WARD VILLAGE® OPENS VICTORIA WARD PARK MAKAI
First phase of 3.5-acre park welcomes public to a sustainable urban oasis
HONOLULU (February 17, 2025) — Ward Village®, an award-winning 60-acre master planned community in the heart of Honolulu, has opened the makai phase of Victoria Ward Park, the community’s first SITES-certified park—reflecting a comprehensive framework for designing, developing and, managing sustainable and resilient landscapes and outdoor spaces. Native plants throughout the 1.4-acre space reduce irrigation needs, promote biodiversity, and help cool the urban environment. Victoria Ward Park Makai is part of Ward Village’s broader master plan to create a sustainable, connected community. Recognized as a LEED Neighborhood Development Platinum Certified (LEED-ND) community, Ward Village continues to achieve significant milestones in responsible urban design, including its recent LEED Gold certification for Kō‘ula residences.
“Victoria Ward Park Makai is designed to enhance wellness, connectivity, and placemaking, cornerstones of Ward Village’s ongoing vision for the neighborhood,” said Doug Johnstone, President of the Hawaiʻi region for Howard Hughes. “Whether it be open, green play areas, water features, walking paths, or landscaping that minimizes the impact from traffic and noise along Ala Moana Boulevard, the features of Victoria Ward Park have been envisioned to create a place where residents, families as well as people passing through the neighborhood can enjoy their beautiful surroundings.”
Honoring Victoria Ward’s legacy of stewardship, the park includes a water feature inspired by the historic ‘auwai as well as wayfinding signage that highlights public art installations at Victoria Ward Park Makai that celebrate nature and traditions from the islands.
“What makes Victoria Ward Park meaningful is its connection to its past and place,” said Gayna Buranelli, Director, Planning & Development for Ward Village. “Every element at Victoria Ward Park has been carefully designed and curated to share the story of the park and its history.”
Wayfinding, a commissioned sculpture by renowned artist Linda Fleming and located at the park’s makai entrance, is inspired by ocean currents and celestial navigation. Nearby in the water feature, Dan Ostermiller’s Ae‘o Birds features seven bronze sculptures of the native Hawaiian stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni), paying homage to the species and its historic habitat in the area known as Kukuluāe‘o. Ward Village partnered with Trees for Honolulu’s Future to support the goal of achieving 35% tree canopy coverage in Honolulu by 2035, with contributions made during the Victoria Place groundbreaking. As part of this initiative, artwork from the Keiki Art Contest, which invited local children to create nature-inspired pieces, is displayed on the construction barriers of Victoria Ward Park Mauka. The park was developed by Ward Village, with SCB architects, VITA Planning & Landscape Architecture and Wilson Okamoto Corporation for civil engineering.
A plaza along Auahi Street integrates three kiosk retailers to support local businesses, the first of which—Middle Eats—is set to open soon with an authentic menu of falafel, shawarma, and kebabs for convenient grab-and-go dining. The subsequent mauka phase of Victoria Ward Park, currently under construction, will ultimately connect with the makai park to create 3.5 acres of open space spanning about a football field in length at the core of Ward Village’s master plan—which continues to expand with new restaurants and retailers. In early February, Tonkatsu Kuro held its soft opening at Kō‘ula Shops, with a grand opening to follow in the coming months. It will be joined later this month by Happy Lemon, and Ginza Sushi will relocate to Ward Entertainment Center in May. Coming soon to South Shore Market, Nobiluxe will convert the former Pier 1 space into a shop and showroom for modern kitchen and bathroom designs, appliances, closet systems, and furnishings.
On the ʻEwa side of Ward Village’s master plan, progress is underway at Ulana Ward Village which will deliver 697 reserved homes for kamaʻāina families and individuals later this year. Infrastructure improvements, including the realignment of Auahi Street and upgrades at the Ward Avenue intersection, continue while new residences at The Park Ward Village, Kalae and an additional park, Ka Laʻi o Kukuluāeʻo, are also under construction.
“With each phase of Ward Village’s master plan, we are cultivating an integrated community that seamlessly blends vibrant public spaces, local businesses, and housing opportunities for everyone who lives, works, and visits here,” said Johnstone.
For more information about Ward Village and its neighborhood upgrades, visit www.wardvillage.com.
Click here for the Victoria Park Makai media kit.
About Ward Village®
Ward Village is a 60-acre master planned community in the heart of Honolulu, located between downtown and Waikīkī. Honoring the distinct history of its land, Ward Village is at the forefront of sustainable community development—integrating striking architecture, culture and arts, and public open space. At full buildout, the community will include thousands of homes and approximately one million square feet of unique retail 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 quickly sold out its first seven mixed-use residential towers—Waiea®, Anaha®, Ae‘o, Ke Kilohana®, ʻAʻaliʻi®, Kō‘ula®, and Victoria Place®—transforming the popular shopping and dining district into a thriving mixed-use 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 Ulana Ward Village®, The Park Ward Village®, and Kalae. Most recently approved by the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority (HCDA), The Launiu Ward Village will be the latest mixed-use development that will join the neighborhood.
Ward Village, a LEED-ND Platinum-certified master planned community part of the Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. portfolio, demonstrates its commitment to responsible, mixed-use development by investing in public benefits and amenities for Honolulu’s urban community. For more information, visit WardVillage.com.
About Howard Hughes Holdings Inc.
Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. 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 communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: Downtown Columbia® in Maryland; The Woodlands®, Bridgeland® and The Woodlands Hills® in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin® in Las Vegas; Ward Village® in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi; and Teravalis™ in the Greater Phoenix, Arizona area. The Howard Hughes 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. Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHH. For additional information visit www.howardhughes.com.
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