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Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

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  • Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

    Author Bruce Sterling writes of "squelettes":
    We’ve long had a term of art for old buildings that are ruined: they’re called “ruins.” However, we lack a term of art for “ruins” that are actually buildings never completed. Sometimes they’re completed buildings that are never sold, and thereforethey start falling over before they were ever inhabited. This would be the American real-estate bust version of the phenomenon.
    So, where are the squelettes in Honolulu? One of the most massive has to be the development at Victoria Ward Centers, mauka of Queen St., next to Hokua. And it looks to me like the high-rise condo on Kapiolani Blvd., makai of McKinley and east of Ward Ave., is also pretty much stalled. I'm sure there are many more... and find the phenomenon fascinating.

  • #2
    Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

    On a smaller scale, there is a project in Kalihi, on King Street just before the Kapalama Canal bridge. It seems to have been under construction for the past, I dunno, five years or so.

    You know the project is taking too long when graffitti vandals start climbing the scaffolding and tagging the unfinished walls.

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    • #3
      Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

      There is an incompleted building on the corner of North King and Kokea Street. It's been there for quite a while.

      Would the old CompUSA building on Ala Moana Blvd qualify for this description?

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      • #4
        Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

        Originally posted by pzarquon View Post
        Author Bruce Sterling writes of "squelettes":So, where are the squelettes in Honolulu? One of the most massive has to be the development at Victoria Ward Centers, mauka of Queen St., next to Hokua. And it looks to me like the high-rise condo on Kapiolani Blvd., makai of McKinley and east of Ward Ave., is also pretty much stalled. I'm sure there are many more... and find the phenomenon fascinating.
        Wasn't that the site of the up coming Whole Foods? I thought they found ancient Hawaiian artificats underneath and that delayed the project to an extent? I remember Whole Foods had delayed that particular store but opened the Kahala one on time.
        n'importe

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        • #5
          Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

          Originally posted by helen View Post
          Would the old CompUSA building on Ala Moana Blvd qualify for this description?
          Not really. There are a lot of abandoned buildings, shells of former businesses. But the current economic slump has left us with buildings that were never finished.
          Originally posted by Kaukura
          Wasn't that the site of the up coming Whole Foods?
          Hmm. I guess construction stalled due to 'iwi are different. But considering that General Growth is bankrupt, I'm pretty sure the project is deader than that. It's definitely much bigger than a Whole Foods site. Seven or eight stories high... I never figured out if it was a commercial building or just an enormous Dole-sized parking structure.

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          • #6
            Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

            Skeleton? Nice term
            Burl Burlingame
            "Art is never finished, only abandoned." -- Leonardo Da Vinci
            honoluluagonizer.com

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            • #7
              Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

              Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro View Post
              On a smaller scale, there is a project in Kalihi, on King Street just before the Kapalama Canal bridge. It seems to have been under construction for the past, I dunno, five years or so.
              Originally posted by helen View Post
              There is an incompleted building on the corner of North King and Kokea Street. It's been there for quite a while.
              That building's been there for well over ten years. From the mid to late 90s at least, maybe longer.

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              • #8
                Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

                Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro View Post
                On a smaller scale, there is a project in Kalihi, on King Street just before the Kapalama Canal bridge. It seems to have been under construction for the past, I dunno, five years or so.

                You know the project is taking too long when graffitti vandals start climbing the scaffolding and tagging the unfinished walls.
                Originally posted by helen View Post
                There is an incompleted building on the corner of North King and Kokea Street. It's been there for quite a while.
                Originally posted by Honoruru View Post
                That building's been there for well over ten years. From the mid to late 90s at least, maybe longer.
                The first owner was the man from Indonesia. Da one who bought plenny properties and den he wen go holo some place else. I tried to look foa his name but I keep spelling it wrong. Starts with S.

                The building now belongs to Bishop Estate. It's been rumored to be torn down and den again to be fixed up.

                Mahalo,

                Auntie Pupule
                Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
                Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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                • #9
                  Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

                  Originally posted by 1stwahine View Post
                  Starts with S.
                  Sounds like you're talking about the developer formerly known as Sukarman Sukamto. He's going by Sukarman Sia or something like that now.

                  I'm not sure the building Glen and Helen are talking about qualifies. Wasn't that building gutted and semi-renovated? Its current structure, I'm trying to say, wasn't built fresh from the ground up, but you all have known the area for longer than I have.
                  But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
                  GrouchyTeacher.com

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                  • #10
                    Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

                    That building on King and Kokea was once Kalihi Kar eons ago, the letter K was backwards with the vertical line on the right. It was sold and the renovation was never completed.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

                      There was a hotel or 2 out in Ko`olina, town side of the Ihilani, that barely got started before building was halted. Lots of building on the lagoons has taken place over the past few years but I haven't checked to see if any of them are on the sites of those 'squelettes'!

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                      • #12
                        Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

                        Originally posted by scrivener View Post
                        Sounds like you're talking about the developer formerly known as Sukarman Sukamto. He's going by Sukarman Sia or something like that now.

                        I'm not sure the building Glen and Helen are talking about qualifies. Wasn't that building gutted and semi-renovated? Its current structure, I'm trying to say, wasn't built fresh from the ground up, but you all have known the area for longer than I have.
                        Das da guy!! And das the building. I got my information from a good source...my NB Chairperson.

                        Originally posted by D'Alani View Post
                        That building on King and Kokea was once Kalihi Kar eons ago, the letter K was backwards with the vertical line on the right. It was sold and the renovation was never completed.
                        Yeah. Das da same building.
                        Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
                        Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

                          Originally posted by D'Alani View Post
                          That building on King and Kokea was once Kalihi Kar eons ago, the letter K was backwards with the vertical line on the right. It was sold and the renovation was never completed.
                          I know exactly where you're talking about.

                          The old used car showroom closed down sometime in the late 1970s and converted into a meeting hall for the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Later on, that one story building was demolished and then a multi-story building started being built. Very slowly and in spurts..... for the last 20 years. You heard me right. 20 years, if not more. Work on that never completed building has been going on since the '80s.
                          This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

                            What about that 4th tower in the Nauru Tower project on Queen Street in Kakaako.
                            Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Squelettes: Unfinished Buildings in Honolulu

                              Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post
                              I know exactly where you're talking about.

                              The old used car showroom closed down sometime in the late 1970s and converted into a meeting hall for the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Later on, that one story building was demolished and then a multi-story building started being built. Very slowly and in spurts..... for the last 20 years. You heard me right. 20 years, if not more. Work on that never completed building has been going on since the '80s.
                              that's what i thought about the length of time... it was being built, then place on hold...then like a few years later, work resumed...but now for many years NOTHING has been done except to be a place for graffitti artists.

                              btw, watch out for the road fronting the building on No. King St. where the bus lane is (heading ewa bound)...sometimes (over the years) where the asphalt and bus lane meets is a large crater pothole that will make you swear if your car's wheel fall into that spot!

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