Kuilei Place is the largest for-sale affordable housing project under construction on O‘ahu and the first major new condominium in Mō‘ili‘ili in decades. Kui lei — to string a lei, to join separate things into one — is an apt name for a project that brings 1,005 residences to a working town neighborhood between Kaimūkī High School and ‘Iolani School, with roughly sixty percent of them reserved for local buyers under state income limits.

• 1,005 residences: 603 affordable (HHFDC 201H), 402 market
• 43-story tower and 12-story mid-rise at 2599 Kapi‘olani Boulevard
• 1 to 3 bedrooms plus live/work lofts; fee simple
• Under construction; groundbreaking April 2025

Two Buildings, Two Categories

Developed by Kobayashi Group with BlackSand Capital — the team associated with Park Lane, Hokua, One Ala Moana, and Capitol Place — Kuilei Place rises on three acres at 2599 Kapi‘olani Boulevard as a 43-story tower and a 12-story mid-rise. Of its 1,005 homes, 603 were designated affordable under HHFDC's 201H program for households earning roughly 80 to 140 percent of area median income — the band that catches teachers, nurses, and first responders. The remaining 402 are market-priced. The affordable designation is a regulatory structure, not a statement about build quality.

The Residences

The mid-rise on floors 2 through 12 offers one- and two-bedroom homes, generally the more attainable entry point. The high-rise from floors 13 to 43 adds three-bedroom residences with Diamond Head, ocean, and Ko‘olau views depending on orientation. Finishes include floor-to-ceiling windows, Bosch appliances and Kohler fixtures, quartz counters, porcelain tile, and a choice of two color palettes. A small number of ground-floor live/work lofts let an owner run a business downstairs and live above.

An Amenity Program Beyond the Label

Five private club rooms, two indoor fitness centers plus an outdoor fitness lawn, a resort-style pool with lap lanes, reservable barbecue cabanas, two playgrounds, two dog parks, bike and surfboard storage, and two penthouse-level private dining rooms with a karaoke lounge. Sustainability systems — centralized solar hot water, greywater reuse, Level 3 EV fast charging, and EV car and micromobility sharing — were designed in part to hold maintenance fees down over time.

Affordable and Market Are Different Purchases

An affordable residence carries income qualification going in and HHFDC use, sale, and transfer restrictions going out — including a buy-back right and Shared Appreciation Equity provisions that run for years. For most buyers in this income band it remains far and away the best path to owning in town, but it must be understood before you apply. The project cleared 201H approval in 2022, sold heavily through 2023 and 2024, broke ground in April 2025, and is now vertical. Remaining developer inventory is limited and changes as contracts cancel and release.

We're excited to introduce our newest listing — a high-floor 1-bedroom residence at Century Park Plaza featuring expansive ocean, city, and Pearl Harbor views. We're also spotlighting a beautifully updated home at 1011 Prospect, celebrating a successful closing at Country Club Village 5, and sharing a special milestone from our REMAX Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu office.

New Listing: Century Park Plaza #4203B, Pearl City

Listed for $325,000

1060 Kamehameha Highway, Pearl City, HI 96782

MLS# 202615203

• 1 Bedroom
• 1 Bathroom
• 1 Parking
• 515 Living SF

Welcome to Century Park Plaza #4203B, a high-floor residence offering expansive ocean and city views overlooking Pearl Harbor. Freshly painted throughout with the popcorn ceiling removed, this home is ready for you to make it your own and features window A/C, an in-unit washer and dryer, and plenty of natural light.

Enjoy an array of community amenities, including a swimming pool, hot tub, tennis court, basketball court, and playground, all within a well-secured building with secured parking. Ideally located near Pearl Harbor, rail stations, shopping, dining, and more, this home combines incredible views with the convenience of being close to everyday essentials.

Listing Spotlight: 1011 Prospect, Honolulu

$425,000 Fee Simple

1013 Prospect St. #1014, Honolulu, HI 96822

• 1 Bedroom
• 1 Bathroom
• 1 Parking
• 713 Living SF

Welcome to this beautifully updated high-floor 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom residence at 1011 Prospect, offering Diamond Head and ocean views, refreshing cross breezes, and a modern, move-in-ready interior. Stylish finishes include a renovated kitchen, crown molding, a welcoming entry nook, and the removal of the original popcorn ceilings, creating a bright and updated interior.

