Potential New Condo Behind Ala Moana YMCA

Aloha Kai Development LLC currently has an agreement with the YMCA of Honolulu facility, which is located across from the Ala Moana Shopping Center on Atkinson Drive. In exchange for spending approximately $9 million to completely rebuild the YMCA facility, the Aloha Kai would be allowed to build a condominium tower on the back portion of the 1.8 acre site. However, the current zoning for the land is “medium density” which has a height restriction of 150 feet. Aloha Kai would like to have the city rezone the property as “high density” which would allow a 350-foot tower to be built. In a statement to the public, Aloha Kai Development LLC wrote, “The developer is hopeful the neighborhood will appreciate and support its efforts to create more elegance and less mass. The developer believes the community will be pleased and proud of the new YMCA and the overall development.” Tentatively plans call for a 156 units in a 39-story tower with 282 parking stalls.

The Ala Moana Neighborhood Board chairman, Larry Hurst, opposes the developer’s plan and stated that building a high rise condominium would create too much traffic on the already busy Atkinson Drive. Hurst stated, “Their traffic study says there’s problems. Increasing the density there is not a good idea. There’s a reason the zoning is A-2 (medium density).”

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 2-24-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
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