Kamehameha Schools now has the principal approval needed to take the first big step toward the rebuilding of Kaka'ako into a exciting and diverse community.

That is excellent news, amid bankruptcy and the general economic doldrums that have slowed plans for much of the district’s other development.
The project, which this week received the green light from the overseeing Hawai'i Community Development Authority, has been dubbed Kaiaulu 'o Kaka'ako, which simply means “community of Kaka'ako.” That may seem an uninspiring name until it’s considered that the sense of community is exactly what is needed in one of the last major redevelopments of Honolulu’s urban core.
There is hope that what will emerge is a neighborhood that will complement the retail and highrise residential projects envisioned in the adjacent General Growth Properties master plan. Kaiaulu would comprise a mix of educational/industrial elements — the long-stalled “life sciences” complex is at one end — with affordable and market-priced homes, as well as a range of markets, cafes and small businesses.
Kamehameha officials have raised concerns about the city’s planned elevated rail line, which has a station set for the mauka-'ewa corner of the Kaiaulu property. But the system should pair well with the redevelopment because it can provide reliable transportation to residents and visitors who won’t need to bring cars into such a densely populated zone.
It’s gratifying to see that Kamehameha is taking a proactive approach to anticipating the locations of Hawaiian burials, beginning discussions with families early to avoid conflicts later on. It’s a model that needs to be followed throughout the area, where many burials are known to exist.
The schools and government authorities should work to keep this project on course and see that the General Growth developments, once they accelerate, mesh well with Kaiaulu. This is an opportunity to create new vibrancy in a community to be reborn on Honolulu’s front doorstep.