Proposals sought for innovation center

Proposals are due to the Hawaii Community Development Authority by Feb. 8 for the development of a “civic/mixed-use commercial project” on 5.5 acres of state-owned land, adjacent to the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

This would be the first of three anticipated phases in the buildout of an “innovation block,” a public-private enterprise that at least in part realizes a plan for a tech development in Kakaako Makai.

Its elements: an “Entrepreneur’s Sandbox/Collaboration Center,” to be completed by Jan. 31, 2019; and an “Innovation Hale,” which would accommodate commercial retail and office space. Its construction should be underway simultaneously but it can be completed later.

The project is open to any private partner, but among the teams that have shown interest to date is one comprising Fisher Hawaii and ‘ike, which would share office-retail space.

The Sandbox would feature a “collaboration area” open to the public and “serve as a place where new relationships are formed, and new ideas are created and exchanged,” according to the RFP document.

“The space should feel edgy and be designed to spark the creation of ideas and have a ‘wow’ factor.” It would include cell-phone booths enabling a measure of privacy in an otherwise open area.

Other amenities HCDA is seeking here include:

>> A co-work space for people to work individually and potentially team up.

>> A “creative lab” with equipment and technical assistance for the production and editing of media content, and a digital media production studio.

>> A “makery lab” providing light manufacturing equipment such as a laser cutter, 3D printer, dye sublimation printer and industrial sewing machine.

There would be a training room that can be reserved for classes, a videoconference room, a break room, meeting rooms, private office suites for rent and restrooms.