Big City Diner Coming to Windward Mall In Spring of 2015

A new Big City Diner restaurant is coming to Windward Mall in Kaneohe in the spring of 2015.  The locally owned and operated restaurant chain currently has locations in Kaimuki, Kailua, Ward Centers, Waipio and Pearlridge and serves what they describe as Asian-American comfort food. Land Muraoka, the owner and president of Big City Diner stated that they are currently working on plans to convert the 5,411 sq ft space in Windward Mall and will soon be hiring employees for this location. The Windward Mall restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night dining.

Richard Chang, the general manager for Windward Mall, stated, "With their awesome selection of local options and warm customer service, Big City Diner will bring an exciting new flavor to Windward Mall. We are thrilled to continue to expand our options for shoppers, which in addition to Big City Diner includes new seasonal kiosks and shops like Hali Hali Rides and See's Candies."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 9-6-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
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Over Half of the Top 20 Beach Housing Markets Are in Hawaii

According to a report issued by RealtyTrac, 11 of the top 20 beach housing markets in the United States are located in Hawaii.  The California-based research company conducted their studies based upon the average temperature, percentage of sunny days, percentage of days with good air quality and crime rates.  The top 20 markets were then selected provided that they had a median value of below $1 million.  Daren Blomquist, the vice president at RealtyTrac, explained, "Buying near the beach is one of the best ways to ensure a property will appreciate in value. Whether buying for retirement, a vacation home or a primary residence, homes located in quality beach towns benefit from virtually unlimited demand and a finite supply of land to build on."

Ranking third on the list was Waianae, located on the Leeward Coast of Oahu.  Waianae has an average temperature of 76 degrees, 74 percent sunny days, 100 percent days with good air quality, and a crime grade of a B.  It also has a relatively low median home value at $309,328. The other Hawaii beach housing markets to make it in the top 20 were Wailuku (Oahu) at fourth place, Kahului (Maui) seventh place, Ewa Beach (Oahu) at eighth place, Kihei (Maui) at ninth place, Waipahu (Oahu) at tenth place, Lahaina (Maui) at 12th place, Honolulu (Oahu) at 13th place, Pearl City (Oahu) at 14th place, Kaneohe (Oahu) at 15th place, and Kailua at 18th place. 

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-24-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
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Windward Mall and Hawaii Kai Towne Center Up for Sale

Kamehameha Schools has announced that they will be selling the buildings and the improvements of Windward Mall in Kaneohe and the Hawaii Kai Towne Center, but the school will hold on to the land below the property.  Despite the fact that this would be a leasehold sale, it is estimated that the two properties could still sell for over $400 million.  Windward Mall and Hawaii Kai Towne Center are the third and fourth largest shopping malls on the island respectively.  Elizabeth Hokada, the vice president for Endowment, stated that selling the buildings and keeping the land "greatly strengthens our perpetual endowment. As with our Royal Hawaiian Center offering, this action is aligned with our 2000-2015 Strategic Plan, which calls for active stewardship of our lands, whether for commercial, agricultural or conservation purposes, while prudently optimizing the value and use of Kamehameha's financial and nonfinancial resources in support of our educational mission."  Kamehameha Schools is tentatively looking at offering 60 year leases for the two properties.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 12-4-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
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Castle Foundation to Sell 60 Properties Valued at $600 Million

The Kaneohe Ranch and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation have announced that they would like to sell 60 of their real estate holdings, valued at approximately $600 million. The properties are located both in Hawaii and on the mainland United States and are expected to bring in between the mid-$500 million to the low-$600 million range.  The majority of the Hawaii properties are located in Kaneohe and in Kailua, leaving many residents of those two neighborhoods nervous of the direction that a potential buyer would like to take the commercial properties.  Kailua resident Rusty Niau commented that Kaneohe Ranch has "pretty much tried to keep Kailua Kailua, like what it was before.  If they sell it, who knows what will happen. Is Kailua going to turn into another Waikiki?  We don't want to change the character of Kailua.  We'd like to keep Kailua as much country as we can. It is a unique town. That's part of the beauty. At any point in Kailua you can look up and see blue skies. I don't want to be stifled or closed in by high-rises."

