PBR HAWAII provided planning and entitlement services for Liliʻuokalani Trust’s (LT) Liliʻuokalani Center – Ward project, located at the corner of Ward Avenue and South King Street in Honolulu, Oʻahu. The project transformed an existing building into a new Children’s Center that consolidated a mix of creative, performing and cultural arts, sports and fitness, and technology programs with community support services. The 32,725-square-foot property is situated within the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority’s (HCDA) Kakaʻako Community Development District (KCDD) Mauka Area, requiring a Development Permit (DP) and compliance with the Renovation or Alteration of Existing Nonconforming Structures requirements.

PBR HAWAII’s scope included design guidance based on HCDA’s rules as well as preparation and processing the DP application, which required approval by the HCDA Board of Directors.

The project celebrates its location at the crossroads of a dynamic arts district and historically important cultural center, adjacent to the Blaisdell Center, which was the former Ward Estate, Thomas Square where the Hawaiian Kingdom was returned to Kamehameha III, and near the Honolulu Museum of Art. PBR HAWAII’s regulatory expertise guided the project through HCDA’s design and permitting requirements for a renovation while honoring LT’s mission to support the well-being of Native Hawaiian children and families and meeting their goals and vision for the center. The result is a civic anchor serving the immediate community while contributing to the continued vitality of Kakaʻako and the Thomas Square Arts District.