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Relief on the way for owners of older Hawaii homes

November 22, 2014 By Mark G. Howard Leave a Comment

The Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division has come up with a list of home-improvement projects, including solar photovoltaic installations, interior renovations for mid and high-rise buildings and bathroom and kitchen repairs, that have no potential to affect historic properties based on previous reviews and staff judgement.

The new list is aimed at easing the burden of unnecessary reviews on owners of homes built 50 years ago or more across Hawaii, reducing the demands on staff time in county planning departments and decreasing the need for SHPD architecture staff to do unnecessary reviews.

It also will allow SHPD to focus its efforts on the projects that have a real potential to affect historic properties and to engage in proactive preservation activities, the state agency said.

Once the final list is compiled, it will be given to the state agencies with permitting authority and the four county planning offices for implementation.

SHPD has opened a comment period for the new list until Nov. 28. Comments should be sent to Anna Broverman.

The SHPD Architecture Branch spends about 80 percent of its time reviewing permits on homes that are 50 years old or older.

During the last fiscal year that ended June 30, the branch reviewed about 6,000 projects, 3,670 of which were reviewed in accordance with the law.

Most of the projects reviewed involved additions or alterations to homes that range from interior electrical upgrades to demolition.

SHPD said its analysis of these reviews shows that the majority result in a determination of “no historic properties affected.”

Additionally, this analysis indicates that some types of projects always result in a “no historic properties affected” determination.

Other projects on the new list include installation of electrical meters, interior electrical upgrades, demolition of additions and detached structures less than 50 years of age, in-kind repairs of interior and exterior features such as doors, windows, siding, fascia and decking, antenna and satellite dish replacements on existing towers and structures not subject to FCC permits, in-kind repairs to carports and garages and the enclosure of existing rear lanai.

The Building Industry Association of Hawaii and historic preservation officials in the state have not seen eye to eye on this issue.

BIA-Hawaii contends that the 2008 law mandates that SHPD complete a time-consuming review of a potential historic home’s building permit application if a homeowner plans to renovate or rebuild their home.

Duane Shimogawa Reporter – Pacific Business News

Filed Under: Featured Blog, Oahu Communities, Oahu Island Tagged With: oahu real estate in the news

Chinese investor buys 11 lots in Oahu North Shore subdivision for $6M

November 5, 2014 By Mark G. Howard Leave a Comment

Nearly half of the lots in a 25-lot residential subdivision on Oahu’s North Shore overlooking the famed Waimea Bay have been purchased for $6 million from a Hawaii family by a Chinese investor.

The 11 lots, which total a little more than two acres, at The Bluffs at Waimea were sold to an entity called Dhara LLC by the Burger family, according to public records.

Hawaii businessman D.G. “Andy” Anderson was a consultant on the project

Dhara, which was formed in July and lists Shaoxiong Huang as its manager, recently bought the 11 lots, including one with a home on it, from the Burger family, which is keeping two of the lots.
Deborah Macer Chun, a partner with Honolulu-based Chun Kerr LLP, who is listed as the attorney representing Dhara, declined comment.

The Bluffs at Waimea Bay is located on a hillside between Waimea Bay and Haleiwa town. The 23 lots being sold range from 7,500 square feet to 15,630 square feet, and homes have already been built on five of the lots.

The purchase represents another example of Chinese investors’ appetite for Hawaii real estate.

Another example included Thai-Chinese businessman Chanchai Ruayrungruang’s Reignwood Group.

As PBN first reported, the group became Hawaii developer Jeff Stone’s financial partner for 1,103 acres, including the Prince Golf Course at the Princeville Resort in Hanalei on Kauai’s North Shore, in a deal worth $343 million.

Chinese investors are expected to spend more than $175 billion during the next few years acquiring real estate around the world, including Hawaii.

Filed Under: Featured Blog, Luxury real estate, luxury real estate Oahu, Oahu, real estate in the news Tagged With: luxury real estate, oahu 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

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