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CEO says Honolulu Seawater A/C project to start construction in August 2015

October 2, 2014 By Mark G. Howard Leave a Comment

Eric Masutomi, president and CEO of Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning, speaks to the audience about the project at the 2014 Asia-Pacific Resilience Innovation Summit and Expo on Wednesday in Honolulu.

Eric Masutomi, president and CEO of Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning, speaks to the audience about the project at the 2014 Asia-Pacific Resilience Innovation Summit and Expo on Wednesday in Honolulu.

The long-planned $250 million Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning project, which will cool Downtown Honolulu office buildings and condominium towers with cold water from the ocean, is slated to start construction by Aug. 1, 2015, and be operational by the first quarter of 2017, the head of the company said Wednesday.

Eric Masutomi, president and CEO of Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning — who also was a panelist at the Asia-Pacific Resilience Innovation Summit and Expo in Honolulu that covered the topic of seawater air conditioning — said that all of the project’s permits have been filed and the majority of them have been approved.

However, some still question if the project is ever going to happen, and Masutomi noted that this question is one he is asked frequently.

“It has taken us a while to get to this stage,” he said. “One person compared us to a purple unicorn, [saying] it will never happen. I’m here to tell you that it will happen.”

The dilemma for Honolulu Seawater A/C is getting customers signed up.

“The rumors of the project not happening hasn’t helped our cause, but we are engaging a strong marketing plan, offering pretty attractive incentives to motivate building [owners] downtown to sign up now rather than waiting until later,” Masutomi said. “Once capacity is reached, that’s it. It’s improbable that it can be expanded. If you wait, you will be looking at higher rates and if nothing else, it’s questionable about the availability of supply.”

The Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning project, which has signed up such customers as the Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, Hawaiian Electric Co., Finance Factors Ltd., First Hawaiian Center, One Waterfront Towers and Remington College, has capacity for about half the buildings in Downtown Honolulu.

The system will provide air conditioning to buildings in Downtown Honolulu by pumping deep ocean water through a pipeline more than four miles offshore to a cooling station in Kakaako.

The projects reducing electricity usage is the equivalent of a 30-megawatt wind farm or a 42-megawatt solar energy farm.

Duane Shimogawa Reporter – Pacific Business News

Filed Under: Featured Blog, HONOLULU, Honolulu Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news

Larry Ellison moving full speed on Lanai development projects

February 8, 2013 By idx guys

Economic development on Larry Ellison’s island of Lanai continues to move full speed ahead with projects beginning as early as the end of this year and the addition of about 10 senior managers to Lanai Resorts LLC, which is headed up by Lanai-native Kurt Matsumoto.

On Wednesday, Ellison’s group held another community meeting that focused on the future of the Pineapple Island.

According to Butch Gima, a prominent Lanai community member and president of Lanaians for Sensible Growth, who attended…

Filed Under: Home Buying, Oahu real estate, Pacific Business News, real estate in the news Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news, oahu real estate in the news

Hawaii’s ‘Steven Tyler bill’ would shield celebrities from paparazzi

February 1, 2013 By idx guys Leave a Comment

Janie’s got a camera — but she had better not plan on taking pictures of rocker Steven Tyler frolicking in the Maui sun or through his bedroom window if a bill intended to protect celebrities from paparazzi passes the Hawaii Legislature.

I could go on with the Aerosmith lyrics while writing about Senate Bill 465 — which, if passed, would be called the “Steven Tyler Act” after the band’s frontman — proposed by state Sen. Kalani English of Maui, but I’ll spare everyone reading this.…

Filed Under: Home Buying, Oahu real estate, Pacific Business News, real estate in the news Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news, oahu real estate in the news

Larry Ellison’s Lanai rep holding meetings with community groups

January 30, 2013 By idx guys Leave a Comment

It’s been nearly two months since Kurt Matsumoto officially took over as the head of business operations on Lanai after billionaire Larry Ellison bought most of the island last year.

A source on the Pineapple Island told me that Matsumoto, a Lanai native, is holding a lot of small meetings with various groups on the island.

The source attended one of those meetings and said that there is one planned for Friday to address the Lanai Chamber of Commerce and their guests.

