The first of several extra-
dense condominium towers being developed near the city’s last planned rail station next to Ala Moana Center has opened.
Initial homeowners began moving into the 41-story Azure Ala Moana tower at the corner of Keeaumoku and Makaloa streets Monday after a Hawaiian blessing last week.
All but one of the tower’s 330 condos have been sold. Prices ranged from about $550,000 to $2.2 million for units with one to three bedrooms, and the unit still available is a makai-facing residence with two bedrooms on the 15th floor priced at $1.7 million.
Azure represents the first
residential high-rise in the Ala Moana area completed under city transit-oriented development rules that allow buildings to be taller and denser than standard zoning regulations permit because they are within convenient walking distance of a planned, yet long-delayed, city rail station.
ProsPac Holdings Group LLC, Azure’s developer, said its project that began construction in April 2019 is part of a community being transformed.
“Together with our project team, we’ve delivered on our vision to contribute to positively transforming the neighborhood and look forward to welcoming residents, businesses and visitors alike to the building,” Rick Stack, ProsPac executive vice president, said in a statement.
William Chen, assistant director at the company, added, “Ala Moana is one of the most diverse, active, and established neighborhoods on Oahu with the opportunity to be a model for sustainable urban living. It has been a privilege to build Azure Ala Moana to help this community get closer to reaching its full potential for the people who live and work in this city.”
ProsPac satisfied demand for new high-rise homes in Honolulu’s urban core rather easily, but didn’t have a smooth time obtaining Honolulu City Council approval for its initial plan in 2017 and 2018 because of how it proposed to satisfy an affordable-housing requirement.
The company initially proposed including 78 rental apartments reserved for lower-
moderate households in a portion of the building with a separate entrance and lobby off Makaloa Street while condo owners would have an exclusive entryway and lobby off Keeaumoku Street.
Some critics decried the design as a “poor door” for lower-
income renters. Following a public outcry and concern from the Council, ProsPac redesigned entryways leading to both lobbies through an internal corridor.
The affordable rental portion of the tower, called 1518 Makaloa, comprises mostly studio units on lower floors and does not offer use of a pool, spa, movie theater, fitness center, barbecue pavilions, dog park and other amenities owned and maintained by condo owners.
A lottery to select apartment tenants was held in August, and occupancy for these homes is projected to begin next month.
Ground-floor commercial space and a public plaza are also part of the tower.
Other transit-oriented development projects under construction or planned near the Ala Moana rail station site include Sky Ala Moana, The Park on Keeaumoku and Mana‘olana Place. Another nearby tower, The Central Ala Moana, acquired density bonuses as a predominantly affordable-housing project and is expected to open soon.
