It’s one of the oldest and largest public housing properties in the state.
Mayor Wright Homes in Kalihi will be redeveloped after being built in 1953 and modernized in 1984. Mayor Wright sits on approximately 15 acres of state-owned land.
The project has been talked about for years.
Today, the state and a developer, Hunt Companies, signed a master agreement for Mayor Wright.
“This is taking 364 public housing units over 60 years old, demolishing them, and building 2,500 brand new units for all incomes. Mixed income, mixed use, and TOD zoned, so very excited about the prospect of getting this done,” Hakim Ouansafi, executive director Hawaii Public Housing Authority, said.
The project estimates that bout two-thirds of the residential units will be affordable housing that is defined as a combination of public housing, low-income, low-moderate income, and workforce housing units affordable to those earning up to 120 percent of the area median income.
The remaining one-third will be market-rate rentals.
The project also includes up to 80,000 SF of retail and commercial space, structured parking, new internal roadways, a community center, and open space.
“We now have the blueprint for and guide for what will be the redevelopment of Mayor Wright, but also transformation of entire Kalihi neighborhood,” Hunt Hawaii president Steve Colon said.
The conceptual master plan proposes a mix four to six stories buildings and eight to nine stories buildings fronting the streets with up to four towers, ranging from 260 feet to 380 feet.
The estimated 1.3 billion dollar redevelopment will be done in multiple phases.
All residents will be relocated as the old buildings will all be completely demolished. Some residents may need to move into temporary housing as their current units get redeveloped.
Construction is expected to start at the end of 2019.
