Construction at the Point at Po'ipu

[Poobah]

On our way home. Layover in Seattle before going on to MSP.

Yesterday I chatted with the fellow who owns the company that is doing all the site prep work. The heavy earth moving was completed yesterday, as required. However they will be working on the site for the next couple of months. They need to put in the water main and seed the entire area. There are finishing touches on the lava rock walls needed. They clean them up and then spray them with a black stain (who knew!) to give then the color you see on most of the lava rock walls.

He confirmed that what I thought that they have constructed storm water retention ponds to control run off. This means there will be some major earth moving when the lots are sold and the houses start to go up.

One surprising thing he said is that there will be no hook-up to city sanitary sewer. Each home will have its own septic system. This is hard to believe since the sanitary sewer system is right there. I would have thought that the county would have required it, given that the properties are right on the ocean.

He also said the lots are not on the market yet. CBRE is looking for a bulk buyer for the property.

Paul

 

[artringwald]

One surprising thing he said is that there will be no hook-up to city sanitary sewer. Each home will have its own septic system. This is hard to believe since the sanitary sewer system is right there. I would have thought that the county would have required it, given that the properties are right on the ocean.

I recently had a discussion with DW wondering how they would get the sewer system output from the lot on the bottom of the hill to the connection on the top of the hill. I guessed that they'd have to use a septic system, because we all know what never rolls uphill.
Thanks for all the updates!

 

[BJRSanDiego]

I recently had a discussion with DW wondering how they would get the sewer system output from the lot on the bottom of the hill to the connection on the top of the hill. I guessed that they'd have to use a septic system, because we all know what never rolls uphill.
Thanks for all the updates!

Actually Art, "sewage pumps" are used all the time for that purpose (pumping "s" uphill. It's not nice when they fail, but it is pretty old and stable technology. They work fine unless someone flushes a thick chunk of metal, bone or plastic.

Like others, I am surprised that they were allowed to use a septic system. Perhaps the lava is porous enough that it will filter it.

 

[pedro47]

Did the owner give you any idea and how expensive it is to build a septic system?

 

[Poobah]

I didn't ask the fellow from CBRE what a septic system would cost. I suspect the Inuit's didn't want to pay to have the sewer line installed and got the Council to approve septic. With all the County budget discussions that were going on while we were there I am afraid the County is being "flexible" on what developments it approves in quest for the tax dollar. I am not sure this is well advised and am somewhat pessimistic about the financial future of the island. I somehow feel the developers are painting this rosy financial picture and the revenue these up-scale developments will generate, but the picture is blurry at best.

 

[Bill4728]

this is an old thread 2017

this there any more recent news?

 

[Poobah]

All is quiet, I guess since nothing has been posted since we got back two years ago that all is quiet behind the Great Wall of Po'ipu. The feeling was it was going to be years before any development would begin. Apparently the Inuits don't want to develop it, they want someone to just buy the property from them so they can take their money and run. I suspect that might be a while too.

 

[artringwald]

I'll be there Saturday. I'll post some pictures when I can. I thought I was the only one calling it Great Wall of Po'ipu.

 

[Poobah]

Art, the Great Wall of Po'ipu is a great term. Maybe I got it from you. Look forward to some pictures as we are not there until March. I used the term at Jamie's meeting last year and she looked at me like "What?". I will be at the HOA Meeting and plan to ask about the development if Jamie doesn't address it.

 

[artringwald]

And maybe I got Great Wall of Po'ipu from you. Ain't nothing going on here except maybe for some trees they planted since last year.

 

[Poobah]

Art, Thanks for the pictures. Good to know that nothing is going on. See that the irrigation pipes are still in place, but some of the grasses look a little stressed. From the sky it looks like you are having nice weather. They are still saying snow this afternoon and more tonight.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[geist1223]

I think I heard but can't remember where that the Developer that put in the Wall, Streets, utilities is trying to off load the whole Development in one piece. For whatever reason they no longer want to be involved in selling it by building lots or in building the houses.

 

[artringwald]

They found a project team to sell it:

https://makahuenaestates.com/

Last I heard, they were asking $20M for all 10 lots.

 

[Poobah]

The for profit corporation that represents the Inuit Indians of Alaska is trying to unload the whole thing. They acquired the point in a land swap for land that was needed for the Alaskan Pipe Line, but they have had to plunk money into it to get it ready for development so they are in a negative cash position and don't want to wait around to recoup there investment.

They want to take the money and run.​

 

[Poobah]

Art, That sounds about right. I didn't know what the number was but heard it was around $20M. If the broker in the announcement is a change from the original, maybe this is an indicator that they are having trouble finding a buyer. If we have bit of a recession they are never going to find a buyer; look at what happened to Kuku'iula and how slow that has been to develop. You can buy a home there for less that it will cost you to buy a lot at Makahuena Estates.

 

[artringwald]

Back in March 2008, protesters tried to halt the construction of a new mall in Koloa full of high end, glass and stainless steel stores. The stock market crashed later that year, and the financing for the store fell through, but not until they cut down most of the monkey-pod trees.

 

[Poobah]

Art, I remember that fiasco. My mother always claimed there was a special corner of Hell for land developers like these!

 

[artringwald]

As it turns out, the Great Wall of Po'ipu is a very nice place to watch the sunrise or look for whales. It's also nice at night to have a place to hold onto while gazing up at the stars.

 

[pedro47]

That sunset looks very nice.

 

[Poobah]

Big glad you aren't here. Got slammed last night with snow :5 1/2" in B'ville. Went out this morning and the blower wouldn't start! Have a Mai Tai for me!!!

 

[artringwald]

Thanks to our Ring doorbell, I can sit on the lanai, drink a mai tai, and watch a video of someone else shoveling our sidewalk.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Thanks to our Ring doorbell, I can sit on the lanai, drink a mai tai, and watch a video of someone else shoveling our sidewalk.

Thanks for the reminder of why I left MN. Living in WA now, I consider that we get just enough ice, slush, and snow to make me feel as if I've had a real winter, in contrast to the years I spent in California.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

I've got a Ring doorbell too. Aren't they great?