Honolulu approves conceptual plan for 1588 Ala Moana project

The Honolulu City Council approved the conceptual plan for the proposed 1588 Ala Moana development on Oct. 7, 2026, advancing the project subject to housing, transportation and other conditions. Hawaii News Now reported the vote was unanimous. The project site is at 1450 Ala Moana Boulevard in Honolulu, within the Ala Moana Neighborhood Transit-Oriented Development Plan area, and covers 187,174 square feet.

The plan calls for a hotel and residential development. Hawaii News Now described it as including nearly 300 hotel rooms. The residential plan includes 205 units: 136 market-rate condominiums and 69 affordable rentals.

Housing and street-improvement conditions

In addition to the 69 affordable rentals in the residential plan, amended conditions require at least 38 community-benefit affordable rental units. Hawaii News Now reported those units would be elsewhere in the city. The affordability requirement can be met by rents for households earning no more than 80% of area median income for at least 30 years, or no more than 120% of area median income for at least 60 years.

The conditions retain a $5 million contribution for Complete Streets improvements within the Ala Moana Neighborhood TOD Plan area. They also set a base maximum floor-area ratio of 6.2, with floor area up to 7.0 allowed only to accommodate additional or larger affordable rental units.

The amended council text removed an earlier conditional provision that would have required improvements to the Ala Moana Boulevard–Atkinson Drive intersection if the state transportation department supported them. The $5 million contribution remains in the adopted conditions.

Housing drew differing views from speakers reported by Hawaii News Now. Members of UNITE HERE Local 5 said the project did not provide enough affordable housing for working people. A representative of the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters argued that adding housing, including market-rate units, could help address the broader housing shortage.

Further review is required before construction

The Council approved a conceptual plan, not the Interim Planned Development-Transit permit or authorization to begin construction. The applicant must submit detailed plans for Department of Planning and Permitting review for a later Major Special District Permit, and obtain other applicable approvals.

The conditions require traffic and construction-management submissions before major building permits. They also set requirements for vehicle access and pedestrian-corridor design, with separate review for applicable building, grading and grubbing approvals. The Council’s action advances the proposal, but construction remains contingent on these later reviews and approvals.