Brookfield Homes Hawai'i plans to soon begin constructing its fourth residential community in Hawai'i, after recently receiving a building permit to start the project with 191 homes on a Kaua'i parcel once owned by troubled hotel and golf course firm Sports Shinko.

The project called PiliMai at Po'ipu comprises a mix of townhomes and duplexes ranging in price from the $600,000s to the $900,000s.

Initially announced in 2006, the project is a year behind schedule in part because of building permit delays.

An initial phase of 40 homes is slated to begin construction in May after grading and water infrastructure work is complete. Total project completion is expected next year.

PiliMai is one of several residential projects planned in Po'ipu.

Others include the 323-unit condominium project Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach, the 203-acre Village at Po'ipu and the 164-unit Royal Palms at Poipu Beach condo complex.

The Brookfield project, however, is expected to be the first of the three to begin construction.

PiliMai at Po'ipu units have been marketed for sale for more than a year, and Brookfield said about 25 units have been sold of the 40 units so far made available for sale.

Both the Brookfield and Royal Palms projects are on land adjacent to the Kiahuna Golf Club formerly owned by Japan-based Sports Shinko, which was forced to sell its Hawai'i assets several years ago because of financial troubles.

Brookfield bought its 20-acre PiliMai parcel for $9.5 million in 2004, according to property records.

Sports Shinko had sold the parcel in early 2002 for less than $500,000 to a local firm, which resold it to an investor that in turn sold it to another investor that sold it to Brookfield.

Brookfield Homes Hawai'i is a joint venture between Virginia-based Brookfield Homes Corp. and a Hawai'i development team led by Jeffrey Prostor.

The PiliMai project is the fourth residential project in Hawai'i by the Brookfield venture.

The company's first project was The Coconut Plantation, a 270-home subdivision at Ko Olina Resort & Marina on O'ahu developed in 2001.

Brookfield also partnered with local firm Alexander & Baldwin Inc. to build KaMilo, a 137-home project at Mauna Lani Resort on the Big Island in 2005.

Most recently, Brookfield completed construction of 102 townhomes within Kaua'i's Princeville Resort in a project called Nihilani, at which 18 homes are still for sale.

Still under planning is a fifth Brookfield project called Maile at Leihano, which will consist of 344 homes to be part of a larger community for seniors in Kapolei.

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.