KS earns NAIOP awards for Kaka'ako and Hale'iwa commercial projects

The Kamehameha Schools retail center - SALT at Our Kaka‘ako - is an innovative epicenter for local culture, food, shopping, and events. Comprising 85,000 square feet of a dynamic mixture of local small-businesses and national brands, SALT is a vibrant urban center of repurposed and new structures designed to engage area residents and visitors alike.

May 26, 2017

Contributed by Mae Nishimura

Kamehameha Schools celebrates receiving two awards for its commercial projects located in Our Kakaʻako and Haleʻiwa. The Hawaiʻi Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) Commercial Real Estate Development Association honored Kamehameha Schools with two best in class development awards for KS’ SALT at Our Kakaʻako and Haleʻiwa Store Lots commercial projects. The awards were given as part of NAIOP Hawaiʻi’s annual Kūkulu Hale Awards Program which recognizes excellence in the commercial real estate industry.

“Kamehameha Schools is honored to receive these awards,” says Walter Thoemmes, Kamehameha Schools Commercial Real Estate managing director. “Our core business is education, and projects like SALT at Our Kakaʻako and Haleʻiwa Store Lots support vibrant educational opportunities for the lāhui.”

Over the years, KS has garnered seven other awards from NAIOP. They include the highest honor, Ku Hoʻokela Landowner of the Year; development awards for Windward Mall Food Court and Six Eighty Ala Moana; new project awards for both the Maui and Hawaiʻi island campuses; a commercial renovation award for Kolo Village II, as well as an award of excellence for the renovation of Kapālama Center.

“NAIOP Hawaiʻi is privileged to recognize Kamehameha Schools for its leadership in developing and improving neighborhoods and commercial centers in Hawaiʻi,” says Scott Settle, NAIOP Hawaiʻi president. “These projects reflect Kamehameha Schools’ commitment to reinvesting in our local communities and providing Hawaiʻi’s residents outstanding places to live, shop, gather and connect. Kamehameha Schools has helped raise the bar for development excellence in our state, and we look forward to their future projects.”

These projects, and others, are part of the continuing evolution of an area of major importance to the greater Honolulu community.

STRATEGIC PLAN 2020
SP2020 is a five-year strategic plan that will guide Kamehameha Schools from 2015 to 2020. The plan marks a starting point toward KS’ Vision 2040, which envisions success for all Native Hawaiian learners.

The award-winning projects address Goal 3 of SP2020 which calls for shared customs, values and behaviors that strengthen KS’ identity as a Native Hawaiian organization. It also supports Action 6 of Kamehameha’s Ten Actions for fiscal year 2016-2017 relating to adopting cultural principles on Pauahi’s lands.

About SALT at Our Kakaʻako
Named after the paʻakai (Hawaiian for “salt”) ponds that once dotted the low-lying wetlands of this area, SALT at Our Kaka‘ako is Honolulu’s innovative epicenter for local culture, food, shopping, and events. Comprising 85,000 square feet of a dynamic mixture of local small business and national brands, SALT is an urban city block designed for exploration and engagement for retail, restaurants, and services. This groundbreaking gathering place in the heart of Our Kakaʻako is where new makers and new ideas converge. For more information, visit www.saltatkakaako.com.

About Haleʻiwa Store Lots
Located in the heart of Hale‘iwa Town, the plantation-inspired Hale‘iwa Store Lots is an open-air retail center that is inspired by the area’s unique and historic charm. Spanning 27,300 square feet, the store lots offer gathering spaces and courtyards for both local residents and visitors to enjoy. This North Shore destination is home to 20 locally operated businesses, many with North Shore roots. For more information, visit www.haleiwastorelots.com.

KS envisioned SALT as a community gathering place supporting the economy of Hawaiʻi with local and small-businesses, and serving the well-being of Hawaiʻi’s community.

Haleʻiwa Store Lots is home to more than 20 shops and eateries and is located on KS land on the Oʻahu's North Shore.
Credit: INK Architects

The Hale‘iwa Store Lots redevelopment included the restoration of five historic buildings, preserving and enhancing the area’s historic plantation character, unique Hawai‘i culture and natural environment.