The Howard Hughes Corporation is playing a big role in changing the look of Honolulu’s urban landscape. Simon Treacy joined the company as president in January, and this week he announced the first major changes to the master plan of Ward Village. Pacific Business News editor in chief A. Kam Napier has more.
One of the signature projects of the Ward Village masterplan has been the Gateway Towers, two luxury high rises that would flank the greenspace of the Ward Village Central Plaza, which broke ground last week. Combined, the Gateway Towers would have comprised 236 units and were designed by Richard Meier of Richard Meier & Partners.
Yesterday, Howard Hughes Corp. informed buyers of the Gateway Towers that the buildings have been put on hold indefinitely.
It’s the first major change to the master plan, but not the last according to president Simon Treacy. He also announced this week plans for greener, more park-like experience as Ward Village evolves. The signature piece of this new approach is a proposed, landscaped elevated walkway that would connect Ward Village to Kewalo Basin by going over Ala Moana Boulevard. Imagine something like New York’s High Line as an example of what this could be.
Treacy, with a background in investments and private equity, has lived around the world and tells PBN he views Singapore as a model for urban development. “Over 63 percent of Singapore is green and we want to have that same level of green around,” he tells PBN.
Other aspects of this move for Ward Village include wider sidewalks with more landscaping and more parks.
