Leasehold Properties: A Deal or a Drain?
While most of the state’s leasehold single-family properties have converted to fee simple ownership over the past few decades, the leasehold option remains alive in the condo market.
Construction
High-Rises Design Inspired by the Ocean
It’s not your imagination, Honolulu is packed with high-rises. In fact, it ranks sixth in the United States —right behind San Francisco—and 30th in the world among cities with the most skyscrapers, according to Emporis, a building-industry information clearinghouse. Since…
Parting Shot: Digging Rocks
Thursday, 11:57 A.M. Makakilo Quarry, Oahu Photo by Bob Hayes >> Chris Hermosura, Grace Pacific’s quarry plant superintendent, left, and bulldozer operator Patrick Valmoja scope areas for basalt limestone aggregate. Each year, the company produces more than a million tons…
Hawaii Leads Nation in Steel-Framed Homes
More than 70 percent of new-home construction in Hawaii uses cold-steel frame studs in place of traditional wooden two-by-fours. “No other state comes even close,” says Tim Waite of the Hawaii Steel Alliance. “Second place goes to Australia.” On the mainland, steel framing is frequently found in multifamily…
Parting Shot: Laying the Foundation
Tuesday, 11:50 AM Coulter Construction, Manoa Valley Photographer Twain Newhart >> A crew from Coulter Construction lays down the concrete foundation for a custom-built home in Manoa. Pouring the concrete takes a week, but site preparation starts weeks in advance. The…
Riding the Up-and-Down Construction Cycle
The coming construction boom will be very different from the last one: different kinds of projects, new ways of financing and maybe fewer rising costs. It’s often hard to say exactly when the business cycle turns. Some date the end…
Eccentric Businesses at the Blaisdell Hotel
A rich history and equally interesting cast of tenants make this century-old building one of a kind If you like modern glass and steel towers, Bishop Street has plenty of office locations to choose from. But if your taste runs…
Preparing for Hawaii's Next Hurricane
When Iniki hit, many property owners were uninsured, under-insured or covered by a company that couldn’t handle all its claims When a massive storm like Hurricane Sandy strikes, the effects on the insurance industry are felt around the world, including…
Ask SmallBiz: Building Teamwork on Construction Projects
Question: I am involved in a construction project whose contract provides for performance-based penalties and rewards. What can I do to help get all the companies to work together? Answer: It’s essential that people who work together have good communication, teamwork and strategies for…