The enclosed lanai adds valuable additional living space, enhancing the home's spacious and versatile layout. Enjoy the convenience of 1 covered parking stall located near the elevator in this secure and well-maintained building. Ideally situated in the heart of Honolulu, you'll enjoy easy access to shopping, restaurants, boutiques, entertainment, and everything town has to offer.

Just Sold at Country Club Village 5

A fast closing for this gorgeous, beautifully updated home. We're so happy for our clients and grateful for the trust they placed in our team throughout the process. Congratulations to everyone involved, and cheers to a successful closing.

New Signage at REMAX Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu

This past week, we celebrated the unveiling of REMAX Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu's new signage at our Ka Makana Aliʻi office. Our team came together to mark this exciting milestone and recognize our Principal Broker, Joe Castaneda, for being named one of Pacific Business News' 40 Under 40 honorees. It was a wonderful celebration, and we're excited for all that's ahead.

New single-family construction essentially does not happen in Mānoa. The valley filled in decades ago, the lots are held for generations, and buyers who want in have historically had one option: purchase something old and renovate it. Aria Lane is the exception — and it exists only because an eleven-acre school campus came available. The rarest thing about this project is not the homes. It is the address.

• Approximately 11 acres at 2707 Pamoa Road, Mānoa
• New 3- and 4-bedroom single-family homes plus adaptive-reuse multifamily
• In-law suite option on most single-family plans
• Gated community with planned recreation and open space

The Site

Saint Francis School closed in 2019 after its final graduating class. The Avalon Group, led by Christine Camp, acquired the campus at 2707 Pamoa Road in February 2024 in a sale approved by the Vatican. The land was already zoned residential. Avalon's plan is a gated community pairing new single-family homes with adaptive reuse — converting existing campus buildings into multifamily residences rather than demolishing them, a signature approach for this developer.

The Homes

The single-family homes are new construction in three- and four-bedroom layouts, offered in single-level and two-story plans with attached garages. An in-law suite option on most plans converts a ground-floor ensuite bedroom into a suite with kitchenette and separate entrance — ideal for multigenerational households. The multifamily residences, created from the converted campus structures, have smaller footprints; a portion is planned as income-qualified affordable housing, with the remainder at market pricing.

Living in Mānoa

What buyers are paying for here is the valley itself: the rain and the green, the ridgelines, and proximity to town without being in it. Noelani Elementary, Mid-Pacific Institute, and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa are nearby, as are Mānoa Marketplace, Lyon Arboretum, and the Mānoa Falls trail. Waikīkī and downtown Honolulu are each a short drive.

Where the Project Stands

Aria Lane is in development, not selling from a price sheet. The City approved its planned development-housing permit in February 2025, and the entitlement process has continued through community review and an appeal. Plans have been revised in response to neighborhood input. At this stage, release order typically favors registered buyers — and registering your interest costs nothing and commits you to nothing.

Ka lae — the point, the headland — is the view south toward Diamond Head from 1000 Ala Moana Boulevard, and Kalae is the tower built to hold it. It is the tenth residential building in Ward Village and one of only a handful on the front row, wrapped by Victoria Ward Park Makai with Waiea and Victoria Place as its neighbors. What makes Kalae unusual in this neighborhood is scale: at 330 residences it is one of the smaller towers Howard Hughes has built here. Fewer homes, fewer elevators, fewer people on the amenity deck.

• 330 residences, 38 stories, 1 to 3 bedrooms
• Solomon Cordwell Buenz, NICOLEHOLLIS, VITA
• Four ground-floor Mālie Courtyards plus a Level 5 resort deck
• Front row beside Victoria Ward Park; under construction

Territorial-Era Hawai‘i, Translated to 38 Stories

Solomon Cordwell Buenz drew on early-twentieth-century Honolulu rather than international glass: stone screens, deep shade, patterned flooring, handcrafted tile, and courtyards that open to the trades. NICOLEHOLLIS designed the interiors and VITA the landscape. The result reads as a building that has been here a while — a difficult effect to design for and an expensive one to build.

The Mālie Courtyards

Where most towers give the street a lobby and a loading dock, Kalae gives it four Mālie Courtyards — semi-private indoor-outdoor rooms with adjacent bungalows, intended as reservable spaces for anything from a dinner to a graduation party. For a household that entertains, this may be the deciding amenity. Level 5 holds the resort deck: a resort pool and separate fitness pool, spa, great lawn and pavilion, owners' lounge, private dining room with catering kitchen, fitness and yoga studios, treatment rooms, saunas, guest suites, and barbecue cabanas.

