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Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

Ward Village — Howard Hughes' 60-acre master-planned community located between Downtown Honolulu and Waikīkī — 

has welcomed its newest residents to its newest tower, Ulana Ward Village.

Construction on Ulana, Ward Village’s eighth tower, began in 

. Its opening on Monday adds to the island’s housing inventory 697 workforce units for households earning between 100% and 140% of the area median income.

“All 697 residences were pre-sold to first-time kama‘āina homebuyers under the HCDA [Hawai‘i Community Development Authority] 

, which supports moderate-income working individuals and families who do not qualify for traditional subsidized housing,” an announcement from Ward Village on Monday noted.

Designed by AHL, Ulana — a name that comes from the Hawaiian word meaning to plait or braid — offers studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, with high-end finishes; full-height windows; and views of the ocean, mountain and city skyline, according to the announcement.

Meanwhile, interiors by Honolulu-based InForm Design, Inc. include stainless steel appliances, porcelain tile floors and quartz counter tops, among other features, the announcement states. Art by Hawai‘i-based artists and inspired by the word “ulana” can also be found throughout the property, Ward Village says.

Amenities include surfboard storage, barbecue cabanas, a dog park and a front lawn that leads into Ka La‘i o Kukuluāe‘o

. The tower also has 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, the announcement noted.

“The opening of Ulana Ward Village marks a transformative moment for Honolulu, especially for first-time homebuyers who now have the opportunity to own a home that reflects the quality, design, amenities and lifestyle for which Ward Village is known,” said Doug Johnstone, president of the Hawai‘i Region and National Condominium Development for Howard Hughes Communities, said in a statement. “Ulana strengthens our commitment to creating a truly inclusive community that continues to redefine urban island living.”

To mark the milestone, Ward Village donated $120,000 to six local nonprofits: After-School All-Stars Hawai‘i, American Cancer Association Honolulu Hope Lodge, Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders, Hawai‘i HomeOwnership Center, KCAA Muriel Preschool and KUPU.

Ward Village has sold out its first eight mixed-use residential towers: Waiea, Anaha, Ae‘o, Ke Kilohana, ‘A‘ali‘i, Kō‘ula, Victoria Place and Ulana Ward Village.

New residential buildings under construction or in development at Ward Village include The Park Ward Village, Kalae, The Launiu Ward Village, Melia Ward Village, and ‘Ilima Ward Village.

The developer broke ground on The Launiu, its 11th residential tower, 

, and provided Aloha State Daily with an update of its ongoing work at that time.

, located between residential towers Victoria Place, which 

, and is bordered by Auahi Street on one side and Ala Moana Boulevard on the other.

A $17.8 million elevated walkway connecting Victoria Ward Park Makai to Ala Moana Beach Park and Kewalo Basin 

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16 Ulana Ward Village courtesy of Ward Village

<title>Eighth residential tower opens in Ward Village</title>

All 697 residences in Ulana Ward Village were pre-sold to first-time kama’āina homebuyers under the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority's Reserved Housing program.

Eighth residential tower opens in Ward Village

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Fans of the television show Magnum P.I. might remember the contentious relationship between the fun-loving private investigator, Thomas Magnum, and the by-the-book caretaker of Robin’s Nest, Jonathan Higgins. In season 7, episode 8, the quarrelsome pair, completely fed up with one another, engaged in a battle of wills that escalated throughout the episode and eventually found the men trapped in an elevator. While stuck in their predicament, Magnum seemed to finally put the puzzle pieces together and accused Higgins of being the secretive Robin Masters. 

For those of us who were watching, the climax grew as Magnum listed out loud all his clues, and we wondered if we were finally going to find out exactly who Robin Masters was. But the argument was interrupted by a warning siren. The building they were trapped in was going to be demolished, and they had just minutes to escape.

While the premise of the show was entirely fictional, the demolition was not. The old Kaiser Hospital in Waikīkī was built in 1958. Although the facility boasted state-of-the-art technology against the backdrop of amazing sunsets, the patients’ needs quickly outgrew the hospital’s walls, and in 1986 was set to be demolished. After public anticipation grew due to several delays, the implosion created a huge spectacle. There were watch parties in the surrounding hotels and condominiums, and people lined up along Magic Island and Ala Moana Boulevard to catch a glimpse of the falling 9-story building. The production crew of Magnum P.I. was on hand to film the demolition to use for a future episode entitled “Paper War!” 

Just after 10:00 a.m., the countdown began, but with only 30 seconds left, the project was stopped. Honolulu Police reported that someone saw a person skateboarding on the seventh floor of the building. After searching the building, nobody was found, and the countdown resumed. The sounds of the crumbling building were nearly drowned out by the roar of the crowd while the giant cloud of dust settled over everything nearby, including the bright red Ferrari made famous on Magnum P.I.

A brand new luxury hotel was later built in the old hospital’s place. In 1990, the Hawaii Prince Hotel welcomed its first guests, and in 1994, I applied for a security position there. While waiting for my interview, I sat outside the Human Resources office in the basement, watching a large door swing back and forth as cooks and wait staff hurriedly made their way in and out of the kitchen. The staff was so busy that no one took notice of the old, barefoot Hawaiian man dressed in a hospital gown, slowly making his way down the hallway toward the elevator doors. 

Before I could ask the other people in the waiting area if they saw the same thing I did, a woman stuck her head out the door and called my name in a pleasant voice.

[{"text":"“Come right in, please. We’re ready to see you.” ","type":"text"}]

The woman led me to a tiny office, where the hotel’s head of security sat behind a desk that seemed too small for him. 

Introductions were made, but before we started the interview, I said, “You may want to call one of your security staff. I just saw an old Hawaiian man wandering down the hallway in a hospital gown. A bunch of waiters and cooks just walked right past him.” 

The woman and the head of security looked at each other for a second and then back at me. 

“Hold on for a second. We’ll be right back,” the woman said before the pair made a quick exit.

I barely had a moment to surmise what was happening when the woman returned to the cramped office and held the door open, “Thank you for coming, but the position you’re applying for has already been filled.” 

With that, I was directed out of the office and met by a younger security guard who led me back to the main entrance on Ala Moana Boulevard.

[{"text":"“What happened? Did I do something wrong?” I asked.","type":"text"}]

[{"text":"“Officially, we don’t have ghosts,” the young guard said.","type":"text"}]

Although the name has changed, this particular establishment has developed a reputation for having its share of hauntings. Did it have anything to do with the fact that it was built over the old Kaiser Hospital? One can only speculate.

(Editor's note: Kaiser Permanente has a short video history of the Kaiser Permanente Ala Moana Medical Center 

Prince Waikiki

<title>A Haunting at a Princely Hotel</title>

Hospitals, and the places where they once stood, can be a source of strange experiences. Here, our columnists share a firsthand account.

A Haunting at a Princely Hotel

Pua headshot

Puanani Fernandez-Akamine is the editor of 

 newspaper and a multiple award-winning writer. Before joining OHA in 2019, she worked for Kamehameha Schools. She is passionate about helping our lāhui tell their stories in their own words to inform, uplift and inspire. She cares deeply about social justice, Indigenous sovereignty, aloha ʻāina and animal welfare. Puanani lives in the ʻāina momona of Kahaluʻu, Oʻahu, with her extended ʻohana and lots of dogs.

<title>Puanani Fernandez-Akamine</title>

Puanani Fernandez-Akamine

Aloha Spirit

Remembering Louis "Lui" Hao (Jan. 2, 1935 – June 20, 2025), a lifelong community servant, social justice advocate, and two-term OHA trustee.

Puanani Fernandez-Akamine

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