, and not
sell the properties that
they snatch up.
So far, McDur-
man and The Howard
Hughes Corporation’s
AATTRACTING BUYERS to Kakaako’s
residential community is not
proving difficult, and realtor Kai
McDurman attributes this to
the opportunity for them to be a
part of a unique urban lifestyle.
“Just being able to live, walk to a
theater, walk to a restaurant, go to
the beach and work all in the same
neighborhood is very appealing to
buyers,” she says.
McDurman is a residential real
estate agent and projects director
for Coldwell Banker Pacific Proper-
ties. She has worked with Alexan-
der & Baldwin’s Keola Lai, KC Rain-
bow’s Moana Pacific and, now, The
Howard Hughes Corporation’s two
condo projects in-development
called Waiea and Anaha—and sales
are going very well.“Waiea is under
construction and we’re about 84%
sold, and Anaha recently broke
WAIEA AND ANAHA AMENITIES
Fitness centers
Theater and performance rooms
Dining rooms with catering and chef’s
kitchen
Victoria Ward library
Children’s play area
Pool and hot tub
Dog park
Barbecue pavilions
BUYING IN KAKAAKOThe real estate outlook in Kakaako is positive as buyers look forward to a neighborhood filled with amenities and activities.
BY CHRISTINE HITT
16 DECEMBER 2014 • kakaako magazine
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
senior vice president of develop-
ment Nick Vanderboom says that
they are seeing a good mix of peo-
ple that includes locals and part
time homeowners. “The majority
of our initial buyers are local resi-
dents. Residences at Ward Village
appeal to a range of buyers who
want to live in a vibrant neighbor-
hood,” says Vanderboom.
Hawaii Children’s Discov-
ery Center president Loretta Ya-
jima looks forward to seeing what
the “thoughtful development” in
the area will provide for families.
Currently, many of the children
visiting the center come by bus
through its school programs—60%
of that school population coming
from Ewa. “We look to serve the
entire state, but we do lack the crit-
ical mass around the center in the
Kakaako area,” Yajima says. “I really
hope that in the not too distant fu-
ture that local families will be able
to enjoy the parks here, the shore-
line here, and that we’ll have lots of
activities for families with young
children in the area.”
It’s too soon to say how many
families these Kakaako projects
will produce, but Waiea’s and Ana-
ha’s one, two and three bedroom
residences, along with its ameni-
ties of a large open park and chil-
dren’s play area may help bring a
mixed neighborhood of people.
NEIGHBORHOOD LIFE
Ward Village Shops
Ala Moana Shopping Center
Iolani Palace
Honolulu Museum of Art
Downtown Honolulu & Capitol District
Neal Blaisdell Center
Concert Hall and Arena
Ala Moana Beach Park
Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center
Kewalo Basin
Ward Village Public Park
¡ Kakaako’s growing amount of community activities is very attractive to prospective buyers.
Providing Solid Protection and Quality Service to Hawaii’s Condominium Unit Owners
Call Your Independent Agent for a Quote
The Protection You Need The Service You Deserve
Pioneer Plaza 900 Fort Street Mall Suite 1645 Honolulu, HI 96813 Ph: (808) 536-2777
12-14 Hawaiian Insurance 1-3h HB.indd 1 11/13/14 2:51 PM17DECEMBER 2014kakaako magazine •
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
the Ward Village team talked with the area’s cultural
descendants and their feedback prompted HHC to
decide to try to bring this water back to the people.
“Water means so much to people. Let’s make it the
central unifying element,” adds Randle, describing the
fundamental feature of HHC’s 4-acre park.
A PUBLIC PARK ON PRIVATE LAND
Between two new high rise buildings, the
Gateway, HHC plans to peel back concrete, asphalt
and decades-old structures to create a public park. It
will run mauka to makai and connect the planned
rail stop at Ward Village to Kewalo Basin. There will
be a promenade and an open waterway. The public
will also benefit from the park’s regular maintenance,
landscaping, private security and well-lit areas.
The Hawaii Community Development
Authority (HCDA) has an open space requirement
for developers in Kakaako to help serve the
community, but what’s unique in The Howard
IIT WAS DISCOVERED BY CIRCUMSTANCE. The Howard
Hughes Corporation (HHC) and its team of architects
were reviewing a 1931 map of the Ward properties
when they noticed a strange detail—an easement
running through the property. Confused by the
wording used to describe it, they decided to search
for its location outside on the streets of Kakaako.
