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State awards $250K for development study of UH West Oʻahu non-campus lands

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State awards $250K for development study of UH West Oʻahu non-campus lands

Image courtesy of UHWO Staff

The University of Hawai‘i System was selected to receive $250,000 in state funding for the preparation of a study to evaluate the development of and revenue-generating potential for UH West O‘ahu non-campus district lands in East Kapolei.

The “UH West O‘ahu University District (Non-Campus) Lands Development Feasibility Study” is among five projects statewide to receive a Fiscal Year 2023 State Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) CIP planning grant award appropriated to the State Office of Planning and Sustainable Development (OPSD) by the State Legislature this year.

According to a Notice of Award letter from OPSD to UH System, “the OPSD evaluation team determined that the proposed project would advance State and County objectives for TOD around the Keone‘ae and Kualaka‘i (rail) Stations, foster mixed-use development around these stations, and promote realization of a vibrant town-gown community benefiting both UH and the community at large.”

“We are very appreciative to be selected by the State’s Office of Planning and Sustainable Development,” said UH System Director of Strategic Development and Partnership Michael Shibata. “The Development Feasibility Study will help to serve as a guide for Transit-Oriented Development opportunities at UH West O‘ahu by identifying potential phasing, investments needed in infrastructure to support each development phase, and potential long-term revenue-generating uses to support the University’s mission.”

Shibata continued, “The study will help the University better plan for future growth around the vibrant UH West O‘ahu campus that could include the delivery of new housing, retail, office, and other supporting services in a walkable, mixed-use development approach.”

Bonnie Arakawa, UH West O‘ahu Director of Planning & Design, noted the next steps to move the project forward.

“In the coming months, the University of Hawai‘i will be working with the OPSD to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure that the award criteria and scope are incorporated into the study,” Arakawa said.