Queen Emma site set for conversion

The building will be renovated into residential condos for folks 60 and older

By Andrew Gomes

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 20, 2010
LAST UPDATED: 02:24 a.m. HST, Oct 21, 2010

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Contractor Gary Hatcher of Maui has plans to transform the 12-story Queen Emma Building from an office building to residential condominiums for seniors 60 and older.

A Maui-based contractor plans to convert a downtown Honolulu midrise office building into a residential condominium for seniors.

Greg Hatcher bought the Queen Emma Building last month, and plans to convert the 12-story tower into about 110 fee-simple condos for buyers age 60 and older.

It is the second redevelopment plan in five years for the unique-looking building, which was pink at one time but is more recognizable for its busy texture of walls dotted with protruding brick ends and window shade grills that look like mazes.

Hatcher, who owns contracting firm GC Pacific Inc., said he expects to spend $8 million or $9 million to transform the building, including interior design work and a new exterior facade that will cover up the bumps and remove the ornate grills.

Renovation work is expected to begin in a month or two. Completion of the overhaul is anticipated by the end of next year.

Hatcher plans to rename the building Queen Emma Regency, and has arranged for Wilson Homecare to occupy space on the ground floor and provide services for tenants.

According to property records, Hatcher bought the property at 1270 Queen Emma St. next to the Capitol Place high-rise for $8.7 million from an affiliate of Honolulu resident Armand Behpour, who had planned to convert the building into housing for college students.

Behpour bought the building for $7 million out of foreclosure in 2006, and began interior renovation work. But Behpour became embroiled in a legal dispute with a development partner, according to court records, and abandoned the conversion plan in favor of selling the property.

GC Pacific was formed by Hatcher in 2006 and is the general contractor building the 48-unit townhome complex in Mililani called Sixty Parkside, and also has been involved in residential construction near Park City, Utah.

CORRECTION: Greg Hatcher is the new owner of the Queen Emma Building. An incorrect first name was used in a previous version of this story.