The Residences

Kalae offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes — no studios, and a genuine one-bedroom as the entry point. Interiors feature floor-to-ceiling windows, wide-plank engineered oak, Studio Becker cabinetry, quartzite counters, an appliance garage, Sub-Zero refrigeration and wine refrigerator, and marble and limestone baths, in light or dark palettes. Corner residences hold the widest ocean and Diamond Head panoramas; select plans carry deep lānai. Every residence is market-priced.

Late in the Cycle, Choosing from What Remains

Kalae has been selling since late 2022, broke ground in January 2024, and is one of the more thoroughly pre-sold buildings in Ward Village. Anyone coming to it now is selecting from a limited number of developer residences plus occasional releases from cancelled contracts. Availability moves week to week, and we will tell you honestly whether what remains is worth the ask — or whether Melia, ‘Ilima, or a Victoria Place resale is the better buy.

Ka lae — the point, the headland — is the view south toward Diamond Head from 1000 Ala Moana Boulevard, and Kalae is the tower built to hold it. It is the tenth residential building in Ward Village and one of only a handful on the front row, wrapped by Victoria Ward Park Makai with Waiea and Victoria Place as its neighbors. What makes Kalae unusual in this neighborhood is scale: at 330 residences it is one of the smaller towers Howard Hughes has built here. Fewer homes, fewer elevators, fewer people on the amenity deck.

• 330 residences, 38 stories, 1 to 3 bedrooms
• Solomon Cordwell Buenz, NICOLEHOLLIS, VITA
• Four ground-floor Mālie Courtyards plus a Level 5 resort deck
• Front row beside Victoria Ward Park; under construction

Territorial-Era Hawai‘i, Translated to 38 Stories

Solomon Cordwell Buenz drew on early-twentieth-century Honolulu rather than international glass: stone screens, deep shade, patterned flooring, handcrafted tile, and courtyards that open to the trades. NICOLEHOLLIS designed the interiors and VITA the landscape. The result reads as a building that has been here a while — a difficult effect to design for and an expensive one to build.

The Mālie Courtyards

Where most towers give the street a lobby and a loading dock, Kalae gives it four Mālie Courtyards — semi-private indoor-outdoor rooms with adjacent bungalows, intended as reservable spaces for anything from a dinner to a graduation party. For a household that entertains, this may be the deciding amenity. Level 5 holds the resort deck: a resort pool and separate fitness pool, spa, great lawn and pavilion, owners' lounge, private dining room with catering kitchen, fitness and yoga studios, treatment rooms, saunas, guest suites, and barbecue cabanas.

The Residences

Kalae offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes — no studios, and a genuine one-bedroom as the entry point. Interiors feature floor-to-ceiling windows, wide-plank engineered oak, Studio Becker cabinetry, quartzite counters, an appliance garage, Sub-Zero refrigeration and wine refrigerator, and marble and limestone baths, in light or dark palettes. Corner residences hold the widest ocean and Diamond Head panoramas; select plans carry deep lānai. Every residence is market-priced.

Late in the Cycle, Choosing from What Remains

Kalae has been selling since late 2022, broke ground in January 2024, and is one of the more thoroughly pre-sold buildings in Ward Village. Anyone coming to it now is selecting from a limited number of developer residences plus occasional releases from cancelled contracts. Availability moves week to week, and we will tell you honestly whether what remains is worth the ask — or whether Melia, ‘Ilima, or a Victoria Place resale is the better buy.

There is no more consequential address left in Ward Village. Melia — the plumeria, the flower most often strung into a lei of welcome — rises on the final front-row parcel of Howard Hughes' 60-acre master plan, between Auahi Street and Ala Moana Boulevard, beside the landmark IBM Building and directly across from Ala Moana Beach Park. It is a position that will not be replicated, because there is nothing behind it left to build.

• 221 residences, 35 stories, market-rate throughout
• Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Champalimaud Design, VITA landscape
• Full in-building amenity suite with lap and family pools
• Last front-row site in Ward Village, across from Ala Moana Beach Park

The Larger of Two Companion Towers

Melia and ‘Ilima were conceived together, joined at grade by a native botanical garden pathway and framing Ka Lei Park between them. At 221 residences across 35 stories, Melia is the larger of the pair and offers the broader range of homes, with a full amenity suite of its own. It is a market-rate offering throughout — no reserved housing units, no income qualification — and it is Howard Hughes' own tower, without the separate club membership structure of its neighbor.

