Business Briefs

Architects chosen for Aiea village project

The developer of a planned urban village with five towers on the former Kam Drive-In site near Pearlridge Center has selected two architecture firms to design an initial phase of the $767 million project called Live, Work, Play Aiea.

Robertson Properties Group announced Tuesday that Hono­lulu-based Architects Hawaii Ltd. and Long Beach, Calif.-based Per­ko­witz + Ruth Architects will design 112,000 square feet of retail space and a 120-room business hotel included in the initial phase.

The announcement follows city approval in May of a development agreement with Robertson that locks in zoning for the largely residential project about a quarter-mile from one of the city’s planned rail stations.

Construction of the first phase is expected to be completed at the end of 2016.

Box and packaging plant opens in Kapolei

Corrugated boxes once again are rolling off a production line in Hawaii with the completion of a manufacturing plant in Kapo­lei by Rengo Packaging Inc.

Rengo opened its new plant Tuesday after a ceremony and invitation-only tours of the facility that featured a primary piece of equipment that is 350 feet long.

The production plant for boxes and other corrugated materials follows the 2008 shutdown of an old box plant in Iwi­lei by Washington-based forestry products firm Wey­er­haeu­ser.

Several former Weyer­haeu­ser employees formed Hawaii Box & Packaging Inc. shortly after the shutdown to continue distributing packaging supplies including paper and plastic bags, plastic clamshell containers, plastic tubs, egg flats and packing tape.

In 2011, Japanese-based Rengo Co. Ltd. acquired Hawaii Box and provided the ability for the company to build its new plant and bring back a manufacturing industry to Hawaii.

Rengo bought 8.5 acres of land at Mala­kole Industrial Park, built the 160,000-square-foot production facility and hired more than 30 new employees.

Big Island burger named among top 10

Village Burger in Wai­mea on Hawaii island is among the top 10 burger restaurants in the nation, according to Trip­Advisor.com.

The online travel portal compiled reviews and opinions posted by millions of site users to reach its findings.

TripAdvisor’s top-10 list reports that Village Burger serves traditional beef burgers using locally sourced ingredients, such as the "Big Island" burger and the "Kahua Ranch Wagyu" burger. However, the red-meat averse also can choose ahi or vegetarian burgers.

Eight of the 10 on the list, including 10th-ranked Village Burger, received a rating of 4.5 of 5, while only the top two, Black Hills Burger and Bun Co. in Custer, S.D., and Nic’s Grill in Oklahoma City, received a perfect rating of 5.

Italian restaurant to host grand opening

Russo’s Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen in Ewa Beach will stage a grand-opening celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Performances by the James Campbell High School marching band and hula dancers will highlight the event at 91-1121 Keau­nui Drive, Unit No. 114 in Lau­lani Village.

"We’re ready to fully celebrate the first of many Russo’s Restaurants here on the island," said Robert Carlisle, owner and operator of Russo’s, in a statement. "The community has been extremely supportive, and has enjoyed dining in our restaurant as much as we have taken pride in serving them."

The Hawaii franchise is the first isle location for Russo’s, established in New York in 1992.

The Ewa Beach location first opened for dinner service in January, and is now open from 11 a.m. daily, closing at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

ON THE MOVE

Anthology Marketing Group promoted: 

» Erin Kinoshita to senior account supervisor for Anthology’s public relations group (McNeil Wilson Communications). Kino­shita earned her promotion by directing the Big Island Visitors Bureau’s public relations program in order to support tourism marketing in North America.

» Shannon Fujimoto to media planner/buyer for Anthology Advertising. Fuji­moto joined the company as a media coordinator in 2012. She previously worked at Clear Channel Radio Hawaii and PacificBasin Communications.

» Janel Masatsugu as a media specialist for Anthology Advertising. Prior to joining Anthology, she worked in the sales department at Clear Channel Media + Entertainment.