See this
aerial video of Kapahulu homes.
The Kapahulu neighborhood is bordered by
Kaimuki in the east,
Kapiolani in the west, as well as
Diamond Head in the south. Kapahulu developed rapidly along Kapahulu Ave, it’s main road, once the Ala Wai Canal, a man-made drainage canal completed in 1920, turned Waikiki’s former swampland into a buildable tourist destination. Waikiki’s resulting building boom quickly extended outwards along busy Kapahulu Ave, one of only 4 main traffic arteries to enter Waikiki. Kapahulu homes for sale typically range between $700K to $1.2M on mostly modest lots between 2,000 to 6,000 sq ft.
The Neighborhood Kapahulu today consists of three distinct areas:
- The residential area east of Kapahulu Ave, up to 6th Ave and Alohea Ave, made up mostly of charming older single family homes and often viewed as an extension of residential Kaimuki.
- The business district and main road, Kapahulu Ave, with shopping and a few medium density apartment buildings.
- The residential area west of Kapahulu Ave, which includes some older single family homes mixed with some medium density apartment buildings, bounded by Olokele Ave and Date St.
The Kapahulu neighborhood also includes the bordering streets of Kaimuki Ave in the north and Leahi Ave & Monsarrat Ave in the south. Kapahulu Ave marks the central spine of Kapahulu, with a number of excellent diverse restaurants and specialty shops. A large-scale Safeway grocery anchor store in a newer (2007) mall with close to 30 additional smaller shops and eateries is part of Kapahulu’s business district revival.
Some of Kapahulu’s decades old classic local favorites include the iconic Rainbow Drive-Inn with their popular plate lunches, Leonard’s Bakery with their fresh malasadas, and Waiola Shave Ice. Even Barack Obama has, allegedly, been spotted here. Crane Park’s always busy basketball courts are a popular spot for outdoor activities. Close by are the
Ala Wai Golf Course and, of course, Waikiki Beach.
A good number of the original homes were built before the 1940’s and newer properties are slowly replacing the old. Modernization combined with a very convenient location makes Kapahulu an attractive part of the
Honolulu real estate market for many.
History of Kapahulu Translated, Kapahulu means 'worn out soil'. Luckily that doesn't truly describe this vibrant part of Honolulu. The land it sits on was part of the holdings given to King Lunalilo during the Great Mahele, which turned over land to private ownership for the very first time.
Though private residences are recorded as early as 1889, this area remained mostly undeveloped and untouched until the 1920's when the streetcar system made it accessible for those who worked in town. The Japanese especially congregated here to affordably escape the crowded conditions downtown.
Due to the unplanned quality of this neighborhood, houses here were of a wide variety of styles, reflecting the tastes of individual owners. The UH History department has tried to document what are now historical structures here, finding everything from Art Deco & Moderne to even Tudor and Mission style buildings, alongside plantation homes, of course. So you often have a choice of genres when shopping for homes in Kapahulu.
Despite being next door to Waikiki, this neighborhood has held onto its local identity & history. Rainbow Drive Inn, Ono Hawaiian Foods and Leonard's Bakery are just 3 of the institutions that have served generations of residents. Kapahulu homes and buildings remain defiantly low-rise, outside of a few condos on the Ewa (west) side of Kapahulu Ave.
Here the old Hawaii still lives, a place you can grab some real shave ice, get your surfboard repaired and talk a little story.
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