It’s hard to believe that when a groundbreaking ceremony for the City of Kapolei was held in 1990, event attendees stood on sprawling sugarcane land without a shopping mall or rail transit station in sight. More than 35 years later, Kapolei now bustles with schools, civic operations, commerce and transportation supporting its rapidly growing population.
The vision of Kapolei as a “Second City” in West O‘ahu was built on the key principle of connection. From its inception in the ‘Ewa Master Plan by the Estate of James Campbell in 1955 to subsequent plans by the City and County of Honolulu, Kapolei’s development has centered on projects designed to provide easy access to resources in and out of the area.
“Transforming a largely agricultural region into a thriving Second City demanded extensive infrastructure planning, long-range investment and ongoing community engagement to ensure growth happened responsibly and sustainably,” says Kevin Penn, president and chief executive officer of the James Campbell Co.
Building Industry Hawai‘i explored Kapolei’s construction case study with insights from Penn, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Kapolei Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and CEO Kiran Polk. Building a new urban core in West O‘ahu that’s modernizing in tandem with metro Honolulu is an impressive feat — and the future looks even more promising.
A Rich History
James Campbell purchased 41,000 acres of ‘Ewa Plain ranchland in 1877 that served as a sugar plantation before ideas of urbanization in West O‘ahu came up. The 1955 ‘Ewa Master Plan identified the land’s long-term potential to be used for residential, commercial and industrial interests. This land would eventually become Kapolei and its surrounding neighborhoods, where Campbell’s legacy remains prevalent with several namesake buildings and facilities.
“We feel a deep sense of gratitude and responsibility when we look at Kapolei’s progress,” Penn says. “What began as a vision nearly seven decades ago has taken shape through the collective effort of partners, community leaders and generations of Hawai‘i residents.”
Penn notes that developing Kapolei, with its rich history and exciting future at a crossroads, requires “balancing immediate needs with long-term vision — making decisions that honor place, uphold our kuleana and support the communities who call West O‘ahu home.”
Priorities for urbanization have included ensuring adequate housing, transportation, utilities and essential services, in addition to respecting the area’s natural environment.
“For James Campbell Company, success is not measured by speed or scale, but by enduring prosperity and the meaningful connections created along the way,” Penn says.
The “live, work and thrive” model in Kapolei is exemplified in planning and construction that strategically bridge the housing, business and industrial sectors. Penn says the goal is to create opportunities where projects are geared toward “long-term economic growth and supporting developments that strengthen the region’s social and cultural fabric.”
“We envision a future where Kapolei and West O‘ahu continue to flourish as connected, resilient communities,” Penn says. “Our pilina to Hawai‘i grounds us, and our vision moves us forward, encouraging us to reimagine what’s possible for future generations while preserving what matters most.”
City and County Support
The City and County of Honolulu adopted a new O‘ahu General Plan in 1977 which designated Kapolei as a “Secondary Urban Center” aimed alleviating overcrowding in town and preventing overdevelopment in rural areas.
Later plans outline a well-connected vision of Kapolei built to support dynamic lifestyles with walkable neighborhoods, flourishing parks and “smart city” technologies. Ongoing work on major transportation arteries like the multiphase Kapolei Interchange project ensure that residents will have efficient outlets to the rest of the island as well.
“The vision is simple: West O‘ahu should be a place where families can live, work, learn and thrive without having to spend hours on the road each day,” says Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “We are bringing more jobs, services and infrastructure directly to West O‘ahu and we are expanding mobility choices in ways that simply didn’t exist before.”
Skyline has been “a game-changer,” Blangiardi says. As rail construction expands further into town, not only do Kapolei residents have an extra option for transportation, but metro Honolulu residents can visit West O‘ahu to explore its benefits as well.
“As more stations come online and as development continues around those stations, West O‘ahu will become an even more appealing place for people who want modern affordable housing, shorter commutes and a strong sense of community,” Blangiardi notes.
“West O‘ahu offers an incredible quality of life,” the mayor adds. “The momentum is absolutely there, and I believe the best days for West O‘ahu are still ahead.”
Forward Progress
Kiran Polk echoes the mayor’s enthusiasm for seeing Kapolei and West O‘ahu continue to grow. As executive director and CEO of the Kapolei Chamber of Commerce, Polk deftly connects people and resources together to bring fresh initiatives and services to the region.
The Kapolei Chamber of Commerce focuses its efforts on four key pillars:
- Advocacy
- Education and workforce development
- Business support
- Economic development
Nearly 400 members of the Kapolei Chamber of Commerce represent a wide range of companies and organizations including nonprofits, utilities, developers, education, retail, healthcare, hospitality and more. Polk says having Kapolei as a second urban core in West O‘ahu provides fertile ground for expanded entrepreneurship and networking.
“It’s really kind of just [thinking] out of the box,” Polk says. “By [investing in] those industries, it’ll bring more jobs [and] it’ll bring more money into our West O‘ahu economy.”
Innovation is what will take Kapolei and West O‘ahu to the future, Polk says. On her radar are ideas to elevate the region as a hub for tech and creative fields like the film industry, which can lead to construction jobs, too. Down the line, she says, the area could be well-served with additional facilities like a large conferencing space akin to the Hawai‘I Convention Center, coworking hubs and a dedicated outdoor concert/event venue.
“There are very few things that we don’t have on the West Side,” Polk says. “There are things on the horizon already [and] opportunities still abound.”
