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Housing sought for former Seafarers lot
A small lot in Kakaako once home to a Seafarers International Union hiring hall may be turned into housing under an idea floated by the state agency governing development in the area.
The Hawaii Community Development Authority is considering seeking private development proposals to build homes on a 10,409-square-foot lot the agency owns at 630 Cooke St.
The agency is interested in providing housing for low- to moderate-income households, and sees the relatively small lot as having potential for "micro unit" housing in a six- or seven-story building meeting the area’s 65-foot base height limit.
HCDA acquired the parcel, which is now used as a parking lot, in 1990 in connection with Cooke Street infrastructure improvements and expansion of Mother Waldron Park.
The agency’s board is scheduled to decide on whether to proceed with a request for proposals at a meeting Wednesday.
Fergus & Co. buys Maui produce facility
Honolulu-based real estate investment firm Fergus & Co. has bought a produce distribution facility on Maui to be vacated by its former owner, and now tenant, next year.
Fergus announced its acquisition of the 23,262-square-foot warehouse in Kahului from Kula Produce Co., an affiliate of Armstrong Produce Ltd.
A purchase price was not disclosed.
Kula Produce plans to build a new distribution center in Central Maui at Maui Lani Village Center to double the size of its operation next year. Fergus said it is seeking a replacement tenant for the property to replace Kula Produce after it moves out next year.
Ala Moana Center welcomes new tenants
A number of high-end retailers have recently opened at Ala Moana Center, the state’s largest shopping mall.
The center recently welcomed Go! Calendars & Games, Kate Spade Saturday, REDValentino, Porsche Design, Tod’s and Versace.
Ala Moana has more than 290 stores and nearly 80 eateries. Other stores opening this fall or early next year include Anthropologie, American Girl, Flip Flop Shops, Michal Negrin and Saint Laurent Paris.
SAN FRANCISCO » The next version of Microsoft’s flagship operating system will be called Windows 10, as the company skips version 9 to emphasize advances it is making toward a world centered on mobile devices and Internet services.
The current version, Windows 8, has been widely derided for forcing radical behavioral changes. Microsoft is restoring some of the more traditional ways of doing things and promises that Windows 10 will be familiar for users regardless of which version of Windows they are now using.
For instance, the start menu in Windows 10 will appear similar to what’s found in Windows 7, but tiles opening to the side will resemble what’s found in Windows 8.
U.S. home prices rose at slow pace in July
WASHINGTON » U.S. home prices in July increased at the slowest pace in 20 months, reflecting sluggish sales and a greater supply of houses for sale.
The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 6.7 percent in July from 12 months earlier. That’s down from an 8.1 percent gain in June and the smallest increase since November 2012.
Sales of existing homes have been weak for most of this year. They picked up over the summer but then fell in August and are 5.3 percent lower than a year ago.
ON THE MOVE
Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel has announced that Alana Peacott-Ricardos has joined the firm as an associate. She was previously a policy research associate at the Sex Abuse Treatment Center in Honolulu.
Group 70 International has hired Silas Haglund as its graphics and document specialist. He has six years in graphic design, including previously serving as graphics and production specialist for Black Sand Publishing in Honolulu.
Accuity has promoted Jamie Asato to managing director from senior manager, a post in which she served for six years. Asato has 16 years of accounting experience, including working for PricewaterhouseCoopers.