Ward Village Debuts Victoria Ward Park, Honolulu's Newest Open-Air Gathering Place

HONOLULU, Dec. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Howard Hughes Corporation® HHC announced today that Ward Village, ® its award-winning 60-acre master planned community in the heart of Honolulu, continues to redefine urban island living with the debut of its central greenscape, Victoria Ward Park. The park's opening is marked by the launch of Light Garden, a 1,000-Year Bloom, a one-of-a-kind immersive art installation designed by acclaimed design studio Symmetry Labs.

Dedicated to the land's most famous steward, Victoria Ward—whose efforts nearly a century ago first made the area a gathering place, the park hosts an expansive lush lawn in the heart of Ward Village. Prior to the park's development in 2017, the land served as a commercial and industrial site. Today, it is the home of the largest and most technology-forward art installation to be displayed in Hawai'i. Inspired by the Hawaiian flora, Light Garden, a 1,000-Year Bloom features over 25,000 LED lights in more than 2,300 floral 3D sculptures spanning 9,500 square feet, and is Symmetry Labs' largest-scale work to date.

The opening of Victoria Ward Park is the latest milestone in the development of Ward Village. Since beginning sales in 2014, Ward Village has sold or contracted to sell more than 1,960 homes. Ward Village is quickly approaching the sellout of its five mixed-use residential towers that are either delivered or under construction—Waiea®, Anaha®, Ae'o®, Ke Kilohana, and 'A'ali'i, which are transforming the popular shopping and dining district into a vibrant neighborhood that offers ocean views and a thoughtfully curated mix of retail experiences set among walkable, open spaces.  

"Our vision is for Ward Village to be recognized among the great urban master plans around the world. As Victoria Ward Park opens with a vibrant art installation, Ward Village has taken another step towards becoming a central destination, not just for our residents but for all members of the broader Honolulu community," said David R. Weinreb, CEO of The Howard Hughes Corporation. "We are pleased to bring such a unique experience to Hawai'i, one that exemplifies our commitment to collaborating with today's creative leaders and inspiring a sense of discovery for all who visit."

Former warehouses and concrete have given way to an acre and a half of lush grass with native plants and a grove of coconut trees reminiscent of the original Ward Estate. Victoria Ward Park represents the community's dedication to preserving original elements of Ward's heritage, a legacy which serves as its guiding vision to create a modern-day haven in urban Honolulu. 

"Victoria Ward Park is designed to engage the community as the new center of Ward Village," said Simon Treacy, President, Hawai'i of The Howard Hughes Corporation. "Focused on curating a thriving public realm through the development of unique spaces and one-of-a-kind amenities, we invite everyone to the park to relax, play and connect—with each other, the community, and our island beauty."

Set to sit adjacent to the park is Kō'ula, Ward Village's new residential tower by famed architect Jeanne Gang, founder of Studio Gang, designed to further engage the community and activate the site with shopping, dining and entertainment.

The inspiration behind Light Garden, a 1,000-Year Bloom is the re-introduction of nature into Honolulu's urban core. A 1,000-year bloom describes the unique opportunity to see a flower that is seldom seen in nature. "Millions of people visit Hawai'i each year who cannot help but be awestruck by the natural beauty that is a hallmark of the state," said Alexander Green, Founder, Symmetry Labs. "I was excited and honored by the opportunity to create a work of art designed to elicit the same sense of natural wonder and island enchantment using innovative technology."

Symmetry Labs' artwork has been the centerpiece of public displays around the world, including the "Sea of Light" at the Seaport District and "Tree of Tenere" at Burning Man. Alexander Green is the subject of an upcoming PBS documentary on innovation in art, "Ineffable," in collaboration with violin virtuoso Tim Fain, and was invited to deliver a keynote speech at the Cannes Lion Innovation Festival, entitled "Beyond Sound: The Music Experience of the Future."

The debut of Victoria Ward Park with Light Garden, a 1,000-Year Bloom demonstrates Ward Village's commitment to culturally-inspired placemaking, paving the way for the return of the upcoming Honolulu Biennial in March. The Howard Hughes Corporation and Ward Village welcomed nearly 100,000 visitors as title sponsor for the inaugural Honolulu Biennial in 2017, and has once again renewed its commitment as co-title sponsor and the hub of the Biennial in 2019.