Architecture Composed for a Climate

Melia marks the first Hawai‘i work of Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the practice behind 15 Central Park West. Their approach here is a discipline of proportion and shade — buildings composed for the trade winds rather than imposed on them, drawing from Hawai‘i's own architectural record. Champalimaud Design carries the interiors consistently from the residences through the amenity floors and arrival sequence, and VITA Planning & Landscape Architecture designed the landscape. Orientation is calibrated to Diamond Head and the Pacific.

The Amenity Deck and Ka Lei Park

A full deck above the podium holds a lap pool and separate family pool, barbecue cabanas, pavilions overlooking Ka Lei Park, a fitness center, spa, resident lounges, private event rooms, and guest suites. The most distinctive element on the block, however, is not inside either tower: a green corridor of native plantings running from the IBM Building through to Ka Lei Park, which residents pass through daily on the way to the beach park across the boulevard. It is the rarest amenity in urban Honolulu — ground.

Sales Momentum

Melia opened to extraordinary reception. Howard Hughes reported $1.2 billion in combined sales across Melia and ‘Ilima at launch in September 2025 — the highest volume and pricing ever recorded in Hawai‘i — with Melia 52 percent pre-sold at the time and the pair approximately 60 percent pre-sold by year-end. Melia remains in pre-sales as it advances through planning and permitting. Floor plans, square footages, and pricing are released by individual residence.

The Launiu occupies the corner every driver on Ala Moana Boulevard passes on the way into town — the turn at Ward Avenue where the neighborhood begins. It is the eleventh residential tower in Howard Hughes' Ward Village master plan and one of the few remaining front-row parcels, with nothing tall between the building and the water. The name, lau niu, is the frond of the coconut palm that has always marked this shoreline.

• 486 residences, 40 stories; studio to 3 bedroom plus den
• 440–1,677 sq ft; Sub-Zero, Wolf, Studio Becker, quartzite
• Arquitectonica architecture, ODADA interiors, Vita landscape
• Under construction; estimated completion 2028

A Building Shaped by the Breeze

Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica designed a slender tower angled toward Diamond Head, with terraces that roll down its face in a continuous wave — a mid-century coastal silhouette rather than a sheer glass curtain wall. The 486 residences divide into 396 tower homes on floors 8 through 40 and 90 podium homes that wrap the parking structure and keep the street edge alive. ODADA's interiors work in a quiet register of sand-toned oak and soft white, and Vita's landscape traces O‘ahu from makai to mauka across the amenity deck.

The Residences

Floors 8 through 40 share a repeating plate of twelve residences, from 440-square-foot studios to a 1,677-square-foot three-bedroom plus den. Diamond Head-facing tower residences carry a true lānai; the remainder use Juliet balconies off the living room. Nine-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, engineered oak flooring, Studio Becker cabinetry, quartzite counters, and Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances are standard. Every home is market-priced — no reserved housing, no income qualification, no lottery.

Two Levels of Amenities

The seventh-floor deck is lifted high enough to clear the neighborhood and open to Diamond Head, the sunset, and the surf off Kewalo: a resort pool, fitness pool, and spa; a tide pool and children's play structure; a great lawn, sunset deck, and palm deck; five clubrooms; a catering kitchen and dining cabana; and a fitness room and movement studio. Ground level handles arrival with a porte cochère, attended lobby, on-site residence manager, dog run, and secured bicycle storage. Five guest suites and dedicated surfboard storage are the details that matter daily.

Under Construction, Targeting 2028

The Launiu launched sales in 2024, broke ground in October 2025 with Swinerton as general contractor, and was reported approximately 71 percent pre-sold by year-end 2025. Buyers here are no longer betting on whether the building proceeds. Remaining inventory clusters in specific stacks and floor bands, with occasional releases from cancelled contracts.

This week we're spotlighting a beautifully upgraded studio at Honuakaha in Kakaʻako — 510 square feet of comfortable city living, one parking stall, and a convenient location, all for $315,000 fee simple. We're also celebrating two new escrows: our buyer is officially under contract on a brand-new studio townhome at Lau Leʻa at Koa Ridge, and our Enchanted Lake listing is now under contract for our sellers.

