Oahu Honolulu: 2 big new projects for Kapahulu Avenue

August 10, 2005

Kapahulu Avenue,
View Larger  major mauka-makai route next to Waikiki, may get 2 big changes in the coming years.

The first new building will be a 60,000 square foot new Safeway store at the corner of Kapahulu Avenue and ‘ Olu Street. Construction will hopefully begin early next year. Residents are most concerned about the increased congestion to the already busy corridor. The grocery store complex would also include a gas station and a mini-mart. Many residents are also looking forward to have the convenience of a Safeway store so close by.

The next project will be several hundred yards down Kapahulu Avenue towards Waikiki. The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) owns a property adjacent to the Ala Wai Golf Course. Currently, the zoning is for residential use only. The DLNR is seeking approval to change the zoning to commercial so that a commercial office building or retail center could be built on the site rather than just a parking lot that serves businesses in the area. The DLNR is said to be waiting to maximize the revenues received from the site.