Proposal for affordable housing on shuttered Stadium Bowl-O-Drome’s location continues forward

HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Stadium Bowl-O-Drome provided fun for generations before it shut down for good nearly two decades ago, but now the state’s Department for Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) is closer to redeveloping the property into affordable housing.

DHHL and Stanford Carr Development released an environmental assessment, which includes 278 affordable units across 22 floors of livable space, seven townhomes as well as commercial space.

Moiliili resident Dominique Desroches said she used to go to the bowling alley back in the day, but she said the neighborhood is ready for new life.

Desroches said, “I really don’t think that they should let this land, valuable land sit vacant for so many years like this, because it is just a waste.”

The Stadium Bowl-O-Drome bowling alley opened its doors in the 1950s but has been sitting idle since closing its doors in 2004.

Stanford Carr Development Project Manager Kaloa Robinson presented renders for the project during a Thursday McCully Moiliili Neighborhood Board meeting.

Robinson said, “This is an opportunity for those that are waiting on the waitlist to have access to affordable housing explicitly for beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Act.”

The environmental assessment concluded the project would not have significant impacts on the area. Although, there remains a list of federal, state and county agencies to review the assessment.

The DHHL has said the project could cost approximately $137 million, low-income housing tax credits and state rental housing revolving funds would also be poured into the project.

A DHHL official with the Land Development Divisions said Stanford Carr Development is also securing financing for the project, as it works through engineering and architectural planning and approvals.

The DHHL does not anticipate groundbreaking until sometime next year 2023.