Developers are heeding the call to “Go West” — and with every project planned and coming on line, Oahu’s “Second City” appears to be taking shape. It’s about time.
The concept dates back to the 1970s, so it’s encouraging to see the tangible results in the thousands of houses already built with more to come, plus a vibrant commercial sector that includes a new regional mall.
Already, Ka Makana Alii, a
1.4 million-square-foot regional mall in Kapolei, is creating a buzz. Last week, the Macy’s there launched a soft opening, with a grand opening scheduled for Sept. 30. Crews are readying other parts of the mall, which is expected to include more than 150 shops, restaurants and entertainment venues — a much-needed retail center for West Oahu residents.
Just a hop, skip and a jump away from Ka Makana will be the future East Kapolei rail transit station. The system’s concrete pillars and elevated rail line are within walking distance of both the new mall and the University of Hawaii-West Oahu, and there are mixed-use plans for parcels near the university campus.
Farther west, Ko Olina also is experiencing a growth spurt, fueled by doses of foreign investment. A Chinese company —
China Oceanwide Holdings Ltd. — signed off on a $280 million deal to buy more beachfront land for development at Ko Olina Resort &Marina, just eight months after spending $200 million for a similar, smaller property nearby.
China Oceanwide is expected to spend roughly $1.5 billion developing a hotel on the latest site and construction could begin in mid-2017. The resort could employ 1,800 people. That’s in addition to plans to build up to two luxury hotels and one luxury condo on 17 acres between a Marriott time-share property and the Beach Villas condo complex that China Oceanwide bought in December.
These projects will bear watching, to ensure that luxury for some will not come at the expense of free and open access to public spaces for all.
The local economy will certainly reap the benefits of the retail and resort developments, which will pump more construction jobs into the current building boom. The infusion of permanent jobs at Ka Makana and the resorts offer more employment opportunities for West Oahu residents who would gladly give up their daily commutes to downtown or Waikiki.
Government facilities and services are already in place — the city’s Kapolei Hale; the Ronald T.Y. Moon Judiciary Complex and Kapolei State Office Building; and the federal Social Security Administration and FBI buildings.
Many of West Oahu residents’ needs related to the city, state and federal governments can be met without travel to Honolulu now, which fulfills the intent behind a Second City.
But with growth comes growing pains. Homelessness, while perhaps not as prevalent as in other areas, is becoming more noticeable in the greater Kapolei area. As the population increases, social services also must grow at the same pace.
Existing infrastructure in the area also has taken a toll, and it’s critical that Oahu’s Second City maintain what’s there to accommodate future growth. For instance, Farrington Highway along Kapolei’s commercial core is in dire need of repaving. Kalaeloa Boulevard, used by 40,000 people daily, is undergoing necessary widening and improvement as well.
Smart growth — not unbridled, explosive, exclusionary growth — is what’s needed for a true Second City. Slowly, but surely, the vision is becoming more focused and increasingly more tangible.
