This is the first of it’s kind here in Hawaii. The Avalon Group acquired the Davies Pacific Center back in 2023, sitting one-third empty as an office building. They quickly moved to converting this building into mostly residential condo units that they would sell individually. They had many hurdles to face, one being the existing laws that require bedrooms to have a window. This has many talking about policy changes that would need to be made in order to repurpose older buildings and convert them to a more practical use in the current marketplace. There are many adaptive reuse building projects across the country today and many states are changing policy to accommodate them.
I think many would agree that reusing an existing structure makes the most sense if at all possible but I don’t think most realize how detrimental it is to demolish and build brand new. Perhaps we start here…if someone chooses to teardown a building, we are looking at first the carbon footprint of the initial building, the demolition and its waste going to our landfills, all the new materials going into the new construction and of course how efficient the new build will be to offset its carbon emissions once complete. Most new development and big residential and commercial buildings are building LEED certified and green but it cannot compare to how much embodied carbon is saved when working with an existing building. Reusing and retrofitting buildings can save 50% to 75% of the embodied carbon that would be emitted by constructing similar new buildings. With such a huge savings and to know that construction is one of our leaders in carbon emissions in the world, we are now looking at ways to incorporate adaptive reuse in our urban planning, how to create laws that promote it and data collection that helps support it across the board. The Carbon Leadership Forum has really stepped up as a leader in this space as they develop, advise and support embodied carbon policy for government and corporations. They also improve tools and data that support effective embodied carbon policy. Lastly, they build community around embodied carbon and its reduction.
I’m very excited to see the Avalon Group breaking ground on adaptive reuse. This will not only be the most sustainable option but it is also cost-effective and timely. The consumer will be able to purchase one of these units starting in the mid-$500k range and not have to wait several years for completion. Here are some of the noteworthy specs of this building:
Modea’s address is 168 Queen Street
An Adaptive Reuse of the Davies Pacific Center
Cosmopolitan Modern Living in an Urban Oasis
22 stories w/ 352 Residences
Studios, 1-Bedrooms, 2-Bedrooms & 3-Bedrooms
Ocean, Mountain & Skyline Views
Amenities
Double Height Lobby w/ Lounge Seating
Meeting Rooms
Fitness Center
Yoga & Dance Room
Co-working Space w/ Conference Rooms & Private Pods
Workshop
Club Room
Music Rooms for a band session, karaoke or podcast recordings
3 BBQ Cabanas
3 Grill-and-Go Stations
Game Room
Bike & Surfboard Storage
Pet-Friendly w/ On-site Dog Run
Residences
Ceiling heights range from 8’6” to 10’4”
Custom Cabinetry Designed In Italy
Quartz Countertops
GE Stainless Steel Appliances
Fisher Paykel Dish Drawer
Washer and Dryer
Kohler Plumbing Fixtures
SPC Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
Neighborhood
In the Heart of Downtown Honolulu & Close to Ala Moana, Kakaako, Waikiki and the Airport
Award-winning Bars & Restaurants
Chinatown
Farmer’s Markets
Shopping
The Arts District
Visual Arts
Music
Theatre
Fashion
Literature
Museums
Galleries
Events and Entertainment
If you are interested in learning more or taking a tour, please reach out today. They have just released tours for buyers! I’m here to help and would love to represent you as your buyer’s agent!
Christina Laney Mitre
RS-67243, CRS, GREEN, SRES
808.282.1399
*All photos credited to the Avalon Group and sales team. www.modealiving.com