HI: City gets moving on Kalihi rail housing project

The city has launched the second project of its kind this year to begin the process of building affordable housing around Honolulu’s Skyline rail system, this time in Kalihi at the site of the old Dee Lite Bakery.

The Honolulu Department of Housing and Land Management on Monday issued a request for qualifications, or RFQ, seeking a qualified development partner to level the two adjacent properties at 1930 Dillingham Blvd. and at 1907 Eluwene St. and turn the more than half-acre lot into possibly 150 affordable units for renters.

They would live within walking access of the Kalihi rail station planned for the middle of Dillingham Boulevard that’s scheduled to open in 2031, along with the rest of the 19-station, 18.9-mile route from East Kapolei to the Civic Center station in Kakaako.

The current four rail stations located town side of the Aloha Stadium /Halawa station are currently undergoing “trial running ” through the Joint Base Pearl Harbor -Hickam, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Lagoon Drive and Middle Street transit center stations that Mayor Rick Blangiardi has announced will open for paid ridership on Oct. 16.

The entire system of Skyline, TheBus and TheHandi-Van will then open for free ridership on the weekend of Oct. 18 and Oct. 19 to encourage coordinated access to Skyline through public transit.

Groundbreaking has begun on Skyline’s final six stations—in Kalihi, Honolulu Community College, Iwilei, Chinatown, downtown and the currently planned final stop in Kakaako’s Civic Center.

But Blangiardi wants to push on to Ala Moana Center, Hawaii’s largest transit center, and his alma mater—the University of Hawaii—along with a second station in West Oahu.

For the Kalihi station transient-oriented housing project, Kevin D. Auger, director designate of the Department of Housing and Land Management, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an email that “while the City is not prescribing a unit count, preliminary analysis indicates the site could accommodate in excess of 150 affordable units, subject to final lot size and project financing.”

More precise details need to be worked out with the future developer on its financial relationship with the city and more specific details for the site, located just over a mile from downtown Honolulu and near Honolulu Community College, Kalakaua Middle School, Kalihi Kai Elementary and other Kalihi destinations.

“This convenient location positions the site to serve as a catalyst for community revitalization and walkable, sustainable urban living, ” Auger said.

The city bought the site to specifically turn it into transit-oriented development around Skyline’s Kalihi station.

“The RFQ permits the developer to request funding from the City ; at this stage, we do not yet know what will be requested, or what the City will ultimately bring to the table, ” Auger told the Star-Advertiser. “Currently, the City is leveraging the land itself and potentially funding in the future. Risks, costs, and financing responsibilities will all be subject to negotiation as part of the Development Agreement and Ground Lease process.”

In March, the Department of Land Management issued an RFQ to build affordable housing around Skyline’s Iwilei Center station.

In a statement at the time, Mayor Blangiardi said, “Housing is not just about constructing units—it’s about creating thriving, walkable, and connected communities where people can truly live, work, and thrive. This transformative project is a pivotal step in reimagining Iwilei as a thoughtfully designed, transit-oriented neighborhood that puts affordability, sustainability, and quality of life at the forefront.”

An agreement with the new Iwilei developer will be announced soon, the city said.

In the meantime, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has announced that the first of two public design workshops for the Kalihi and Kapalama stations has been scheduled from 6 to 8 :30 p.m. Sept. 11 at the King David Kalakaua Middle School cafeteria with contractor Tutor Perini Corp.