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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, April 28, 2008

Mililani Mauka attracts business

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer

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With residential construction completed in Mililani Mauka, developer Castle & Cooke Hawaii is rounding out the community with new commercial properties.

Two new buildings planned for a commercial complex called The Gateway at Mililani Mauka will house potential tenants ranging from a Chinese restaurant and nail salon to a dentist and radiology lab. At least some in the complex, which is already home to a McDonald's and Tesoro station, are expected to open as early as the end of the year.

"They're bringing new services and amenities to the Mililani community," said Kathy Best, Castle & Cooke Hawaii community relations manager. "It's the last component of our master-planned community to bring in the commercial businesses to service the residents."

The commercial area — off Mehe'ula Parkway near 'Ainamakua Drive — will include a 6,000-square-foot, one-story retail building. Castle & Cooke is still in the process of issuing leases, but possibilities include a ramen shop, local food eatery, Chinese restaurant, a nail salon, a pet store and a florist, Best said.

Construction on the retail building is expected to be completed in August, with businesses opening by the end of the year.

Castle & Cooke also plans to complete construction on a two-story, 21,600-square-foot office and professional building by the end of this year, with tenants open for business in the first quarter of next year. Tenants there are expected to include health and medical services such as a dentist, optometrist and a radiology lab.

Castle & Cooke is also looking into an anchor tenant for the commercial complex.

The commercial properties are expected to give Mililani Mauka residents services and convenience that they've been seeking, said Dean Hazama, chairman of the Mililani Mauka/Launani Valley Neighborhood Board.

"We have been trying for many, many years to attract some sort of retail business," Hazama said. "I know once it opens people are going to swamp there."

He said the community has especially been hoping for a grocery or market, which so far is not among the list of potential tenants. But he said from what he knows about the possible tenants thus far, "I'm sure the community is going to respond very positively."

Hazama also said Mililani doesn't have enough medical practices and facilities, "so we're kind of hoping for some doctors and some dentists and other types of businesses like that to open up there."

More businesses, however, will also likely mean more cars and traffic. Hazama said there are some traffic concerns surrounding the new commercial activity and that the neighborhood board will work with the city and Castle & Cooke on traffic flow in and out of the area.

Castle & Cooke this month also celebrated the grand opening of its first self-storage facility — Castle & Cooke Self Storage — located within a 9-acre commercial site on Lehiwa Drive known as Commercial C. Plans for the rest of the commercial site include retail opportunities.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.