Hawaii agency moves up hearings for Howard Hughes, MacNaughton-Kobayashi condo towers

The Hawaii Community Development Authority has rescheduled the decision-making public hearings for The Howard Hughes Corp.’s plan to replace Ward Warehouse and the Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group’s Vida luxury condominium high-rise on a 3.5-acre site in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako. The state agency, which oversees the redevelopment of the fast-growing Honolulu neighborhood…


The planned Vida at 888 Ala Moana luxury condominium tower being developed by the Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group received neighborhood board approval Tuesday night.
The planned Vida at 888 Ala Moana luxury condominium tower being developed by the Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group received neighborhood board approval Tuesday night.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority has rescheduled the decision-making public hearings for The Howard Hughes Corp.’s plan to replace Ward Warehouse and the Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group’s Vida luxury condominium high-rise on a 3.5-acre site in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako.

The state agency, which oversees the redevelopment of the fast-growing Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako, originally scheduled the Howard Hughes hearing for Dec. 3, but has moved it to Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving. The presentation hearing for the Kobayashi-MacNaughton project, which is scheduled for Nov. 12 at 9:30 a.m. has not changed, but the new date for the decision-making hearing has also been moved to Nov. 25 at noon, from Dec. 17.

Both hearings will be held at 461 Cooke St. in the Makai Conference Room.

The HCDA already held two public hearings on The Howard Hughes Corp. (NYSE: HHC) project, which includes a total of 236 units in two towers, as well as commercial and recreation space on the site of the current Ward Warehouse.

The Howard Hughes Corp. is asking the HCDA for four modifications, including to increase the maximum platform height to 65 feet with an allowance of an additional 15 feet in height for 15 percent of the roof area that will be used for accessory uses.

MK Development, a joint venture of the Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group, purchased six acres from Kamehameha Schools for an undisclosed price to develop two ultra-luxury mixed-use residential projects totaling about 500 units along the mauka side of Ala Moana Boulevard.

The 38-story Vida tower at 888 Ala Moana Blvd. will include 265 two- and three-bedroom units and will be designed by Los Angeles-based Arquitectonica and Honolulu-based Ben Woo Architects, which will be helping the project seek LEED certification with an energy-efficient design and features.

Amenities for the project include guest suites, movie theaters, dining rooms with a chef’s kitchen, children’s play areas, game rooms and a putting green.

Heyer & Associates LLC will be handling sales of the project.

The Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group also developed the Hokua and Capitol Place mixed-use projects in Honolulu, and are also working on a project that includes seven ultra-luxury condominium towers planned for what is now a parking area of Ala Moana Center fronting Ala Moana Boulevard called Park Lane Ala Moana, with a development cost of about $300 million, according to public records.

Duane Shimogawa Reporter – Pacific Business News

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