South Shore’s Kukui‘ula emphasizes ‘community’ theme

Bordered to the east by Po‘ipu Road and to the west by the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kukui‘ula is the big kahuna of South Shore development.

The 1,010 acres, when completely built-out, will contain 1,500 homesites, a golf course, shopping center, hotel, spa, park and more.

But despite the scale of the project and its million-dollar homes, the people behind it are aiming for a down-to-earth image.

While momentum for Kukui‘ula started to pick up in the last few years, the project actually dates back to the late ’80s and early ’90s, when Alexander & Baldwin Properties Inc. began developing 3,400 homes at the site.

Hurricane ‘Iniki put those plans on hold until 2001, when DMB Associates Inc. was brought onboard and the project was scaled down by more than half.

“It was just too dense: too many rooftops, too many cars, too much solid waste, just too much, too much, too much,” he said.

Now, with construction underway and 58 homes sold, Kukui‘ula is moving full-steam ahead toward its 2010 completion date. And as the development transitions from concept to reality, Kukui‘ula Development Co. President Richard Holtzman says the focus remains on community, a theme he returns to often when talking about the project.

For Holtzman, conscientious planning and integrating into the surrounding community is key to the expansive project’s success with its neighbors.

For Kukui‘ula, that means inviting South Shore residents in to share the development’s park, shopping center and hiking trails. There will be no fences or gates, and the entire property will be open and accessible.

But it also means encouraging Kukui‘ula’s team and future residents to engage in the community that surrounds them.

Holtzman says hiring people who agree with that set of priorities, in turn, set a tone for the development, which attracts like-minded homebuyers.

“If you hire people with a social conscience and a real commitment to their community … it really strengthens the value of your organization,” Holtzman said.

Currently, the staff numbers about 100, about 70 percent of whom are from Kaua‘i. That figure is expected to triple when Kukui‘ula is completely built-out.

Lifelong Kaua‘i resident Gini Kapali, community relations director for Kukui‘ula Development Co., brings that philosophy to life.

From preserving the 100-plus-year-old banyan tree in the park that will abut Po‘ipu Road to partnering with nearby Koloa Elementary School to meet student needs, Kapali said her focus is on being proactive — and that means more than just cutting a check.

“We need to be generous and involved,” Kapali said.

In addition to community service, Kukui‘ula has funded $12 million for a county bypass road that circumvents Koloa Town.

And while the construction in the area from Kukui‘ula and other projects has created headaches for homeowners in the form of noise and dust, Holtzman has not shied away from addressing concerns.

Holtzman and Kukui‘ula have been at the center of a Dust Hui, comprised of developers working on the South Shore and formed to respond to complaints.

Though the community reaction to such a large project has been mixed, Holtzman said its size puts Kukui‘ula in the spotlight; and he’s convinced that the project — and the message of community — will walk the line.

“We can’t afford not to do the right thing,” Holtzman said.

• Blake Jones, business writer/assistant editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) or bjones@kauaipubco.com.

Project specs

• Joint venture with Hawai‘i-based A&B Properties Inc. and Arizona-based DMB Associates Inc.

• 1,010 acres

• Approximately 1,500 homes, including 84 custom homes, sites and cottages

• Design guild to assist homeowners on building a home to mesh with the predominant plantation-style aesthetic

• One-third of homes already sold; half of the buyers are second homeowners

• Tom Weiskopf golf course

• Shopping center

• Community park along Po‘ipu Road