“We literally got up from the office, walked over
to the site where it was located and picked up the
manhole that was shown on the plans from 1931.
And when we pulled the manhole off the ground,
there was a stream with fish swimming in it,” says
Race Randle, senior development director for HHC.
Peering down at a stream flowing under Kakaako’s
streets, they all immediately understood the reference
made on the map. “We knew there was a stream, it
shows up in all historical imagery. But, we didn’t know
where it was, we didn’t know what it looked like, the
water quality, any of that,” says Randle. On finding it,
Unpaving ParadiseA 4-acre privately-held public park is being planned in the middle of urban Kakaako at a space that has been covered in asphalt for more than 70 years.
BY CHRISTINE HITT &
LURLINE WAILANA
MCGREGOR
18 DECEMBER 2014 • kakaako magazine
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Hughes Corporation’s case is that its intention is
to combine the space to create a park ambiance.
“[What we’re doing is] very counter to projects
previously completed that have generally built small
park elements on each individual project rather
than combining them all into one large community
feature,” says Randle.
The park is not intended to be a static recreational
park, but rather a space with some programming
of activities. HHC is speaking with neighboring
residents for feedback on what they’d like to see and
it’s also using the Ward Village Information Center
and Sales Gallery (former IBM building) courtyard
as a testing ground to get a gauge of what the
community wants to do at the park, running monthly
free film screenings and weekly yoga classes. If it
works, it could be featured at the park.
BACK TO ITS ROOTS
Another feature of the public park will be its use
of native plants. “We’ve made a
commitment in the first section
of the park between the Gateway
towers to try to utilize nearly all
endemic or native plant species,”
says Randle. The Howard Hughes
Corporation wants the park to
be a very natural space, but one
that’s active with seating areas,
walkways and one where people
can visit, sit and have a meal.
Hui Ku Maoli Ola cofounder
Rick Barboza is a landscape
consultant and provides native
plants, but he also educates and
perpetuates the cultivation and
preservation of them. “One of
the main things about utilizing
native plants is that it helps to
reverse the trend that our native
plants are going through,” says
Barboza. He’s referring to the way
native plants have been pushed
out of Hawaii’s ecosystem. “We
want to reverse that trend, and
putting native plants back is one
of the best ways to do that.”
Populating native plants back
to its historic location is also
important to him. He gives an example of the city of
Aiea, named after a plant that you can no longer find
in Aiea. And, in Kakaako, he hopes to see the return
of its native dry forest Hawaiian tree, the kukuluaeo.
“Within Kakaako, there is an ili [or land division]
called Kukuluaeo and it stands for two things: One,
is the endangered Hawaiian stilt that is a bird, and
two, is actually a native tree,” he says. “Why not put
kukuluaeo back in Kukuluaeo?”
Using native Hawaiian plants also makes
geological sense. A lot of land in Kakaako is new
land, built up from dredged coral reef, and it’s heavily
salted. So, while some non-Hawaiian plants may not
survive in these conditions, native plants will, like the
native sedge mauuakiaki.
All of the plants in the park will surround a major
water feature. “We want to restore that feeling of the
flow of water from the mountains to the ocean. And,
we’re blessed that the auwai still flows through that
site today,” says Randle.
Untitled-4 1 11/12/14 10:50 AM19DECEMBER 2014kakaako magazine •
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
RECONNECTING THE LAND TO
THE OCEAN
A fishpond was once located
where Neal S. Blaisdell Center
now stands at the corner of Ward
Avenue and Kapiolani Boulevard.
It was fed by an artesian well,
the water bubbled up into the
fishpond, the overflow was then
channeled into an open stream
that traveled downhill, through
where Ward Warehouse is now
located, before draining into
Kewalo Basin. The auwai, or
ditch, was used for irrigating taro
fields that were cultivated along
its path. In the 1930s, Honolulu’s
agricultural landscape gave way
to urbanization and culverts
were constructed over the
stream so that roads could be
built. Eventually the streams
were entirely covered, and while
the water continued to flow
underground and out to sea, it
served no real purpose and for
the most part, was forgotten,
until now.
Randle has already
discovered a lot about the
underground stream, but
acknowledges that there is still
more to learn. “We know the
water is flowing, but we don’t
know exactly how much there
is and we won’t know how the
stream is going to be uncovered
until the engineers figure it out,”
says Randle.