But first, there are important…

Filed Under: Home Buying, Oahu real estate, Pacific Business News, real estate in the news Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news, oahu real estate in the news

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg buying luxury Hawaii condos

January 29, 2013 By idx guys Leave a Comment

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg apparently took some time out from having some fun in the sun with his wife over his holiday vacation in Hawaii to do a little real estate shopping in Honolulu.

The world’s youngest billionaire, chairman and CEO of Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB), is buying several multi-million-dollar units in a 23-story ultra-luxury condominium under development called ONE Ala Moana, according to a source.

The 206-unit project, which will be built atop the parking garage adjacent…

Filed Under: Home Buying, Oahu real estate, Pacific Business News, real estate in the news Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news, oahu real estate in the news

Larry Ellison plans third luxury hotel, solar expansion for Lanai

January 25, 2013 By idx guys Leave a Comment

Billionaire Larry Ellison plans to build a small, ultra-luxury hotel on Lanai and expand the island’s 1.5-megawatt La Ola solar farm.

The plans for the hotel and the solar farm were among the highlights of Thursday night’s Lanai Community Plan Advisory Committee meeting, which featured a presentation by Kurt Matsumoto, chief operating officer of Lanai Resorts LLC.

The hotel, which would have about 100 rooms and would be modeled after the inclusive Kona Village resort, would be built at the…

Filed Under: Home Buying, Oahu real estate, Pacific Business News, real estate in the news Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news, oahu real estate in the news

Larry Ellison’s Four Seasons resorts on Lanai finish renovations

January 14, 2013 By idx guys Leave a Comment

Larry Ellison’s Four Seasons Resorts Lanai recently finished up renovations to the Manele Bay and The Lodge at Koele hotels.

The Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL) CEO, who bought the majority of the Pineapple Island last year, has made an effort to restore and refresh the island’s economic drivers after the previous owner, Castle & Cooke Inc. CEO David Murdock let the properties go without much upgrading, according to multiple sources on Lanai.

According to the hospitality website HospitalityBizIndia.com,…

Filed Under: Home Buying, Oahu real estate, Pacific Business News, real estate in the news Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news, oahu real estate in the news

Hawaii’s solar photovoltaic industry optimistic about state’s renewable energy future

January 13, 2013 By idx guys Leave a Comment

Eight executives from competing Hawaii solar photovoltaic companies expressed optimism for the future of renewable energy despite some challenges taking place now and some anticipated for the coming years.

They gathered in the PBN newsroom on Thursday morning to talk about current trends in the industry in a meeting that lasted for a little more than two hours.

A big challenge right now has been dealing with the sales side of the business as PV contractors are working under new rules and regulations…

Filed Under: Home Buying, Oahu real estate, Pacific Business News, real estate in the news Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news, oahu real estate in the news

Kanpai Bar & Grill closes but may reopen elsewhere in Honolulu

January 11, 2013 By idx guys Leave a Comment

The popular Kanpai Bar & Grill in Honolulu recently closed down and plans to open up in a new location.

Company officials aren’t saying just where the restaurant will reopen, but on its Facebook and Twitter pages, they noted that they should be back up and running again in about a month.

And in case you have gift certificates, they say they will honor them at their new location.

Opened in 2008 at 404 Ward Ave., across from Sports Authority, the sports bar space previously housed Tio’s Garage…

Filed Under: Home Buying, Oahu real estate, Pacific Business News, real estate in the news Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news, oahu real estate in the news

Alii International Enterprises wants to build Kakaako rec park

January 9, 2013 By idx guys Leave a Comment

Alii International Enterprises wants to develop a recreational facility that includes a go-cart track, miniature golf course, wave pool, skate park and amusement rides on three acres of land in Kakaako at 222 Ahui St.

The Honolulu company has filed an application for the project with the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which oversees development in Kakaako and Kalaeloa, last October.

A public hearing and presentation is scheduled for Feb. 6 at 461 Cooke St., Makai Room in Kakaako at 9 a.m.

The…

Filed Under: Home Buying, Oahu real estate, Pacific Business News, real estate in the news Tagged With: Honolulu real estate in the news, oahu real estate in the news

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