From Cycle On Hawaii:

Tired of unfriendly streets for your kids to ride bikes and play in? Looking for a fun spot to exercise? Join us for a no-stress Mother’s Day in Kaka`ako with the streets open for play! Come join Cyclovia Hawaii for Hele On Kaka`ako!

From Complete Streets Kakaako:

The Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) is a State agency that was established to supplement traditional community renewal methods by promoting and coordinating public and private sector community development. The HCDA is activelly planning to implement Complete Street policies in Kakaako.

From Nonstop Honolulu:

Come on out on Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 12), from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for Hele On Kaka`ako. Along with many family-friendly activities, the event will feature an international movement called Cyclovia and also a first-time Complete Street Demonstration Project on Cooke Street. The event includes a 5K run, a Mother’s Day brunch at Taste, live music, bicycle education courses, pop-up shopping at Pinch of Salt, dance classes, aerobics and much more to promote healthy living and sustainability.

From Honolulu Star-Advertiser:

On Sunday, as part of a daylong event promoting more pedestrian and bicycle travel, a stretch of Cooke Street will become what organizers hope could be the future of traffic on Oahu. Using tubular barriers for curbs, special striping tape for lanes, benches, 40 large trees, hundreds of plants and other temporary materials, Cooke between Hale­kau­wila and Auahi streets will morph into what transportation planners call a “complete street.” The road there will be redesigned to show how motorists, cyclists and pedestrians could all better coexist.

Complete Streets Kakaako from R3IMAGE on Vimeo.

In October, Alii International Enterprises proposed building a recreational facility in Kakaako. The proposal included a Go-kart track, miniature golf course, wave pool, skate park and other amusement rides at 222 Ahui Street. The Hawaii Community Development Authority yesterday held a public hearing on the proposal.

Developer hopes to open Kakaako amusement park before start of summer (KITV)

It’s an ambitious plan, turning a blighted city block in the heart of Kakaako into an amusement park complete with go-cart racing, a rock wall, a skate park, a miniature golf course, a sky dive tower, and a wave machine. Billy Balding of Alii International Enterprises, LLC envisions the park as a place where both visitors and tourists alike can unwind. He plans on investing as much as $10 million, and hopes to open by May 31.

Mini amusement park could be coming to Kakaako (KHON)

Imagine a place in Kakaako that features go-kart racing, wave pool surfing, amusement rides, and other activities for the family. “It’s not going to be like a ride facility that you go and get on carnival rides. There are a few, but most of it is things that a lot of us like to enjoy in the open air,” local businessman Billy Balding said.

$10M amusement park proposed for Kakaako (HawaiiNewsNow)

Go kart racing, an indoor skydiving chamber and a wave pool are all part of a proposed $10 million amusement park planned for Kakaako. Alii Enterprises unveiled its plans for the new park at the site of the long vacant lot on Ala Moana during a meeting held by the Hawaii Community Development Authority today. Billy Balding, Alii’s owner, said the project will create 35 to 45 jobs.

Kakaako fairgrounds developer presents plan (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)

The developer of a planned year-round fairgrounds in Kakaako made his first public presentation of the project today to Hawaii Community Development Authority, offering new details and answering questions about the $10 million proposal. Besides a go-kart track, surfing wave pool, skateboard park, miniature golf course and kiddie amusement rides, the planned fairgrounds would include a zip-line, indoor skydiving tower and a bungee jump.

Creative Commons licensed photo courtesy Yelp.com on Flickr.

Interisland Terminal is celebrating the grand re-opening of its R&D space in Kakaako with a private, ticketed-only event from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on February 5, 2013. Tickets cost $80, but $40 of that is tax deductible.

The event includes:

• Hangar One cocktails from Imbibe Hawaii.
• Food from Kaka‘ako eateries, including Whole Ox, Hank’s Haute Dogs, and Pig & The Lady.
• A special lion dance performance by Wah Ngai.
• A preview of 2013 programs for Interisland Terminal, R&D and ii Gallery (next door to R&D).
• A preview of the “Lines in Time” artshow by Marques Marzan in ii Gallery.

Tickets are being sold online here:
http://honoluluboxoffice.tix.com/Event.aspx?EventCode=541704

Furniture and lifestyle boutique Chai Studio will be leaving its current location at 675 Auahi Street to a new location in Ward Warehouse. In an emailed announcement, the company says it will be holding a moving sale on Oct. 25, 26 and 27.

“We’re moving and we can’t take it all with us, so come and save 20%-40% on all furniture,” the announcement reads. “Armoires, beds, benches, dining table, cafe tables, dining chairs, coffee tables, trunks, side tables, book shelves, mirrors and more!”

After the moving sale, the store will be closed from Oct. 28 through Halloween, and will open at its new location near Menchie’s on Nov. 1.

