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This summer, Construction Dive takes a look at some of the biggest multifamily projects that have broken ground in recent months. Click here to view the previous article in this series.
A new condominium complex underway in Honolulu will combine sustainability and luxury, with views of the Pacific Ocean and a sleek exterior designed to capture the cool sea breeze.
Honolulu-based developer Kobayashi Group is building a 477-unit mixed-use condominium tower overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the Kakaako neighborhood of Hawaii’s capital city. With a construction price of $400 million, Ālia is among the largest multi-family projects in the country to begin with this year, according to Dodge Data & Analytics.
The name Ālia is Hawaiian for “salt bed” and represents the salt flats that once existed in the region, according to the developer. Albert C. Kobayashi Inc., based in Waipahu, Hawaii. is building the structure, and construction is scheduled to be completed in 2026, according to Hawaii’s construction industry. The developer did not respond to Construction Dive’s request for comment.
The 400-foot-tall, 39-story luxury residential condo tower at 888 Ala Moana Boulevard will be the latest mixed-use development in the master-planned community of Kaiāulu ‘o Kakaako, according to Kobayashi Group. The it is a walkable neighborhood on the southern tip of Oahu.
“It is gratifying for us to have the opportunity to develop a community that celebrates calling Hawaii such a special home,” said Alana Kobayashi Pakkala, partner and COO of Kobayashi Group in the press release.
The Ālia building has an elegant exterior designed to capture the cool breeze of the Pacific Ocean.
Courtesy of Alia
The building will have 477 one-, two- and three-bedroom units, of which 437 will be available at market rate and 40 homes will be reserve housing. The price varies; Ālia’s website lists a one-bedroom, 1.5-bath unit for $1.76 million and a two-bedroom, two-bath unit for $1.59 million. It will include 3,500 square feet of ground floor retail space in an effort to create a pleasant experience for pedestrians.
Ālia offers a host of amenities, including a pickleball court, human and pet spas, two infinity pools, a bowling alley, and a movie theater. Floor-to-ceiling windows will allow for ample natural light, while porches—covered and open terraces that originated in Hawaii—capture the cooling flow of trade winds. It also includes electric vehicle charging points and electric vehicle sharing.
The architect, San Francisco-based WRNS Studio, incorporated a variety of sustainable techniques. Its extensive solar panels, centralized chilled water system and gray water treatment system are planned to minimize the use of utilities. A wavy fabric pattern on the exterior facade will work with the trade winds while mitigating solar exposure, providing passive cooling, according to the building’s website.
“Instead of treating the balconies as simple vertical stacks that are the same throughout the building, we alternate them floor by floor,” WRNS founder Adam Woltag said in a blog post on Ālia’s website. “This design choice distributes shade across the facade, benefiting the units below and cooling the building.”
