The ongoing eruption of Kilauea has not hindered progress on the Puna Kai shopping center in Pahoa.
“We’ve seen no delays, no problems. All the tenants are on board,” said Gary Pinkston, president of Meridian Pacific, the owner and developer of the property.
Sitting on 9.93 acres near Kahaki Boulevard and Pahoa Village Road, Puna Kai will feature retail, office, dining and entertainment space, according to punakaihawaii.com. The development will be anchored by the 35,000-square-foot Malama Market.
The long-discussed project broke ground in October.
On June 10, Pinkston said Meridian Pacific will turn over a “certified building pad” to Malama Market, which will construct its own building on the site.
Meridian Pacific will begin “vertical construction” on the rest of the development in mid-June, he said.
According to Pinkston, they’re on schedule to open in March or April 2019.
There has been “no change in our deal,” Pinkston reiterated. “In fact, we are 98 percent leased.”
About 3,800 square feet of the approximately 110,000-square-foot shopping center remains unleased, he said.
Pinkston said Sharon Lawler, a physician from Oahu, “will be coming over with some of her doctors” and will have a medical lab, radiologist and physical therapist in Puna Kai, “and they’ll open with the rest of the shopping center.”
As of Friday, confirmed tenants for Puna Kai are: Malama Market, Aloha Petroleum, Chef TK, Pahoa Veterinary Hospital, Black Lava Vape, L&L Drive Inn, Pizza Hut, SusHI, Under the Bodhi Tree, McDonald’s, Jeans Warehouse, Family Health and Wellness, Fitness Forever, Goodwill, Stratos New York Pizzeria, Hilo Bay Realty and Maui Tacos.
O’Reilly Auto Parts, Dunkin’ Donuts and Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen are still under lease negotiations.
Pinkston said Puna Kai will be a “full community service shopping center,” much like those Meridian Pacific has developed elsewhere.
It “serves the community and is architecturally tailored to match the plantation architecture of the community of Pahoa,” he said.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
