OHA, City Begin Discussions on Shared Public Vision for Kakaʻako Look Lab Site

Exploring opportunities to support ocean safety, Native Hawaiian culture and community benefit

News Release from OHA, September 4, 2026

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) and the City and County of Honolulu have begun exploratory discussions regarding the potential future use of the City-owned Look Lab site in Kakaʻako Makai, including whether the property could help advance complementary public purposes involving ocean safety, Native Hawaiian culture and broader community benefit.

The Look Lab site is the former J.K.K. Look Laboratory, an approximately 18,000-square-foot ocean engineering and marine research facility previously leased and operated by the University of Hawaiʻi for marine research, testing and hyperbaric studies. The now-vacant facility and surrounding property are located adjacent to the Kakaʻako Waterfront Park and near OHA's Kakaʻako Makai lands.

The current discussions are examining opportunities to address the City's ocean safety operational needs while complementing OHA's vision for a Native Hawaiian Cultural Center at Kakaʻako Makai. Both organizations recognize the potential public value of coordinating their respective plans for neighboring public lands and are working collaboratively to determine whether a shared vision for the area is feasible.

“This is an opportunity to think creatively about how public lands and public resources can work together to serve our community,” said OHA Board of Trustees Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele. “OHA has a bold vision for Kakaʻako Makai as a place where Native Hawaiian culture, history and identity are celebrated and shared with Hawaiʻi and the world. At the same time, ocean safety provides an essential public service to our island community. We appreciate Mayor Blangiardi and the City coming to the table with us to determine whether we can create something here that advances both missions and provides lasting benefit for generations to come.”

The discussions remain conceptual and are intended to better understand each organization's operational and long-term needs and identify potential community benefits.

“We see a real opportunity here to bring together two important public purposes in a way that respects this special place and creates lasting value for our community,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “Ocean safety is fundamental to who we are as an island community, and so is preserving and perpetuating Native Hawaiian culture. These conversations are still very early, but we are excited to work with OHA, consider what is possible, and see if we can develop a shared vision that will serve the people of Oʻahu for generations to come.”

No decisions have been made regarding the future use of the Look Lab property. Any potential proposal would require additional discussions and due diligence and would be subject to all applicable review and approval processes by the appropriate City and OHA governing bodies before moving forward.

OHA owns nine parcels totaling approximately 30 acres in Kakaʻako Makai, transferred to OHA by the State of Hawaiʻi in 2012 as part of a settlement addressing past-due Public Land Trust revenues. OHA has been working toward a long-term vision for these lands that would create a vibrant destination grounded in Native Hawaiian culture while providing meaningful educational, cultural and community benefits.