The highest price paid for a residential condominium in Hawaii has now topped $20 million.
A buyer on Friday closed on a purchase at Park Lane Ala Moana for a record
$22 million.
Prices for new ultra-luxury condos have been on a climb this year with a couple of recently completed condo buildings in Honolulu — Park Lane, which is a midrise connected to the makai side of Ala Moana Center, and a tower at Ward Village called Waiea.
Prior to these two projects, the record price was $10 million when a penthouse in the One Ala Moana tower on the mauka side of Hawaii’s largest shopping center sold in 2014.
So far this year, there have been three sales at Park Lane for a little over $10 million, and one in August for $18.8 million. A third “grand penthouse” is still available for $29 million.
At Waiea, there have been three sales for around $13 million to $14 million since the tower opened in December. Two grand penthouses were listed for sale last year at $35 million and $36 million but have not yet sold.
Local economist Paul Brewbaker said real estate developers are competing to attract some of the world’s wealthiest individuals in the global market for ultra-luxury housing.
In prior decades, there have been single-family estates that sold for more than $40 million, though much of the value in those deals often involved acres of land as opposed to a few thousand square feet of living space and common areas shared by others in a condo.
Brewbaker said the answer to who in the world would want to own a
$25 million condo in Honolulu is “anybody who can afford a $25 million condo.”
According to public property records, Shinichi and Yasuko Fujimoto bought the $18.8 million Park Lane condo. They bought a
$2.9 million condo at the Koolani condo tower in Kakaako in 2014 and before that had owned a $1.1 million condo at the neighboring Hawaiki Tower that they bought in 2008 while residing in Japan.
Park Lane developers did not wish to disclose who bought the $22 million condo that encompasses about 6,000 square feet. Public record information was not immediately available.
Ian MacNaughton, a principal involved in Park Lane’s development and managing partner in local investment firm BlackSand Capital, said a global set of buyers are represented as owners in the project.
“These are folks that can live anywhere in the world,” he said.
Originally, the developers of Park Lane, which also include local development firms Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group plus mall owner GGP Inc., had envisioned having five grand penthouses, but eliminated two in favor of having a few more moderate-size units.
Prices in the project range from $1.2 million for one- bedroom units with
850 square feet of living space to the biggest grand penthouse that features 6,273 square feet of living space and a 1,690-square-foot lanai.
MacNaughton said 95 percent of Park Lane, or about 208 of 219 residential units, has been sold for a combined $900 million, and that construction on the last of three phases is wrapping up by the end of the month.
The developers of Park Lane describe the project as a unique rendition of urban condo living, with a low-density atmosphere, interior landscaped courtyards, ocean views and resort-like amenities. Some units have their own pools, enclosed garages and private elevators that open to a foyer leading to the home’s front door.
Park Lane spans seven acres covered by six eight-story buildings separated by shared lawn spaces about two stories above street level overlooking Ala Moana Beach Park. Amenities in the building include a wine bar, wine storage room, catering kitchen, movie theater, community pool, spa, dog park, valet parking and an exclusive connection to the mall. Someone is even available to set up chairs and umbrellas on Ala Moana beach for residents.
“People are definitely appreciating the very unique qualities of Park Lane,” MacNaughton said.