The City and County of Honolulu convened the official project kick-off meeting for the Iwilei-Kapālama transit-oriented development (TOD) master planning initiative on November 14, bringing together City agencies, State partners, and national planning teams to begin the next major phase of TOD in the Kūwili Station area.
This session marks the start of coordinated master planning for the nearly 17-acre Kūwili Station TOD Redevelopment Area — a critical component of the broader 80-acre Iwilei–Kapālama sub-corridor. The work will guide the transformation of underutilized industrial land surrounding Skyline’s upcoming rail stations into a district that delivers housing, mobility connections, public spaces, and community amenities.
A coordinated launch for a major TOD district
The kick-off gathering brought together a full team of collaborating agencies and partners, including:
- Department of Housing and Land Management (DHLM)
- Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP)
- Department of Transportation Services (DTS)
- State Department of Transportation
- DTL (Lead Planning Consultant)
- BDP (Urban Design)
- Nippon Koei (Infrastructure)
- SSFM (Local Engineering Partner)
- One Water Panel participants (stormwater, wastewater, resilience and infrastructure specialists)
This multidisciplinary team reviewed the project’s goals, coordinated workplan, timeline, and planning methodologies — setting a unified direction for the first 12–18 months of district planning.
Laying the foundation: method, analysis, and early priorities
During the session, DTL and BDP introduced the guiding frameworks that will shape the planning approach, including:
- Moʻo Methodology — a culturally grounded, place-based framework
- “The Good City” — principles to guide livability, mobility, climate resilience, and design quality
- Diagnostic Phase — assessments of land use, infrastructure systems, mobility connections, and development potential
The meeting also included a One Water Panel, where experts discussed how water, wastewater, drainage, and resilience infrastructure must be integrated at the district scale — essential for planning in a flood-prone, low-lying area like Iwilei.
A major opportunity for housing and community transformation
The Iwilei Center Redevelopment (RFQ-DLM-25-02), located within the Kūwili Station TOD area, is expected to deliver hundreds of new affordable homes within a future mixed-use, transit-connected community. The City is aligning this redevelopment with the master planning of the larger Iwilei–Kapālama corridor to ensure coordinated infrastructure, mobility, land use, and community benefits.
Director-Designate Kevin D. Auger underscored the significance of the project and the importance of starting strong:
“The Iwilei Center Redevelopment is one of the most consequential TOD opportunities in Honolulu,” said Kevin D. Auger, DHLM Director Designate. “This kick-off brings the entire planning, infrastructure, and design team together at the same table so we can align expectations, identify constraints early, and build a shared roadmap for success. Our focus is on delivering housing, improving mobility, and creating a complete neighborhood for our residents. What happens in Iwilei will define what TOD can look like across the entire rail corridor. This is our chance to plan deliberately, build responsibly, and ensure that long-term investments truly serve the people of Honolulu.
In the coming months, the project team will begin refining land use and infrastructure alternatives, analyzing transportation and connectivity needs, and developing initial district scenarios. Community engagement will begin later this year and will include dialogue with Neighborhood Boards, area stakeholders, property owners, businesses, and residents.
The master planning outcomes will guide the predevelopment process for the Iwilei Center site, ensuring alignment between the redevelopment strategy and the broader vision for the Iwilei–Kapālama corridor.
This coordinated effort represents a major step forward in the City’s TOD strategy and its commitment to expanding housing opportunities, improving mobility, and supporting long-term resilience and economic vitality along Honolulu’s rail corridor.
To learn more about the Iwilei‑Kapālama Transit-Oriented Development planning effort, click here.
