Construction began yesterday on a new 34,500-square-foot retail project in Waikîkî called 280 Beach Walk that will be home to the new Hard Rock International.

The restaurant-anchored retail complex, scheduled to open in 2009, is being built at the site once home to Hula Hut and New Tokyo Restaurant just off Kalakaua on Saratoga.

Developer First Round Pacific LLC said the project will be the first retail establishment in Waikîkî certified by LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — a rating system that attempts to set national standards for measuring green building practices.

The project was designed by Eight Inc., an architectural firm, with offices in Honolulu, San Francisco and New York. The landscaping includes grass and palm trees, flagstone pavers and series of low stone benches.