Ho'ala Kalaeloa (Renew Kalaeloa) is Hunt’s effort to redevelop and revitalize nearly 540 acres of the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station. As part of this effort, Hunt plans to renovate the former bachelor officer quarters (BOQ) and revive it as rental housing with 100 one-bedroom reserved-housing apartments. The renovation plan is subject to development permit approval by HCDA.
Built by the Navy in 1958, the BOQ consisted of 204 studio apartments. By the time Hunt acquired the property in 2009, the building was long-abandoned, wrecked and graffiti-laden. It had been a magnet for vandals, including an increased amount of illegal dumping, arson and burglaries in the area surrounding Barbers Point Elementary.
Hunt’s vision to rehabilitate this building will turn a hazard into a community asset that will further rebuild Kalaeloa as a job center. In the last four years, Hunt has already doubled the number of businesses on Hunt land to 30—providing more than 550 jobs.
The proposed renovation will:
- Eliminate a prominent eyesore
- Improve safety and security in the area
- Reduce vandalism, dumping, burglaries and other issues in the area surrounding Barbers Point Elementary
- Diversify housing choices
- Contribute to the renewal of Kalaeloa as a job center
The renovation will essentially keep the building’s original footprint, height, occupancy and planned usage. While this is a relatively small project at 100 units, it will address the current gap in the market for one-bedroom apartment rentals -- ideal for smaller families. Currently, only 4% of units in the market are one-bedroom units. The planned renovations also include a community recreation room, workout room, barbecue area, split A/C system, energy-efficient appliances and more.
