O'ahu Office Building Projects

[SpookySteve]

I've been hearing about planned developments in Kapolei. One such development has Maryl Group developing an office building in Kapolei. Any truth to this rumor? Where in Kapolei are they building? Does anyone have a rendering or drawing of the proposed development? Are there any other suitors who plan on developing office out there?

I also heard about two medical office buildings going up on Beretania near downtown Honolulu. Where are they located? How big are these buildings and who is developing them?

I'm wondering who would be interested in moving their offices from downtown Honolulu to Kapolei if given the chance. I know of some friends who plan on moving their businesses to Kapolei once spaces become available. I keep asking them... "why?" They say... "my employees live out there." Do you think this might be the trend now in real estate in Hawaii? Move to Kapolei for business? Would you?

Spooky Steve

[urbanguy]

Hi Spooky, as for Kapolei, the County is promoting a lot of development (other than housing) out there because it is the fastest growing area on the island and a large portion of the people who work in Honolulu's CDP come from that region. The people that have to travel to town add to the (growing) daily traffic congestion and because of that the City/County is trying to add more jobs there (e.g., State, County, etc) so people don't have to make the commute to downtown, they can just stay in Kapolei and live, work, play or whatever. I think that having some of the work down there is okay as long as they use the land wisely and not create large sprawly campus-like developments. However, Downtown Honolulu is and will always be the center of business and finance in my opinion. According to Honolulu Business/Financial community Bishop Street (and area's close to it) is the center of Honolulu's Corporate Universe, it is the place that you want to locate your office-headquarters if you want to be taken seriously. Bishop Street is to Honolulu what Wall Street is to NYC and Montgomery Street is to San Francisco. However, I think in the small business world and state/county sectors Kapolei will be a huge rival.

Here is a rendering of one of the Medical Facilities that is proposed to be developed

Medical Facility ~ Honolulu, HI

The project will consist primarily of medical offices, complete with a surgery center and orthopedic facility, as well as retail space.

A developer plans to build a medical office building on North Beretania Street across from 'A'ala Park on a site previously slated for a residential high-rise.

HighMark said it plans to build a 12- to 15-story medical center with 225,000 square feet of space, including some for retail use, and 750 parking stalls.

The Kapolei Office Complex it will be located here:

*there are no renderings of it yet

2 BUILDINGS PLANNED

Kapolei Pacific Center is designed as two buildings and a parking structure with about 900 spaces. Of the 335,000 square feet, 285,000 square feet would be for office tenants, and 50,000 square feet on the ground floor would be for retail.

An initial phase would include one seven-story building, followed by an 11-story second phase.

The project would be taller and bigger than other Kapolei buildings, including Bank of Hawaii's 248,000-square-foot office building and the state's office building with 215,000 square feet.

[dgreco]

Do we have an updated list of projects? I feel like Hawaii has more projects than any other state.

[urbanguy]

^I haven't update the list in a while. Most of the above 12 story projects that I add regulary are pretty current but there are many that are below 12 stories that often go undetected.

[dgreco]

yea, it seems most are under the or don't qualify for that "high rise" category, but it is amazing how many buildings continually go up. Maybe thats why they haver the lowest unemployment rate.