City selects partner to lead transformational TOD planning effort in Iwilei-Kapālama to support thousands of affordable housing units
News Release from City and County of Honolulu, July 7, 2025
The City and County of Honolulu has selected DTL, in partnership with BDP Quadrangle, Wilson Okamoto Corporation, and Nippon Koei, to lead a master planning effort centered on the Kūwili Station Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Redevelopment Area. With more than 75 percent of land under City or State control, the area offers a rare opportunity to coordinate infrastructure and housing investments in a truly transformative way. Master planning efforts will focus on refining connectivity, improving multi-modal access to transit, and aligning infrastructure investments to support future housing, flood mitigation, and broader development in the area.
(CLUE: In 2021, OHA bought up several properties in Iwilei adjacent to its HQ building. Now OHA-connected and Dela Cruz connected DTL is handling the master plan. See how that works?)
“We appreciate the strong interest and thoughtful proposals submitted by all applicants,” said Kevin D. Auger, director-designate of DHLM. “This was a highly competitive process, and we’re excited to welcome the team at DTL to help carry forward the administration’s vision for an iconic, transit-connected, climate-resilient community. With the Kūwili station design nearing finalization, and the pending selection of a development partner for the Iwilei Center—the timing is ideal to shape Iwilei into a vibrant, transit-connected neighborhood with the potential to deliver not just hundreds, but thousands of new, affordable homes.”
(REALITY: DTL failed at Kakaako Makai and Ala Wai.)
The selection follows a competitive process under RFP-DTS-1916103: Transforming Iwilei-Kapālama – Connecting People and Places—a joint initiative of the Department of Housing and Land Management (DHLM), Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP), and Department of Transportation Services (DTS) – and the most ambitious, coordinated area-wide TOD redevelopment planning effort undertaken in the state to date.
This marks the first time the Iwilei-Kapālama area will be master planned through a formalized joint City-State effort—signaling an unprecedented, coordinated partnership between the City and the Governor’s Office on Housing to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing and infrastructure in one of Honolulu’s most strategically located and publicly controlled urban corridors.
“It’s going to be eye-opening for people to see what transit-oriented development really looks like—getting off a station and being able to walk to housing, services, and destinations without needing to drive,” said Tim Streitz, acting TOD Administrator at DPP. “This effort builds on more than a decade of station area planning and public engagement—and with this partnership, we’re turning that groundwork into a clear, coordinated path for implementation.”
DTL, a Native Hawaiian-owned strategy, planning, and design firm, has partnered with global and local experts to lead the Kūwili Station TOD Redevelopment Area master planning effort. DTL has a strong track record of culturally grounded, community-centered planning. Based in Toronto, Canada, BDP Quadrangle brings extensive international expertise in transit-oriented development and will support master planning and urban design, drawing from major TOD projects across North America, Europe, and Asia. Wilson Okamoto Corporation, will lead traffic analysis and infrastructure coordination. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Nippon Koei will provide systems-level insight into transportation and urban infrastructure. Together, the team offers a blend of local leadership and global innovation to deliver a bold, inclusive, and actionable vision for Iwilei-Kapālama.
“This is about building a team that brings global expertise to meet local priorities,” said DTS Director Roger Morton. “DTL is helping to lead a planning effort that’s not only rooted in community values, but informed by international best practices—ensuring Honolulu’s TOD future is both visionary and actionable.”
“We’re honored to partner with the City and County of Honolulu on this visionary TOD initiative,” said Malia Ka‘aihue, PhD, Founding Partner and President of DTL. “This project is about more than infrastructure — it’s about people, connection, and building a future that reflects the identity and needs of our communities. Our goal is to create a plan that’s not only actionable, but deeply rooted in the voices of Iwilei and Kapālama, with a bold vision for a livable, equitable, and transit-connected neighborhood.”
The initiative is backed by a $2 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration’s TOD Pilot Program, awarded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; a $700,000 State TOD Capital Improvement Planning Grant administered by the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; and a $250,000 contribution from the City and County of Honolulu.
Planning work is expected to begin this summer, with community engagement and deliverables phased through 2027.
To learn more about the Iwilei-Kapālama Transit-Oriented Development planning effort, visit: https://www.honolulu.gov/tod/tod-downtown-tod-neighborhood.
—PAU—
YEARS OF OHA-DTL-Dela Cruz -- FAILURE AND CORRUPTION:
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