Jack Aaron, president of Aaron's Dive Shops, added, "I'm scared if it's a mainland company coming in.  The one thing about Kaneohe Ranch is they definitely employ local people, and they seem to really care about the tenants and the properties they manage. Will new management be going to want to raise rents a lot and change the way things are? The fear with new people is if they're all from the mainland, then you're going to have that mainland mentality."

Below is a list of properties that are being put up for sale:

KANEOHE RANCH PORTFOLIO ASSETS

Kailua Properties:
Kailua Town Center III
First Hawaiian Bank
Kailua Shopping Center
Kailua Foodland Marketplace
Straub Building
Hahani Plaza
789 Kailua Road Davis Building
776 Kailua Road
Kalapawai Cafe & Deli
Hekili Business Center
171 Hamakua Drive
156 Hamakua Drive
134 Hamakua Drive
160 Hamakua Drive
380 Hahani parking lot
Windward Town & Country I & II
Kailua Post Office
McKenna Hamakua Drive
Kanoa Estate
167 Hamakua Drive
150 Hamakua Drive
Midas
McKenna Windward Ford & Wheels 4 Less
Napa Auto Parts
Kailua Beach Center
Pali Palms Plaza and Pinky’s
Koolau Farmers Garden Center
Agricultural land
Sprint PCS Tower
Triangle parcel

Kaneohe Properties:
Windward City Shopping Center
Kalaheo Hillside
Telecom Licenses
Hawaiian Telecom

Honolulu Properties:
Kaimuki Shopping Center
Servco Honolulu
Tesoro Honolulu

Mainland Properties:
FBI Building in Mobile, Ala.
Nob Hills Foods in Mountain View, Calif.
Kohl's in Phoenix Red Sunset Apartments in Gresham, Ore.
Lowe’s San Jose in San Jose, Calif.
Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay in Miami
2000 M Street, NW in Washington, D.C.
One Bellevue Center in Bellevue, Wash.
Stanford Corporate Center & Telos Health Club in Dallas

CASTLE FOUNDATION PORTFOLIO ASSETS

Kailua Properties:
Kailua Town Center
151 Hekili St.
Kailua Village Shops
143 Hekili St.
Merchant’s Row
146 Hekili St.
Macy’s
Pali Lanes Bowling Center
HIC Surf
Macy’s parking lot
Aikahi Park Shopping Center
7 Eleven Shopping Center
Former Tesoro Kailua

Kaneohe Properties:
Servco Windward Toyota

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-16-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Residents Requesting Kaneohe Bay Harbor Masters and Agents to Work Weekends

Currently, the harbor masters and agents at Kaneohe Bay only work during the normal weekdays.  However, residents of Kaneohe are requesting the state's Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation to have the harbor masters and agents adjust their schedule to during the weekend.  The residents state that having harbor personnel on duty during the weekend out curb vandalism at the harbor as well as allow boating enthusiast an easier opportunity to pay their slip fees and obtain boat-safety checks.  Loren Lasher, a Kaneohe resident, is also appealing to state Senator Clayton Hee.  Lasher commented, "To me? Hello. We're an ocean island, and 90 percent of recreation is based on the water. And 90 percent of that takes place on the weekend."  Lasher will also address this concern to the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-15-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
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2,700 Marines from Okinawa May Come to Oahu

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, a total of 10,700 United States Marines will be relocating to other bases from Okinawa, Japan by 2026.  Tentatively, 4,700 Marines will be sent to Guam, 2,700 Marines will come to Hawaii, 2,500 will go to Australia and 800 Marines would be sent to various bases across the mainland United States.  The Defense Department is now conducting several studies as to where to house these 2,700 Marines on the island of Oahu.

