Ke Kilohana Opening: Welcome Home

From master plan to blue prints to move in day, Ward Village’s dynamic live-work-play community is now home to more than 400 new families, proud owners of sleek new residences in Ke Kilohana. Ke Kilohana is the fourth mixed-use residential tower to open at Ward Village since 2017—following Waiea, Anaha, and Ae‘o—and is the community’s first reserved housing tower. Of the 424 homes in Ke Kilohana, 375 were priced to meet the demands of local households with incomes between 100 and 140 percent of Honolulu’s area median income, bringing a robust supply of affordable housing to Kaka‘ako’s urban core. The new infusion of local residents to the area will further accelerate the transformation of this vibrant, dynamic neighborhood that offers a thoughtfully curated mix of retail and lifestyle experiences set among walkable, open spaces, and surrounded by jaw-dropping public art and the best of urban living.

“Ke Kilohana delivers on our vision to build a diverse spectrum of homes at varying price ranges in a thoughtfully curated community that offers convenience, connectivity and well-being,” says Simon Treacy, President Hawai‘i, of The Howard Hughes Corporation. “We are thrilled to welcome hundreds of kama‘āina to join Ward Village and watch the evolution of this special place come to life.”

To be sure, the introduction of the new residence is an important part of the evolving Honolulu skyline. Rooted to the past yet facing the future, the name Ke Kilohana honors the westernmost peak of the trio of Ko‘olau Mountains, which is visible from the mauka side of the tower. Using motifs, colors, and textures taken from Kaka‘ako’s vibrant art community and industrial warehouses, the recognizable exterior showcases a built-in pattern of windows and opaque walls reminiscent of Hawaiian kapa patterns. The building’s soft blues and grays seamlessly blend with the Hawaiian sky, while its striking yellow accents frame Ke Kilohana’s signature amenity, two breathtaking Sky Lānai, which offer unobstructed sunset and Pacific Ocean views, as well as demand attention from any vantage point. The color palette references the Native Hawaiian legend of Keaomelemele, a Hawaiian goddess who inhabited the sun-kissed, golden clouds.

“Ke Kilohana is more than just a building. It represents hope for local people who want to raise their families in the heart of Kaka‘ako,” Mayor Kirk Caldwell says. “It’s about making the city “more city” and keeping the country more country. This community is in the midst of becoming more resilient as the number of affordable housing units increases and people transition into multimodal living, where owning a car is less important than spending more time with your family. The Howard Hughes Corporation had tremendous vision in developing Ke Kilohana, and seeing this type of housing come to fruition shows that good ideas can generate positive action for our residents.”

Ke Kilohana features one-, two- and three-bedroom units accompanied by modern amenities including the aforementioned signature Sky Lānai with panoramic views of the ocean, a private movie theater, fitness center, keiki playground, co-working space with meeting rooms and Wi-Fi, karaoke studio, dog park, expansive BBQ deck, event lounges, and surfboard and bike storage. Later this year, Ke Kilohana will debut a 23,000-square-foot Longs Drugs, providing the convenience of a full-service pharmacy to the growing neighborhood that already features a flagship Whole Foods Market, along with diverse shopping, dining and entertainment venues. This summer, Hawaii Pacific Health is set to add a 4,800-square-foot medical clinic to the expanding community.

“Ke Kilohana is delivering hundreds of affordable homes to our urban core,” added Todd Apo, Senior Vice President of Community Development for Ward Village. “We’re excited for these new first-time homeowners to experience all the benefits and amenities of living an urban lifestyle at Ward Village.”