For more information, call (808) 536-4543, or visit Chai-Studio.com.

This Saturday, Sept. 29, brings the debut of the Honolulu Night Market at 683 Auahi St. in Kakaako. Described as “Honolulus newest Urban Lifestyle Experience” and organized by Street Grindz, the event runs from 7 p.m. to midnight.

The best way to experience urban culture is to meet its people, what better way than to attend the Honolulu Night Market. Night Markets provide a casual place where people can mingle with fashion, live music, art, shopping, and lots of great food. Under the Honolulu city lights a night market feels exhilarating, and can be found on Auahi St. in Kaka’ako every month.

The next Honolulu Night Market will be on Saturday, Oct. 20.

For more information, visit the Honolulu Night Market website, follow the market on Twitter at @HNLnightmarket, or visit the Facebook page.

In the September 2012 issue of Hawaii Business, writer Beverly Creamer recaps and previews development aimed at reviving Kakaako. It includes numbers, a review of projects, artist renderings, and other plans.

Visions of a transformed Kakaako have been bandied about for three decades, but this time the landowners and state agencies are working together more closely, and dozens of projects are going forward in the next few years. If it comes together, it will be a multibillion-dollar investment that brings jobs, housing and new vitality to Honolulu’s core.

“We’re gearing up for a new day for Kakaako,” Abercrombie says. “We have a chance to initiate the next, exciting urban center in the country.”

In a rush of words, he describes a walkable community of high-rise condos and rentals, including the state’s tallest building, plus stores, innovative businesses, and sites for music, dance and artistic expression – all reflecting Hawaii’s culture and our Pacific location.

The big private landowners are generally in sync with this vision. “It’s the most exciting asset in our portfolio. We’re definitely moving forward,” says David M. Striph, senior VP-Hawaii for the Howard Hughes Corp., Kakaako’s largest private landowner with 60 acres, including the Ward Centers.

Of course, not all conflicts are over. The Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA), the state agency that oversees Kakaako’s development, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs disagree over plans to upgrade Kewalo Basin, a small harbor now used mostly by tour companies. Other disputes are simmering, but, barring an economic catastrophe, a transformation of much of Kakaako’s 670 acres appears unstoppable.

Read the full story: Kakaako’s Building Boom

Kakaako is a huge under-developed part of Honolulu that is the only place where downtown can grow. Now a mish-mash of old warehouses, WWII quonset huts and a few high rises, the neighborhood is destined for a complete remake. If rail continues on its current path, the line will proceed through Kaka’ako via Halekauwila on its way to Ala Moana shopping center. A new 65 story dual use condo/commercial complex plan has gone out to bid. Kamehameha Schools, Alexander & Baldwin and Howard Hughes Corporation own much of the land, yet the Hawaii Community Development Authority has say over how it will be used. Will it become a thriving live, work and play community? What happened to the previous plans for turning it into a bio-medical research mecca? What is in store for this neighborhood?

Find out at the next HVCA/ThinkTech Hawaii luncheon on March 22, 2012 at the Plaza Club 20th Floor from 11:30A – 2PM. Enjoy good food, great people and a first class networking experience. Register today. Please use our handy PayPal system which allows you to pay via any credit card. You do not need a PayPal account to reserve your seat.

Joining us with opening remarks will be our special guest, the honorable Governor Neil Abercrombie, who will express his vision for transforming Kakaako. Following the Governor’s remarks we will have two dynamic panels.

• The first panel will cover Projects and Prospects for Landowners and Developers, moderated by Bruce Barrett of Castle and Cooke, with panelists Peter Apo of OHA; Tony Ching of HCDA; Mitch D’Olier of Kaneohe Ranch; Kathy Inouye of Kobayashi Group; and Paul Quintiliani of Kamehameha Schools.
• The second panel will cover Projects and Prospects by Designers and Innovators, moderated by John Ida of Urban Works, with panelists Wei Fang of the R/D Project; Charlie Holdaway of Holatron; Eric Masutomi, Community Planner; Vicky Holt Takamine of Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima; and Jasper Wong of Powwow.

Members, affiliates (including faculty and government) attend at the member rate of $29, students are $20 and all others $39. If you do not see your organization listed, just choose the affiliate rate.

The Plaza Club kindly requests aloha attire. Parking is available in the Pioneer Plaza building, entrance on Merchant St., but we do not validate. Alternate parking is available at Harbor Court, entrance on Bethel Street.

Much thanks to our sponsors, Hawaii Business Magazine, the accounting firm of KMH, LLP and Kakaako based co-working space, The Box Jelly.

For more information or to reserve by phone, contact Gail at (808) 382-4638.

—Text and image courtesy HVCA.