Plans for 2 more Ward towers set for review

A state agency regulating development in Kakaako has scheduled public hearings in March to consider plans for developing two more condominium towers at Ward Village.

The developer of Ward Village, Howard Hughes Corp., gave board members of the Hawaii Community Development Authority a preview of its plans for the two towers with a combined 1,243 homes in November.

One tower, dubbed Ulana Ward Village, would feature 697 moderately priced homes that satisfy an HCDA requirement that 20% of all new homes at Ward Village be available at prices that meet federal affordability standards for moderate-income households in Honolulu.

Ulana, which Hughes Corp. estimates will cost $409 million, is proposed on a block bordered by Auahi, Kamani and Pohukaina streets a block Ewa of Ward Avenue.

This tower would include a 30,000-square-foot public park and a separate building with parking for tower residents, retail spaces fronting Pohukaina Street and a 30,000-square-foot industrial building that could be for one or more commercial tenants.

The second tower, dubbed The Park on Ward, would be a luxury project with 546 condos on much of an area fronting Ward Avenue once largely occupied by a Sports Authority store that now includes Wahoo’s, Starbucks, Ba-Le Sandwich Shop and a few other businesses.

This tower is estimated to cost $620 million and would feature ground-floor retail space on all four sides of the building. Part of the site also will be used to improve and enlarge an existing 55,000- square-foot public park by about 37,000 square feet and to realign part of Auahi Street.

HCDA has scheduled an initial hearing for 11 a.m. March 3 for the developer to present the plans.

A second hearing, slated for 10 a.m. March 10, would consider requests by Hughes Corp. to build tower bases or parking garages clad with retail space higher than HCDA’s height limit but in line with what the agency has allowed for other towers. Hughes Corp. is also asking that The Park on Ward be allowed to occupy some space in a view corridor along Ward Avenue.

The agency expects to make a decision at a May 5 hearing set to begin at 11 a.m.

Hughes Corp. has a master plan approved by HCDA generally allowing up to 4,500 homes slated for 16 towers, public parks and 1 million square feet of retail on 60 acres owned by the Texas-based company.

To date, four towers with a combined 1,382 homes have been built. Another two towers with a combined 1,317 units are under construction. One other tower with 350 units has been permitted and is expected to start construction soon.

If Hughes Corp. receives timely permits for Ulana and The Park on Ward, the company anticipates starting construction in the second half of 2022.