the community newspaper for east oahu since 1987

Space Available? Not in East Oahu

by MICHELE VAN HESSEN
Sun Correspondent
Archived February 2007 article
Hawaii Kai is a largely residential area located in the City and County of Honolulu. Developed by Henry J. Kaiser around the ancient Maunalua fishpond and wetlands known as Kuapā, Hawaii Kai is the largest of the communities at the eastern end of Oahu. The Koko Marina was dredged around 1959 transforming the shallow coastal inlet into a marine embayment. In 1961, Kaiser-Aetna entered into a lease agreement with the land-owner, the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, to develop residential tracts with a marina and channels separated by fingers of land and islands with house lots and commercial properties. Nearly all of the low-lying lands surrounding the marina have since been developed, and neighborhoods now extend back into the several valleys and up the separating ridges.

"Hawaii Kai is a complete community,” said Brad Coles, Commercial Realtor for East Oahu Realty. "It's a modern day old time town,” he said. But it is facing the same office and commercial space crunch that Waikiki is experiencing. There are many businesses wanting to locate themselves in the area but there is very little acceptable space available. "For example, I worked with Pacific Mortgage for several months, trying to find acceptable space here in Hawaii Kai,” said Coles. Coles has recently leased space to Pacific Mortgage Company, who opened a branch office in Hawaii Kai at 6650 Hawaii Kai Drive, Suite 101, and Animal Care Foundation has expanded their location at 6650 Hawaii Kai Drive. One space became available for Pacific Elevator who took it upon itself to modernize the office elevator. It took a year for the East Oahu Sun to find office space. Every community needs a business community to support the needs of the residents. Yet, for anyone wanting to start a business in Hawaii Kai patience, creativity and tenacity are essential.