There are many Oahu single-family homes built on lot sizes of roughly 10,000 square feet. Meeting the needs of many households may hinge on developing more projects like Nohona Hale, developed by the nonprofit EAH Housing.
Construction will start about a year from now and take 18 months; when it’s complete, it will occupy a space no larger than those single-house lots but will have 111 “microunit” apartments of about 300 square feet.
Marian Gushiken, EAH director of real estate development, said the company is processing through entitlements for the project, located at 630 Cooke St. and authorized by the Hawaii Community Development Authority.
Twelve floors of residential units will be built over a two-story podium, which will encompass a residential recreation area, management offices and a ground-floor community and commercial space.
Energy efficiency is the aim of the shading screens on the tower’s lanais, with solar panels for hot water and power louvers on corridor end walls for natural ventilation.
Other features will include:
>> A resident lobby, covered lanai and garden.
>> Community room for residents and guests.
>> “Outdoor room” on the second floor with barbecue station, kitchenette, community urban farm, garden, and lanai.
>> Resident gym facility.
>> Laundry facilities.
>> Surfboard, bicycle and moped storage.
There also will be three parking stalls for management personnel. Being a transit-oriented-development project, no parking will be provided for residents, said Kevin Carney, vice president for EAH Housing, Hawaii.
“Hopefully it could be duplicated at other small parcels of land to make inroads in our affordable housing crisis,” he said.