Currently, the Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base has 7,525 Marines stationed there.  An additional 1,734 Marines are based out of Camp Smith, and there are 97 additional Marines scattered throughout the rest of Hawaii's bases.  Additional base housing would be needed to incorporate the Okinawa Marines at Kaneohe Bay.  Housing may also be built at Barbers Point Naval Air Station or Pearl City Peninsula.  Chuck Little, the spokesman for Marine Forces Pacific at Camp Smith, stated, "These (Oahu) studies are in their very early stages; as more information becomes available, we'll be better able to make informed decisions."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 6-19-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
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Brick Oven Pizza Store Coming to Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center

The Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center, located directly across the street from Kamehameha Highway, will be getting a Brick Oven Pizza restaurant. The Kauai based company currently has two locations of Kauai and one location in Kapolei on Oahu. According to the president of Brick Oven Pizza, Corey Aguano, the Kaneohe location will accommodate approximately 100 people and would have a full bar. Tentatively Aguano is hoping to open “by the end of summer” or possibly in the middle of August. People interested in employment may apply on the company website at http://brickovenpizzahi.com/

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-27-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
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Hawaii Real Estate – Navy and Marine Corp Housing in Kaneohe Get Major Renovation

Forest City Military Communities has spent more than $1.7 billion to build and renovate 3,085 military family homes on the island of Oahu.  The project started in 2004, and is nearing competition as the last set of homes have been demolished on the Kaneohe Marine Corp Base to make room for 218 brand new homes to be completed by April 2014.  Marine Colonel Brian Annichiarico stated, ”It means a lot to the Marines and their families to have safe, warm, efficient, great places to live.”

Forest City currently manages more than 6,300 Navy and Marine Corp homes in 36 neighborhoods on the islands of Oahu and Kauai.  The company has signed a 50-year partnership (until 2054) with the U.S. Government where military member who wish to live in these neighborhoods, turn over their housing allowances as rent to Forest City.  In a similar agreement, Lend Lease, will be spending $1.8 billion to build, renovate and manage 7,756 Army homes and 1,356 Air Force homes in Hawaii.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 4-16-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii to Renovate and Expand Koolau Clinic

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has just broken ground on a $15 million expansion and renovation of their Koolau clinic in Kaneohe.  According to their press release, Kaiser will add a total of 6,000 sq ft of space to that facility, which would include two new examination rooms and a larger pharmacy.  President of Kaiser, Janet Liang, stated, ”This beautiful new facility will make it easier for our members to access quality health care all under one roof.  This expansion project positions us well for future growth and demonstrates our long-term commitment to our members and the communities we serve.”  Kaiser hope to finish this renovation and expansion by late 2013.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 11-9-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
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Kailua Real Estate – Wastewater Tunnel Plans Causes Concerns for Residents

The City and County of Honolulu has announced that they will be building a 3.2 mile long wastewater tunnel that will stretch between Kaneohe and Kailua at a cost of $200 million.  City officials noted that the tunnel will be an average of 100 feet below ground and will be able to transport sewage to the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant for the next 150 years.  According to the project’s design engineer, Wesley Yokoyama, the tunnel should have no effect on any of the surrounding communities.  Yokoyama stated, “Experts feel there will be very little risk to structures.”

However, there are some Kaneohe and Kailua residents who disagree with the city and are very concerned about the potential impact that this tunnel could have on their properties.  For example, Collette Madden, the board president of the Healani Gardens Homeowners Association stated, “There’s going to be cracks in our walls and foundations.  All of the community is concerned. We want some indemnification.”  The city has stated that they would meet with residents and will provide additional information about the project.

The city hopes to start the project in December 2012 and has a completion date projected for June 30, 2018.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 6-18-2012, www.staradvertiser.com

Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®

Global Executive Realty, LLC

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