A Light Garden, 1,000-Year Bloom will be on display at Victoria Ward Park and officially open to the public on December 21, 2018. The installation will remain open through end of January 2019. For more details, please visit www.wardlightgarden.com.

About Ward Village® 

Being developed by The Howard Hughes Corporation®, Ward Village is a 60-acre coastal master planned community in the heart of Honolulu, located between downtown and Waikīkī in the Kaka'ako district. Honoring the distinct history of its land, Ward Village is at the forefront of sustainable community development, integrating significant architecture, local culture, and open public space. New tree-lined sidewalks and bike lanes provide access to an over 100-acre public beach park, as well as the recently revitalized Kewalo Harbor. Since beginning sales in 2014, Ward Village has sold or contracted to sell more than 1,960 homes. At full build-out, Ward  Village will introduce approximately one million square feet of unique retail experiences and more than 4,500 homes to the community that was recently named "Master Planned Community of the Year" by the National Association of Home Builders and "Best Planned Community in the United States" by Architectural Digest.

Resulting from strong demand for new housing in Honolulu and the desire for an urban walkable lifestyle, Ward Village is quickly approaching the sellout of its five mixed-use residential towers that are either delivered or under construction—Waiea®, Anaha®, Ae'o®, Ke Kilohana, and 'A'ali'i—which are transforming the popular shopping and dining district into a vibrant neighborhood that offers ocean views and a thoughtfully curated mix of retail experiences set among walkable, open spaces. On the heels of a successful sales launch for `A`ali`i, the first turnkey living solution  in Hawai'i, Ward Village recently announced plans for Kō'ula, the latest tower that is being designed by acclaimed architect Jeanne Gang. A'ali'i and Kō'ula will continue to expand the selection of new homes at Ward Village and sit at the top of the Victoria Ward Park central plaza, which will serve as a key public gathering and activation space for the community. 

Art and culture play an integral role at Ward Village, with public art highlighted throughout the neighborhood, including large-scale wall murals, sculptures and locally inspired exhibits. Home of the inaugural Honolulu Biennial in 2017, Ward Village will once again act as the hub of the festival when The Howard Hughes Corporation serves as the co-title sponsor in 2019.

As the largest LEED‐ND Platinum certified master plan development in the country and the only one in Hawai'i, Ward Village is at the forefront of sustainable community development and will feature public amenities at a scale not offered by any other urban development in the state. For more information, visit www.wardvillage.com.

About The Howard Hughes Corporation®

The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Its award-winning assets include the country's preeminent portfolio of master planned communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: The Seaport District NYC in New York; Columbia, Maryland; The Woodlands®, The Woodlands Hills, and Bridgeland® in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin®, Las Vegas; and Ward Village® in Honolulu, Hawai'i. The Howard Hughes Corporation's portfolio is strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on market demand, resulting in one of the strongest real estate platforms in the country. Dedicated to innovative place making, the company is recognized for its ongoing commitment to design excellence and to the cultural life of its communities. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements accompanied by words such as "will," "believe," "expect," "enables," "realize", "plan," "intend," "assume," "transform" and other words of similar expression, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, assumptions, and projections as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are set forth as risk factors in The Howard Hughes Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly and Annual Reports. The Howard Hughes Corporation cautions you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. The Howard Hughes Corporation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.

Media Contacts

Erica Feher I Daphne Barahona, 310-586-7197

Murphy O'Brien Public Relations

wardvillage@murphyobrien.com 

The Howard Hughes Corporation

Andrea Galvin, 808-426-7724

Director, Media Relations, Ward Village

andrea.galvin@howardhughes.com 

Cristina Carlson, 646-822-6910

VP, Corporate Communications and Public Relations

cristina.carlson@howardhughes.com

For HHC Investor Relations

David O'Reilly, 214-741-7744

Chief Financial Officer

david.oreilly@howardhughes.com

Symmetry Labs

Stephanie Reichin, 617-549-3745

SKDKnickerbocker

SReichin@SKDKnick.com 

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SOURCE The Howard Hughes Corporation