Honolulu's Iwilei Center Plans for Redevelopment Into Mixed-Use Space

Striving to expand affordable housing options for Oahu residents, Honolulu's Department of Land Management requests to redevelop the Iwilei Center into a mixed-use space.

2 minute read

March 12, 2025, 10:00 AM PDT

By Christina Hind…


Aerial view of Honolulu, Hawaii coastline at dusk.

SCStock / Adobe Stock

Desiring to utilize public land for affordable housing, the city of Honolulu plans to transform its Iwilei Center into a mixed-use, multi-purpose space.

According to Spectrum News, the upcoming Iwilei redevelopment plan is a "mixed-use, transit-oriented project that integrates affordable housing with commercial, retail, institutional, education, recreational and governmental services with a focus on affordability, quality of life and options for transit ..."

The objectives of the project include:

  • Producing hundreds of housing units and expanding affordable living options for Oahu residents.
  • Creating a mixed-use environment which seamlessly offers affordable housing, transit access, and neighborhood walkability.
  • Promoting economic advancement by introducing various commercial, recreational, and retail opportunities.

As an integrative initiative, this new redevelopment project centralizes on incorporating affordable housing with communal connections and accessible transportation. Spectrum News further explains that "the redevelopment of Iwilei Center is an important part of the city’s Transit-Oriented Development initiative that leverages the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s Skyline rail system to create high-density, mixed-use communities."    

Rick Blangiardi, the Mayor of Honolulu, expresses great significance behind these new redevelopment plans: “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.”

In conjunction with the Mayor’s Office of Housing, the city’s Department of Land Management has issued a Request for Qualifications, eagerly seeking a professional development partner to begin revitalizing the Iwilei Center and surrounding community.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025 in Spectrum News

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

A swamp in South Carolina with tall pale trees and Spanish moss in the water.

Satanic place names

From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.

October 31 - The Daily Yonder

A rendering of a high speed rain station in California, with wide platforms and a sleep train with yellow highlights.

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal

Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.

October 30 - Cal Matters

 A bridge stretches across the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states

Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.

October 30 - South Dakota Searchlight