The Oahu Island Burial
Council is one of the
community organizations
working with HHC for the
redevelopment of the Ward
Warehouse area. Burial Council
Chair Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu
says the council is fully in favor
of opening the waterway and
restoring it as much as possible
to its original state. “We always
support whatever will honor
the integrity and dignity of our
heritage,” says Wong-Kalu, “and
in this case the development
honors the re-opening of what
was covered by urbanization. It
brings back a different feel for a
place that once fed the land and
the people, and I commend The
Howard Hughes Corporation
for investing in opening this
waterway that goes beyond the
scope of simply putting up new
buildings.” Designs, permits and
approvals will need to be in place
before ground is broken for
the public park project, but it is
progressing, one step at a time.
Waiea rising.
LIC# ABC 17Ward Village
Untitled-5 1 11/12/14 1:33 PM
community to develop a plan that will transform it
into a gathering place for residents and visitors.
There are currently about 100 commercial
tenants who lease space at the harbor, and most of
its clientele are tourists. Greg Longnecker has five
different businesses that he runs out of the six slips
he owns, which include two parasail companies, a
jet boat, a sport fishing charter and Hawaii Pirate
Ship Adventures. “Most of our clients arrive at our
docks using a shuttle service from Waikiki,” says
Longnecker, “but our Pirate Ship Adventures is
popular with locals as well.” Inadequate parking,
inaccessibility and the run down condition of the
facilities are barriers to expanding businesses at
Kewalo Basin. Longnecker hopes that improvements
to the harbor will mean that, not only more businesses
will open, but the accessibility will help to increase his
businesses as well.
Across the harbor at Kewalo Basin’s park,
community organization Friends of Kewalos wants to
ensure that the park is protected. Ron Iwami, president
of the organization, is concerned about the impact
of 100 more boats in the harbor. Iwami bluntly states
that, “in a perfect world, we would like to have no
development, but we can’t have that, so we will do
what we can to protect our ocean access, including
keeping free parking.” Iwami says he’s been happy
with HHC’s efforts to reach out to Friends of Kewalos
SSTOPPING AT THE RED LIGHT next to Kewalo Basin
Harbor, it may not seem like there’s much going on
amidst the dilapidated buildings and 144 boat slips in
various stages of disrepair. But, new life is about to be
breathed into this long underutilized yet historically
important community resource as renovation and
redevelopment start getting underway.
Kewalo Basin has a long history that began as a
canoe landing for ancient Hawaiians—Kamehameha
the Great even anchored his canoes there. In the
19th century, when Honolulu Harbor was becoming
increasingly congested, mid-sized ships started
anchoring at Kewalo Harbor along with Hawaii’s
first sampan. This gave rise to the harbor’s maritime
culture and commercial fishing industry. A shipyard,
an icehouse and tuna cannery were all built at Kewalo
Basin and helped to support the one-time largest
commercial fishery in Hawaii, until fishing stopped
completely during World War II and, later, the cannery
closed for good in 1984. While the harbor was once
alive with fishermen, it’s known more, today, for its
surf breaks, park and tour operations.
Earlier this year, The Howard Hughes Corporation
(HHC), developers of Ward Village, acquired a 35-year
lease of Kewalo Basin from the Hawaii Community
Development Authority for expansion, including the
addition of 100 boat slips, and improvement to the
harbor. The team has been working with the local
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
The Future of Kewalo BasinImprovements are being planned to ensure that the harbor is properly maintained and that the public can easily access it in a more sustainable way.
BY LURLINE WAILANA
MCGREGOR
21DECEMBER 2014kakaako magazine •
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
Celebrating 15
Years
of Design Exce
lence!
(808) 591-6616 1240 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 540 www.benwooarchitects.com
Untitled-4 1 11/14/14 11:18 AM
and other community groups and
to listen to their points of view and
work their ideas into its plans.
Race Randle, senior
development director at HHC,
says he’s well aware of the
community’s interests and
concerns. “Our vision is to make
Kewalo Harbor a place that will
connect locals to the ocean in a
sustainable way,” says Randle. “A
sustainable community means
not having to drive too much,
so, for example, if we put lockers
at the beach to store surfboards,
people don’t have to drive their
cars to the beach to surf.”
