Andaz Maui at Wailea opens its doors

Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort & Spa opened Tuesday following the completion of a multimillion-dollar remodeling of the vacant Renaissance Wailea hotel on Maui, which had blighted Mokapu Beach.

"We are thrilled to be opening our doors today to bring the Andaz brand to a beautiful resort destination like Maui," said Michael Stephens, general manager of Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort & Spa.

Designed by Rockwell Group, the resort’s 297 guest rooms and suites, which include seven villas with two to four bedrooms, were designed to connect guests to Wailea’s local beaches and the ocean. The property is the 10th hotel and the first in the resort category to join the Andaz brand, which is Hyatt Corp.’s boutique hotel brand.

The 15-acre beachfront resort also features cascading outdoor infinity pools; a 14,000-square-foot, full-service spa with a private adults-only pool, apothecary retail and fitness facility; more than 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space; and two full-service restaurants, including Morimoto Maui by chef Masaharu Morimoto.

Ulupono supports EV charging in Hawaii

Honolulu-based Ulupono Initiative announced Tuesday it will provide $350,000 to support electric vehicle charging in Hawaii.

Ulupono is making the funding available to OpConnect Hawaii, which recently bought the assets of the state’s largest charging network and is replacing the old chargers with its own Mark II charging stations, according to a joint news release from Ulupono and OpConnect.

"At Ulupono, we believe that helping consumers feel confident that they can drive where they need to go without range anxiety is critical to widespread adoption of electric vehicles," said Ulupono Initiative’s managing partner, Murray Clay. "By investing in support of those who drive EVs, we’re helping achieve our goal of reducing Hawaii’s dependence on imported oil with more efficient technology."

OpConnect Hawaii operates the largest network of charging stations in Hawaii with 83 charge spots on four islands. OpConnect in March took over the local operations of Better Place Hawaii, which pulled out of the state after its parent company filed for bankruptcy.

Nokia sells phones, patents for $7.2 billion

REDMOND, Wash. » Microsoft Corp. is buying Nokia Corp.’s lineup of smartphones and a portfolio of patents and services in an attempt to mount a more formidable challenge to Apple Inc. and Google Inc. as more technological tasks get done on mobile devices instead of personal computers.

The $7.2 billion deal announced late Monday marks a major step in Microsoft’s push to transform itself from a software maker focused on making operating systems and applications for desktop and laptop computers into a more versatile and nimble company that delivers services on any kind of Internet-connected gadget.

Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Wash., is being forced to evolve because people are increasingly pursuing their digital lives on smartphones and tablet computers, causing the demand for PCs to shrivel. The shift is weakening Microsoft, which has dominated the PC software market for the past 30 years, and empowering Apple, the maker of the trend-setting iPhone and iPad, and Google, which gives away the world’s most popular mobile operating system, Android.

Construction spending in July up 0.6%

WASHINGTON » Spending on U.S. construction projects rose in July, led by strong gains in housing and nonresidential projects.

Construction spending increased 0.6 percent in July compared with June, when activity was unchanged, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. The June performance represented an upward revision from an initial estimate that spending had fallen 0.6 percent.

Total construction activity rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $900.8 billion in July, the strongest performance since June 2009.

U.S. home prices climbed 12.4% in July

LOS ANGELES » U.S. home prices jumped 12.4 percent in July from a year earlier, reflecting a housing market that’s increasingly favoring sellers amid a tight supply of available homes for sale.

Real estate data provider CoreLogic said Tuesday that home prices in every state but Delaware climbed on an annual basis in July.

Ninety-nine of the 100 largest cities reported annual price gains.

Pace of U.S. manufacturing hit 2-year peak in August

WASHINGTON >> U.S. factories expanded last month at the fastest pace since June 2011 on a jump in orders. The report signals that manufacturing output could strengthen in coming months.

The Institute for Supply Management says its manufacturing index rose to 55.7 in August from 55.4 in July. That topped the index’s 12-month average of 52. A reading above 50 indicates growth. The ISM is a trade group of purchasing managers.

A gauge of new orders rose nearly 5 points to 63.2, the highest level in more than two years. Production increased but more slowly than in the previous month. Factories also added more jobs, though also at a weaker rate than in July.

On the Move

Turtle Bay Resort has hired Eddy Braucht as director of revenue management. He has more than 10 years of hospitality experience and was previously a director of revenue management and reservation sales for the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort in Vail, Colo.

SSFM International has hired Mark Tawara as its new vice president and chief operating officer. He has more than 20 years of experience in the design and construction industry. Prior to joining SSFM, Tawara owned and operated his own marketing consulting practice, and served as director of marketing for Belt Collins Hawaii. He also worked at Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo and M&E Pacific.