WARD VILLAGE® NAMES FRANCIS COFRAN VICE PRESIDENT OF MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS
Seasoned Leader to Head Commercial Real Estate Operations at Master-Planned Community
HONOLULU, HI (April 6, 2020) - The Howard Hughes Corporation® (NYSE: HHC) announced today Francis Cofran has been appointed to Vice President of Management and Operations at Ward Village® to oversee the master-planned community’s commercial real estate operations. In his new role, Cofran will work closely with tenants building new relationships and fostering existing ones to continue shaping Ward Village as a vibrant neighborhood in the heart of Honolulu.
“Francis’ thoughtful leadership and vast commercial real estate experience will be invaluable to Ward Village as our community evolves,” said Doug Johnstone, President, Hawai‘i at The Howard Hughes Corporation. “He has a remarkable track record of creating successful shopping, dining and experiential destinations and we look forward to having his vision to help steward our growing neighborhood.”
Cofran has more than 25 years of experience in commercial real estate. Most recently, he served as Senior General Manager at Ala Moana Center, where he worked on the Hoʻokipa redevelopment and Nordstrom and Ewa Wing expansions adding a total of 930,000 square feet of new retail space to the shopping center.
“We are in unprecedented times where close collaboration, respect, and perseverance will be integral to the success of our community,” said Cofran. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be at the forefront of the retail, restaurant and entertainment scene in this unique neighborhood.”
Born, raised and a resident of Kailua, Oʻahu, Cofran attended the University of Hawaiʻi. He has been closely involved with numerous organizations including General Growth Insurance Company, Inc., Waikiki Improvement Association, 200 Club, Institute for Human Services and Parents and Teachers Association, Le Jardin Academy.
About Ward Village®
Developed by The Howard Hughes Corporation®, Ward Village® is a 60-acre master-planned community in the heart of Honolulu, located between downtown and Waikīkī, along O‘ahu’s picturesque south shore. Honoring the distinct history of its land, Ward Village is at the forefront of sustainable community development - integrating striking architecture, local culture, and public open space. At full build-out, the community will include approximately one million square feet of unique retail and thousands of homes, in what Architectural Digest named “Best-Planned Community in the United States.”
As a result of strong demand for new housing in urban Honolulu, Ward Village is quickly approaching sellout of its first four mixed-use residential towers — Waiea®, Anaha®, Ae‘o®, and Ke Kilohana® — transforming the popular shopping and dining district into a vibrant neighborhood that offers ocean views and open space, including its newest outdoor gathering place, Victoria Ward Park. New residential buildings in development or under construction include A‘ali‘i, Kō‘ula, and Victoria Place. Since launching public sales in January 2020, Victoria Place has become the fastest-selling market tower in the history of Ward Village.
Ward Village is the first-ever LEED‐ND Platinum-certified master-planned community in the country and the only in Hawai‘i. At the forefront of sustainable development, it features public amenities at a scale not offered by any other urban community in the state. For more information, visit www.wardvillage.com.
About The Howard Hughes Corporation
The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Its award-winning assets include the country’s preeminent portfolio of master planned cities and communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: the Seaport District in New York; Columbia, Maryland; The Woodlands, The Woodlands Hills, and Bridgeland in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin, Las Vegas; and Ward Village in Honolulu, Hawai’i. The Howard Hughes Corporation’s portfolio is strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on market demand, resulting in one of the strongest real estate platforms in the country. Dedicated to innovative placemaking, the company is recognized for its ongoing commitment to design excellence and to the cultural life of its communities. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC.
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements accompanied by words such as “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “enables,” “realize”, “plan,” “intend,” “assume,” “transform” and other words of similar expression, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s expectations, estimates, assumptions, and projections as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are set forth as risk factors in The Howard Hughes Corporation’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly and Annual Reports. The Howard Hughes Corporation cautions you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. The Howard Hughes Corporation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.
Catherine Wolfe