The four different surf breaks
on the reef fronting Kewalo
Basin—Kewalos, Rennicks,
Straight Out and Marineland—
attract many local surfers,
including professionals Ezekial
Lau and Carissa Moore.
Daniel Ikaika Ito is the surfing
coach at Kamehameha Schools
and trains his students there.
“With four different breaks, the
kids can spread out, and it’s a great
training ground for multiple skill
levels,” says Ito. “The reef is very
alive and the water is clean.” Ito
says he doesn’t surf at Kewalos
very often, though, these days
because there are too many kids
crowding the waves.
While HHC is continuing
to ask the community for input
on how to achieve its goal of a
destination waterfront, Randle
sees that the eclectic mix of
tenants is what makes Kewalo
Basin Harbor special. “They’re all
in one tight space and carrying on
with their different activities. It’s a
beautiful sight.”
¡ Daniel Ikaika Ito is a surf coach who trains his students at the four different surf breaks fronting Kewalo Basin.
22 DECEMBER 2014 • kakaako magazine
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
mission,” says Striph. He says that while the Ward Village
Foundation focuses on organizations close to the Ward
neighborhood, any Oahu organization is eligible to
apply. To date, the foundation has given $325,000 to
recipient nonprofits that also includes Kupu, Hawaii
Pops, KCAA Preschools, The Hawaii HomeOwnership
Center and others.
Broderick says the foundation grant is not only
keeping the program running, but also expanding its
reach. For four months, middle and high school students
meet each month where they learn how to campaign,
hold state elections and research and draft bills. And, for
the first time, the local YMCA program is able to send a
Hawaii delegation to the YAG Conference on National
Affairs this June in Washington, D.C.
“It’s the best part of my job, giving money out to
people who use it in a great way,” says Striph. “It’s been
really rewarding for the Ward Village team. Our mission
is to create timeless places and memorable experiences
and support nonprofits and organizations that have the
same focus we do.”
For more information, visit wardvillagefoundation.
org and ymcahonolulu.org/social_responsibility/
advocacy/youth_and_government
SSEVERAL MONTHS AGO, Michael Broderick wasn’t sure
how his organization was going to fund one of its
programs, the 60-year-old Youth and Government (YAG)
where students research and role play state government
positions. So the president and CEO of the Honolulu
YMCA turned to the Ward Village Foundation for help.
The charity arm of Ward Village, the Ward Village
Foundation, gave the YMCA program $50,000 over
two years to keep the program afloat. “Thanks to (its)
generous support,” says Broderick, “approximately 80
middle and high school students, regardless of their
ability to pay, will be able to participate.”
The Ward Village Foundation launched in January
2014 to aid programs like the youth civic engagement
program. “The YMCA does great work all over the island,”
says The Howard Hughes Corporation senior vice
president David Striph. “The Ward Village Foundation is
part of our commitment to the community. We’re doing
more than building buildings, we are giving back to the
community in many ways.”
The foundation’s three missions, dubbed “Culture
ForWard, Community ForWard and Environment
ForWard,” support local nonprofits that perpetuate Native
Hawaiian culture, education, health and sustainability.
“We look for organizations that align with our
Building a Community, One Grant at a TimeThe new charitable arm of the Ward Village is giving a helping hand to Oahu nonprofits and the communities they serve.
BY TIFFANY HILL
23DECEMBER 2014kakaako magazine •
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
24 DECEMBER 2014 · KAKAAKO MAGAZINE
REDUCED TRAFFIC CONGESTION
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
LOWER PRESSURE ON PROPERTY TAXES
Smart development in Honolulu’s urban core means more effi cient transportation, more rural lands saved,
lower energy consumption and improved quality of life for residents islandwide. Learn more at HawaiiMovingAhead.org
Communities built where everything is closer together
mean that many everyday destinations are within walking,
cycling, or mass transit distance. Fewer cars on the road
mean less congestion on our streets and highways.
When housing is developed on under-utilized land,
the City and County’s annual revenue from property
taxes is much higher. This helps pay for government
services, and relieves pressure on low and
middle-income taxpayers islandwide.
When businesses are accessible in pedestrian-oriented
“main street” settings, smaller businesses – restaurants,
shops and service providers – benefi t from improved
visibility and walk-in traffi c.
HMFA-03968-HiBusDec_ThreeReasons.indd 1 11/12/14 5:11 PM
Untitled-2 1 11/13/14 10:07 AM