Jul 24, 2019
Howard Hughes Corp. names 7th Hawaii tower for Victoria Ward
The Howard Hughes Corp. has released plans for its seventh Hawaii tower — a 400-foot luxury condominium building whose name pays homage to the original owner of the 60-acre master-planned community Ward Village.
Victoria Place will be located at 1100 Ala Moana Blvd., between Waiea and Victoria Ward Park, a portion of the site The Howard Hughes Corp. (NYSE: HHC) had previously planned as the site for one of the two Gateway Towers, according to an application filed with the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which oversees development in Kakaako.
The application seeks to consolidate the footprint for the two previously approved Gateway Towers into one for Victoria Place, and expand the makai end of Victoria Ward Park to “provide enhancements for wellness, connectivity to the ocean and culturally inspired placemaking,” the developer said.
“The biggest part of this is being able to consolidate Gateway’s two towers into one,” Todd Apo, senior vice president of community relations at Howard Hughes, told Pacific Business News Tuesday. “We’re moving one of the tower footprints, with more homes and more reserved housing as well, opening up and expanding the park space.”
The Gateway Towers project, which was to have 236 units, was shelved last year after Simon Treacy took over as president of the Hawaii region for Dallas-based Howard Hughes.
“As featured in our announcement last year, our plan for the former Ward Warehouse location now reflects greater public amenities, more open green space, and an increased connection to the waterfront,” Treacy said in a statement. “Victoria Ward’s legacy continues to serve as our biggest inspiration as we transform Ward Village into a world-class destination that showcases the beauty and culture of our island.”
Victoria Place will have 350 residential units, 15,590 square feet of open space at the ground level, and 64,105 square feet of recreational space. The unit mix would include 137 one-bedroom units, 146 two-bedroom units and 77 three-bedroom units, according to the sewer application filed with the City and County of Honolulu.
Unlike the first six towers completed or under construction — Waiea, Anaha, Aeo, Ke Kilohana, Aalii and Koula, which broke ground two weeks ago — there is no retail or commercial space planned for Victoria Place, Apo confirmed.
“The focus of the ground floor is going to be the integration of the park,” Apo said. “The makai section of park is a more tranquil, relaxing atmosphere. We think it will be a nice change and transition.”
The project is being designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, who also designed the Anaha and Aalii towers for Howard Hughes, as well as the ONE Ala Moana and Park Lane Ala Moana buildings around Ala Moana Center and Brookfield Properties' Lilia Waikiki project, which is expected to start construction this year.
HCDA has scheduled a presentation hearing on the project for Sept. 4, with a decision-making hearing scheduled for Oct. 2.
The project is named for Victoria Ward — who, with her husband, Curtis Ward — bought 100 acres stretching from Thomas Square to the ocean in 1870. The portion of the land mauka of Kapiolani Boulevard is occupied by the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, which is owned by the City and County of Honolulu.
The Ward family owned the 60 acres makai of Kapiolani — including Ward Warehouse, Ward Centre and the Ward Entertainment Complex — until 2002, when Victoria Ward Ltd. was sold to Ala Moana Center owner General Growth Properties for $275 million.
The Howard Hughes Corp. took over the land in 2010 after General Growth emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
From: Pacific Business News, 7/23/19