Punchbowl residents are bristling over a plan to build a 96-unit condominium on Prospect Street, saying the project will worsen traffic and change the look of the neighborhood.

The upscale low-rise planned for the slopes of Punchbowl will cover 1.62 acres, and replace 19 attached or single-family homes on 12 parcels.

Officials at U.S. Pacific Development, LLC, say the project will be designed much like their Vanguard Lofts development, which is under way on Kapi'olani Boulevard and will feature posh lofts.

The 944 Prospect St. project, called "Skyline Honolulu," will offer one-, two- and a few three-bedroom units, several with rooftop decks and gardens. U.S. Pacific Development has applied for a Punchbowl Special District permit for the development.

The company will not seek a variance to a 40-foot height limit.

A special district permit requires a public hearing, which city officials have not yet scheduled. Even with no hearing set, several residents are already calling for a traffic study on the project and questioning how the building will affect views of Punchbowl.

"We are on a mission to try to stop that condominium from going up," said Anni Hollingsworth, a longtime Prospect Street resident who lives across the street from the proposed building.

A traffic assessment was conducted for Skyline Honolulu in May and found no significant impacts to traffic, which means an in-depth traffic study is not required. The assessment found the project would add about 500 vehicles daily to Prospect Street.

The street now sees about 9,000 vehicles per day.

Chris Deuchar, president of U.S. Pacific Development LLC, said the company will work with Punchbowl residents to address concerns and added that Skyline Honolulu will have much less impact — on traffic and the look of the neighborhood — than several neighboring high-rises.

The company has briefly talked about the project at the Punchbowl Neighborhood Board, and plans to return soon.

Meanwhile, renters living in the homes set to be torn down will be able to remain "until the last minute," Deuchar said.

The project will be four stories high, and have about 200 parking spaces. Susan Andrade, a resident on Prospect Street, said she is most concerned about traffic generated from the project, but also has worries about what the condominiums will look like.

She said the traffic assessment didn't take into account that Prospect Street has become a major commuter thoroughfare for people headed to to Manoa, Makiki, Downtown and Pali Highway.

"I don't see how the road can take much more," Andrade said.

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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