A number of tenants have committed to doing business at Hawaii Pacific University’s redeveloped Aloha Tower Marketplace, scheduled to open this fall.

Nashville Waikiki plans to open in late July, while Taco Del Mar, Subway, Boston Pizza and Palama Express, a convenience store affiliated with Palama Market, plan to sign leases in the next few weeks, HPU said in a news release.

In addition, an urgent-care medical clinic is finalizing negotiations to open at the marketplace, as well as a ramen shop and rotisserie chicken restaurant.

The HPU college bookstore, operated by Barnes & Noble College, also will have prominent space there, joining existing tenants Hooters, Gordon Biersch and the Star of Honolulu.

Hawaii Pacific University, which is converting Aloha Tower into a mixed-use complex that includes campus facilities and student dorms, has about 30,000 square feet of retail space.

The $40 million renovation project includes 280 student rooms in the Waterfront Loft residences on the second floor.

The opening of the Aloha Tower coincides with HPU’s 50th anniversary, which will be celebrated in September.

Patrons of the Aloha Tower Marketplace will have access to parking at Piers 5 and 6, as well as at Irwin Park across from the Aloha Tower Marketplace entrance.

Valet service will also be available.

The only residential student parking at the marketplace will be a moped parking area.

Affordable units at Kalaeloa open Tuesday

The affordable housing at Wakea Garden Apartments, renovated by Hunt Companies Inc., will open Tuesday, the company said.

The first residents can move in to their rental homes in Kalaeloa, Hunt said in an announcement Thursday.

Monthly rents for the 100 one-bedroom, one-bath units range from $1,200 to $1,500.

Hunt invested approximately $12 million in the renovation of the former officer quarters, which were abandoned in 2006.

The renovation of Wakea Garden Apartments is the first residential project in Hunt’s 20-year plan to redevelop and revitalize approximately 540 acres in Kalaeloa.

Rental applications and more information are available at www.wakeagardenapts.com.

Board urges PUC to approve solar projects

A neighborhood board passed a resolution asking the Public Utilities Commission to approve large-scale solar projects in their area.

The neighborhood board for Mililani, Waipio and Melemanu voted to pass a resolution urging the PUC to approve SunEdison’s solar farms in Mililani, Waipio and Waiawa at the meeting Wednesday.

The resolution passed in a unanimous vote.

The PUC delayed approval of the four SunEdison solar farms as part of a decision earlier this month to seek more information on seven solar projects being proposed by Hawaiian Electric Co.

Average rate on 30-year mortgage edges up to 4.02%

WASHINGTON » Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates were mixed this week, marking slight increases or declines but remaining close to high levels for the year.

Mortgage giant Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage edged up to 4.02 percent this week from 4 percent a week earlier. The rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages slipped to 3.21 percent from 3.23 percent.

Mortgage rates have increased in recent weeks, in the midst of the spring home buying season, as the economy has shown signs of improvement.

The average fee for a 30-year mortgage was unchanged from last week at 0.7 point. The fee for a 15-year loan rose to 0.6 point from 0.5 point.

On the Move

» Jan Chang was recently honored as one of the nation’s top McDonald’s Restaurant managers and received the Ray Kroc Award. Chang is manager of the McDonald’s at the Navy Exchange as well as the McDonald’s at Pearl Harbor.

» The USS Missouri Memorial Association has announced that Carleton Williams has joined its board of directors. He is the founding partner of CW Associates, CPAs. Williams has 40 years of public accounting experience, including serving as former president of Hawaii Society of CPAs, and serves on the Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy.

Ship Ahoy!

Today’s ship arrivals and departures: