Project Team (left to right): Jillian Sumitomo (MKE Associates LLC-structural engineer), Patrick Noll (DDC CMB Section A Chief [TA] /Civil Engineer IV), David Smith (Sea Engineering, Inc-Design), Elaine Morisato (DDC Supervising Project Manager), Jeff Remily (SEI-Construction), Alika Brown (SEI-Construction)
HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced that the Queen’s Beach Promenade Restoration Project has been awarded Best Medium Project at the 2025 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Awards.
Completed in June 2025, the project restored a 100-foot segment of the Queen’s Surf seawall—part of a vital 2,000-foot stretch of Waikīkī’s longest continuous shoreline walkway that links Kūhiō Beach Park to the Waikīkī Aquarium. Emergency repairs to the Queen’s Surf seawall and promenade addressed severe structural damage, prevented further deterioration, and reinstated safe shoreline access for recreation and daily use.
The project, overseen by DDC, was led by Sea Engineering, Inc., the prime consultant and general contractor, which managed regulatory permitting and coordinated the work of all subconsultants and subcontractors. MKE Associates, LLC delivered structural engineering services, designing and inspecting the reinforced concrete wall, its foundation, and backfill, and performing on-site observations throughout construction. Geolabs contributed geotechnical expertise through borings and soil analyses critical to the wall’s structural design.
Working together, DDC, MKE Associates LLC, Geolabs, Inc., and Sea Engineering completed the repairs ahead of the summer swell season. The project strengthened the existing structure with durable materials and replicated the historic flagstone pattern using stamped concrete. The promenade reopened to the public on June 13, 2025.
“This award recognizes the team’s well-coordinated effort to repair and protect this important community resource,” said Haku Milles, Director of the Department of Design and Construction. “We’re proud that it is being celebrated for its craftsmanship, the benefit it brings to the public, and the confidence that it will be preserved for years to come.”
Questions and comments may be directed to the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Design and Construction at (808) 768-8400.
