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COURTESY IMAGE

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Ward opts for
1 high-rise instead
of 2, for aesthetics

Sight concerns prompt changes
for a planned expansion project

The state agency overseeing development in Kakaako signed off yesterday on Victoria Ward Centers' plans to redesign and dramatically expand its Ward Village Shops into a larger retail complex topped by a high-rise of rental apartments.

A NEW LOOK FOR WARD This is the final plan for Ward Village Shops: » Units: With one less tower, the project will house 165 rental apartments instead of 218 as originally planned. » Height: The tower will be 17 stories. » Retail: Commercial space will be increased to 224,000 square feet from the original 160,000 square feet.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority said the project would contribute to the sort of vibrant residential, retail and entertainment district the authority hopes to carve out of the historically light-industrial district.

"It's a dynamic mixed-use project and the residential rental component is something new and different that really adds to the whole concept," said Daniel Dinell, the authority's executive director.

The HCDA's board approved the plan in its regular monthly meeting.

Victoria Ward went back to the drawing board since first unveiling the plan in July.

The original plan called for twin Ewa and Diamond Head towers with a total of 218 rental apartments. However, Victoria Ward now plans just the Ewa tower -- at 17 stories, three stories higher than the original height -- with a total of 165 apartments.

The elimination of the tower has boosted the amount of commercial space in the project's two-story retail component to 224,000 square feet from the original 160,000 square feet. The project, which will be bordered by Auahi, Kamakee, and Queen Streets, also will feature 1,010 parking spaces.

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CRAIG. T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM

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Victoria Ward General Manager Jeff Dinsmore said the changes were made after discussions with the authority and community leaders revealed some concern about the impact of too many towers on Kakaako sight lines and a park to be constructed by the state just Diamond Head of the Ward Village Shops.

The area is adjacent to other, higher residential towers now under construction.

"The park would have been bordered on three side by towers," Dinsmore said. "It would have been a canyon, not a park."

Dinsmore said any loss of revenue from the second tower's elimination will be mitigated by a reduction in operating expenses.

The project also will include the construction of a short road, called Queen Lane, that will connect Auahi Street and Queen Street along the Diamond Head side of the project. The city government demanded the addition of the street to handle expected mauka-makai traffic.

Victoria Ward still needs to apply for building permits from the city.