Redevelopment opportunities abound for state land near rail line

Ideas and objectives for making better use of roughly 1,900 acres owned by the state near 21 planned city rail stations on Oahu have been laid out in a new report by a council formed a little over a year ago.

The report by the Hawaii Interagency Council for Transit-Oriented Development was produced to guide and facilitate state land development that can revitalize neighborhoods, increase affordable housing and improve accessibility to public facilities and services in connection with the rail line.

“This state effort is really the culmination of about four or five years of discussing TOD and what to do with state lands,” said Leo Asuncion, council co-chairman and director of the state Office of Planning. “It gives us a game plan.”

The state is the largest landowner along the 20-mile rail corridor and has a unique opportunity to capitalize on TOD projects, the report said.

More than 30 TOD projects are identified in the report, including some that have not been publicized previously, as well as some, such as Aloha Stadium, 690 Pohukaina and Mayor Wright Homes, that have long been planned and discussed.

One of the biggest opportunities for building many new affordable homes near rail stations lies with the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.

Several opportunities the agency is exploring are listed in the report, including Hale Laulima, a 36-unit townhouse complex on 4 acres near the planned Pearl Highlands rail station being considered for redevelopment with 700 to 1,000 homes.

Another HPHA project in the report is Puuwai Momi, a 260-unit townhouse complex near Aloha Stadium. The agency proposes redeveloping the 11.5-acre site with 600 to 1,200 homes.

In Kalihi HPHA has two townhouse complexes, Kamehameha Homes and Kaahumanu Homes, where it envisions increasing the number of homes to between 1,500 and 2,300 from 373.

And in Waipahu the agency owns 221 senior housing units at projects named Hoolulu and Kamalu where 1,000 new homes are being considered, the report said.

Other agencies with big redevelopment opportunities include the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the University of Hawaii, which own vast areas on the Ewa plain to be serviced by rail.

DHHL also owns 5 acres near a planned Kapalama rail station with existing office, warehouse and retail uses. This site, which includes part of City Square Shopping Center, is being planned for 516 residential units and retail. The agency also envisions developing modern warehouse space on 14 acres in the Shafter Flats area.

At Honolulu Community College, UH is looking at adding student and faculty housing. Asuncion also said UH officials are thinking about whether students could hop on the train to move between Honolulu, Leeward and West Oahu campuses for different classes.

Part of the council’s role is to facilitate coordination between agencies. One example of that is the state Department of Education considering whether it might want new elementary school space in a residential-­commercial project being explored for 10 acres near the planned Waipahu Civic Center station. Creating new state office space in TOD projects is another opportunity.

The council includes about 25 members from different state agencies along with some representatives from counties and the private sector plus the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The council was mandated by the Legislature in 2016, and the group convened in September 2016.

Asuncion said there had been some past state efforts at TOD planning, but more was needed.

“The state is playing catch-up,” he said.

Besides guiding development of state land around rail stations, the council is charged with monitoring TOD projects, recommending policy changes, facilitating funding for TOD projects and assisting with development planning for state land on neighbor islands in areas served by public transportation.

The report says major challenges including funding and upgrading infrastructure will affect TOD plans and that much of the council’s work will take time to be realized.

“The vision in this plan for TOD and smart growth communities will not be fully achieved in the next five years, or even the next 10 to 20 years,” the report said. “However, as with the development of Kapolei and Kakaako, action and investment are needed now — years in advance — to ensure this vision can be realized.”