Hawaii Kai Real Estate
Hawaiʻi Kai was largely developed by Henry J. Kaiser around the ancient Maunalua fishpond and wetlands area known as Kuapā (meaning “fishpond wall”). The Hawaiʻi Kai or Koko Marina was dredged from Kuapā Pond starting around 1959. Dredging not only transformed the shallow coastal inlet and wetlands into a marine embayment, but was accompanied by considerable filling and clearing of the pond margins. In 1961, Kaiser-Aetna entered into a lease agreement with the land owner, the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, to develop the 521 acre fishpond into residential tracts with a marina and channels separated by fingers of land and islands upon which house lots and commercial properties would be laid out and developed. Nearly all of the low-lying lands surrounding the marina have since been developed, and neighborhoods now extend back into the several valleys and up the separating ridges.
Communities
Kalama Valley is a community within the town of Hawaiʻi Kai located on the eastern coast of the island of Oʻahu. It features a shopping center, a public park and basketball facilities, and predominately single-family, relatively high-priced housing, due to its location in Hawaiʻi Kai. Previously, the shopping center held a convenience store, auto care center, Chinese restaurant, Thai restaurant, and church. As of 2008, the Thai restaurant and auto care center are all that remain.
There are a variety of attractions in the vicinity of Kalama Valley, including Hawaii Kai Golf Course, Sandy Beach, Makapuʻu Lighthouse and beach, Koko Crater Botanical Garden, the “From Here to Eternity” cove, and Hanauma Bay. Sandy Beach, is a picturesque and sandy beach park barely a mile away from Kalama Valley. Sandy Beach is a popular beach for the local crowd, and, due to its quiet location and powerful waves, is a hot spot for body surfing. Koko Crater botanical garden encloses beautiful plumeria trees and plants from different regions of the world.
There is an easy hike up to Makapuʻu lighthouse, which overlooks the beautiful Makapuʻu Beach, Sea Life Park and the windward coast. In the winter it serves as a whale watching look out. As a marine-life sanctuary, Hanauma Bay is idyllic for snorkeling.
“Kamehame Ridge” is a ridge located in the middle of Kalama and Kamilo Iki Valley. Kamehame Ridge was developed during the 1990s. Now there are multi-million dollars homes stretching from the bottom to the top of the Ridge. Most famous for its closed hike, known locally as “Dead Man’s Catwalk”. This closed hike is a paved road that ascends quickly to the top of the Ko’olau Mountains. The air is often filled with hang gliders, enthusiastically performing for the eager onlookers. But the main attraction for most was a concrete slab protruding out from the ridgeline – the “Dead Man’s Catwalk.” Warning, there is a security guard who patrols the area daily. There have been cases where trespassers are giving citations.