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Catch up on what’s happening in Kaka’ako. View our latest monthly newsletter here.
Historic Ala Moana Pumping Station
2022 KIA Renewal
As 2021 comes to a close, KIA hopes that its membership will renew for 2022. Even with the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the last ten months, not to mention ten months in 2020, the KIA Board has never ceased to hold their monthly board meetings. Zoom became a big part of KIA over the last twenty months, and the Board envisions that it will continue until the state is open for bigger indoor gatherings. The board continued to hold General Membership Meetings with interesting and informative speakers, as well as held Networking Events for members to get to know each other.
Plans for 2022 does include two General Membership Meetings, with reservations held at Dave & Buster's if indoor gatherings are lifted. If not in January, it is hoped that the August General Membership Meeting can be in-person. Likewise, the KIA Networking Events for 2022 would be held in April and October, via Zoom or possibly in a KIA member's conference room.
For those who wish to renew their 2022 KIA membership before the end of the year, please click here for the renewal form. All members will receive the form later in November. Mahalo for your continued support of the Kakaako Improvement Association, which was established in 1987 to unite Kakaako in an effort to make it a dynamic place in which to live, work and conduct business. KIA is a 501(c)(3) organization.
KIA Board Profile
Joining the KIA Board in April 2021, Jon Lee, has been a wealth of information since he is the Senior Associate and Project Architect at WCIT Architecture. He knows the Kakaako area very well and takes an exploratory, creative and collaborative approach leading to buildings that elevate the people, places, institutions and clients they serve. At WCIT he has served as Project Architect for Nohona Hale, an affordable micro-unit housing project in Kaka`ako, Waiea at Ward Village, and other hospitality and commercial projects throughout the islands. Additionally, he has contributed to contributed to masterplans for Blaisdell Center, retail, hospitality, and public space projects in the Ala Moana, Kaka`ako, Ka`anapali and Wailea areas. With Malama Kipuka Hawaii, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding creative ways to reimagine underutilized public spaces by fostering connections within the community, Jon serves as a Project Manager. His efforts focus on pursuing opportunities in Urban Honolulu neighborhoods through art, community engagement, landscape, and public space improvements.
KIA Member News
Since 1957, Hawaiian Building Maintenance (HBM) has established itself in the Hawaii marketplace to be relied upon as a premium facility service provider. They offer a one-stop solution for their customers by providing services in janitorial, building engineering, maintenance, window cleaning, lighting, garage cleaning, Covid-19 disinfection, high touch cleaning services, air conditioning and refrigeration. HBM Restoration, serving residential and commercial customers 24/7/365, will assist with claims filing and communication with insurance carriers and assigned adjusters when dealing with water damage, sewer backup, flood, mold, or fire. Email info@hbmrestoration.com or call 808-748-7245 for more information.
A long-time member of KIA, Logos Bookstore of Hawaii has moved to Ward Center (right next to Genki Sushi) and will open for customers on November 10th. Stop by and check them out, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas cards and gifts.
INspiration continues to service customers with their three floors of furniture, as well as their Stage Restaurant and Amuse Wine Bar. Call for reservations at 808-237-5429. They are open 5pm to 10pm Tuesday to Saturday, with last seating for dinner service at 8:30pm. The Amuse Wine Bar has Happy Hour from 5pm to 6pm.
KIA Networking Event
The second and last KIA Networking Event was held via Zoom on Wednesday, October 27th with a close-knit group of KIA members. Good introductions and conversations were had. Below are the KIA companies, with their short introduction:
Bank of Hawaii was represented by KIA Board member Jared Kashiwabara who said that he and his staff take care of clients with complicated business and personal financial situations, plus provides solutions to give a better banking experience. KCAA Muriel Preschool and Real Estate Referral Center, Inc. said that they have accounts at Bank of Hawaii.
Michael Libertini, with Compass Home Loans, has been a KIA Board member for a while and runs the KIA Zoom programs for General Membership Meetings and Networking Events. He said that his company is a joint venture with the Locations group and offers lender updates on the current low interest rates, as well as competitive refinancing. There are currently condominium projects in Kakaako that he is actively working on, including a new 1005 reserved housing condominium behind the Kakaako Farmers Market to help the housings needs in the urban core of Honolulu.
Three members the Cushman Wakefield ChaneyBrooks were present to meet and greet. All are commercial brokers - Joseph Haas, Nicole Harris, and John Rankin. A long-time and well-known brokerage, the “original” Chaney Brooks is 61 years old and was, at one time, one of the top ten property management companies in the United States. This was because, an early adopter of condominium management and for a time managed virtually all of the Condos in Hawaii. Currently, the company focus is on commercial real estate, representing tenants, landlords, investment sales and asset services. They pointed out, that in transactions, the landlord or seller pays the broker fees so generally, there is no cost to the tenant or buyer for expert representation in these transactions.
The KCAA Muriel Preschool has been a KIA member for many years, as well as the recipient of a few KIA Invitational Golf Tournaments. Christina Cox is KCAA's President and Allen Akiona, Jr. is the Kakaako location's Director. KCAA, founded as the Kindergarten and Children's Aid Association in 1895, has six locations on Oahu. The Kakaako location was closed for ten months due to COVID and major issues with the construction of the building. The State just sold the building they are located in, Kamakee Vista, but as part of the sale, KCAA will have a 30-year lease. Muriel re-opened with 44 students and is looking to expand to pre-COVID numbers in January. Keiki from two years old up to five years old are welcome.
Dailyn Imai represented MD Restoration, a local 19-year old restoration company. She said that the company is owned by Mark Harris (he a Mid-Pacific graduate). The company started by doing carpet cleaning but have evolved today with 24/7 services of water mitigation, drying process, fire damage and general contractor. They also work with insurance companies and have a number of jobs on all military bases.
Sherry A. Goya, LLC has worked with KIA since 2001, first with their monthly newsletter, taking Board minutes, then became their Executive Director. She is also the Executive Director of the Hawaii Pacific Gerontological Society and Hawaii Publishers Association. Sherry does the marketing for the Eaton Square Shopping Center and has a number of clients who utilize her newsletter, bulk mail, and marketing skills. Real Estate Referral Center, Inc. is also owned and run by Sherry since 1993. She has been giving all her commercial clients to Chaney Brooks for many years.