Property Spotlight: Honuakaha in Kakaʻako

545 Queen St #543 | Honuakaha

$315,000 Fee Simple

• Studio
• 1 Bathroom
• 1 Parking
• 510 Living SF

This beautifully upgraded studio offers the perfect blend of comfort, style, and convenience. Featuring an open floor plan, a sleek kitchen, in-unit washer/dryer, and a spacious closet with custom storage, this unit is move-in ready. Additional highlights include air conditioning, vinyl plank flooring, and a ceiling fan for added comfort. The secured building provides surfboard and bicycle storage, as well as secured, covered parking.

Located just blocks from Downtown Honolulu, SALT, and Ward Village, and minutes from Ala Moana Center and the beach, this unit offers easy access to the best of city living. Whether you're seeking a stylish home or a rental investment, this prime Kakaʻako location is ideal for both — perfect for city dwellers or those looking for a turnkey property with unmatched convenience.

Videos

• Watch an aerial view of this home
• Home walkthrough video

Two Homes Under Contract

Excited for our buyer who is officially under contract on a brand-new studio townhome at Lau Leʻa! With a fresh new space and the opportunity to add their own finishing touches, we can't wait to see them make this home their own. Koa Ridge is a growing community with so much to offer, and we're grateful to help our buyer become a part of it.

See the post on Instagram →

We're excited to share that our Enchanted Lake listing is officially under contract. We're grateful to our sellers for trusting our team to represent them throughout the selling process, and we look forward to guiding them toward a smooth and successful closing.

See the post on Instagram →

It's been another exciting week at Hawaii Starts Here, with a special milestone for our team and another step forward for one of our clients. We're sharing a look back at Joe Castaneda's Pacific Business News 40 Under 40 celebration, along with news that our buyer is officially under contract on a single-family home in Haiku Village.

Under Contract at Haiku Village

Excited for our buyer who is officially under contract on a single-family home in Haiku Village! We're grateful for their trust and happy to be guiding them through the process as they get one step closer to calling this home their own. Looking forward to a smooth escrow and handing over the keys soon.

Celebrating Joe Castaneda — 40 Under 40

Last week we shared the news of our Team Lead, Joe Castaneda, being honored as one of Pacific Business News' 2026 40 Under 40. This week we're sharing a special video highlighting the celebration — a memorable evening recognizing Joe alongside an incredible group of Hawaiʻi's rising leaders.

We're proud of Joe and grateful to celebrate this well-deserved milestone together as the Hawaii Starts Here Team.

We're celebrating an exciting honor for our Team Lead, Joe Castaneda, who was named one of Pacific Business News' 2026 40 Under 40 honorees. We're also sharing several real estate updates from across Oʻahu: closings at Iolani Court Plaza and Nanea Kai, plus newly accepted contracts at Naniwa Gardens, Parkway A, and Country Club Village 5.

Joe Castaneda Named to PBN's 2026 40 Under 40

We're incredibly proud to celebrate our Team Lead, Joe Castaneda, as one of Pacific Business News' 2026 40 Under 40 honorees.

This recognition celebrates Joe's leadership, dedication, and positive impact on Hawaiʻi's business community. It was a special evening shared with his wife, the Hawaii Starts Here Team, and an inspiring group of fellow honorees who are helping shape Hawaiʻi's future.

Please join us in congratulating Joe on this well-deserved achievement — we're honored to have him leading our team.

Just Sold

Iolani Court Plaza

So excited for our buyers who just purchased a unit here with so many great amenities. We're truly grateful for the trust they placed in us and wish them all the best in this new chapter, filled with many celebrations ahead.

Nanea Kai

We're incredibly grateful to our sellers for trusting us with the sale of their home and allowing us to guide them through this important transition. Wishing them all the best in the next chapter of their lives.

If you're thinking about selling and want to discuss how we can help maximize your home's value, reach out to us — we'd be happy to help.

Under Contract

Naniwa Gardens

We're excited to share that our listing at Naniwa Gardens is officially under contract. Thank you to our sellers for trusting us throughout the process. We're looking forward to a smooth escrow and celebrating another successful closing soon.

Parkway A, Kaneohe

Excited to share that our buyers are officially in contract for a 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom townhome in Kaneohe. We're thrilled to help them take this next step toward home ownership in one of Oʻahu's thriving neighborhoods.

Country Club Village 5

We're excited to share that our listing at Country Club Village 5 is officially under contract. Thank you to our sellers for trusting us throughout the process. We're looking forward to a smooth escrow and celebrating another successful closing soon.