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KOHANAIK IK o n a C o a s t, B i g i s l a n d o f H awa i i

Kohanaiki

By Mark Pazdur, Publisher

Kohanaiki’s newly opened clubhouse pulls together the world’s best under one roof,raising the bar for private communities while bringing to life the land’s rich culture.

Worthy of anARCHITECTURAL DIGEST SPECIAL EDITION

KONA, HAWAII: The Empire State Building took a rel-atively short 14 months to build. AT&T Stadium inArlington, Texas, and home to the Dallas Cowboys, wasa three-and-one-half year project from groundbreakingto opening day kickoff.

The Kohanaiki clubhouse, quite possibly the finestprivate club community clubhouse ever to be built, wasa five-year endeavor. What started as a grand vision by theKohanaiki team to create a high-design, yet comfortablesocial hub of their private residential community, came tofruition last month with the unveiling of Kohanaiki’sambitious new clubhouse. Perched in the heart of the450-acre club with views that extend from the snowypeak of Mauna Loa to the waves of the world-famousPine Trees surf break, the 67,000 square-foot clubhouseembodies an unmatched attention to detail.

“From day one, our focus has been to bring the best fromacross the world and take the lessons we’ve learned alongthe way to make this club a truly special place for our mem-bers,” described Joe Root, president and CEO of Kohanaiki.“The response has been tremendous.”

Kohanaiki’s diverse, family-oriented membershipdrove the development team to create a relaxed environ-ment. The clubhouse incorporates unparalleled amenitiesranging from a 21-seat movie theater and four-lane bowl-ing alley to a 10,000 square-foot, ocean-view fitness cen-ter and holistic spa designed by Tracy Lee, a leader inmodern spa design.

Kids will find endless entertainment options with videogame rooms, shuffleboard, pool tables and the K-KidsChildren’s Center while parents can host events in one oftwo private dining rooms, sip from a rare wine collection in

SHAY ZAK, a San Francisco-based architect, designedKohanaiki’s 67,000 square-foot clubhouse, the signature

Beach Restaurant, the Hale Club enclave, and a number of the single-family residences.

A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITYScott Bedingfield, VP of Development and Construction, whocompleted other prestigious build-outs along the Kona-KohalaCoast, was the right man for the job.

“At this level of design and finish, just about everything wascustom made and best in class. This meant sourcing the rightmaterials and hiring the best craftsmen. From white coral stoneimported from a Philippines’ quarry to straight-grain red cedarshipped from the Pacific Northwest, no detail was overlooked.Living ‘lightly under the palms’ is a deeply held conviction atKohanaiki. Responsible luxury is championed through sustain-able practices. Our sophisticated heating/cooling systemcaptures heat generated by the air conditioning units andrepurposes it to warm the outdoor pool and produce hot water.Although the up-front cost was higher, we felt it was the rightthing to do and, down the line, it will help control the cost ofownership for our members. Another example was our strategicdecision to build a solar powered reverse osmosis water filtra-tion system that feeds into our man-made, 10.5 million gallonlake. The facility helps keep water bills manageable for mem-bers and creates a self-contained system for the club that willensure our viability for the long term.” – SCOTT BEDINGFIELD

the tasting room, or join a poker tournament in the JamesBond-style cigar lounge and scotch bar hidden behind asecret door.

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS“Our members are well-traveled and sophisticated. We werechallenged to create a clubhouse that draws on the aspectsthat we love on the Big Island while also incorporating cleverdetails that surpass anything done before at a private resi-dential club,” said George Punoose, general manager. “Theconcept and symbolism behind the name Konane, the club-house’s new chophouse and sushi bar, is a prime example ofthe connection to the Big Island’s culture. Similar to check-ers, Konane is a board game invented by ancient Hawaiianswho brought people together and drew large groups ofspectators. We discovered a petroglyph of a Konane boardcarved hundreds of years ago into the lava rock along theshoreline. It is a reminder of our history and serves as theperfect inspiration for our new restaurant.”

The Zalto glassware, handcrafted and sourced from atiny village in Austria, exemplifies attention to detail.“Speakers are to music as glasses are to wine,” saidPunoose. “Their delicate stem and paper-thin glass are aflawless accompaniment to a bottle from the club’s exten-sive wine list, or from a member’s private wine locker.”

A NOD TO THE PASTThe clubhouse features one of the most robust andextensive collections of authentic, museum quality art onthe island. Assembled by Hawaii-based curators withmany pieces handcrafted by local artists, the 200-pluscollection includes prints, paintings, and artifacts.

“It was important for me to create a sense of place,”said Joe Root. “We have been gathering art over the pastdecade and are pleased with how it weaves seamlesslywith the design of the clubhouse. The art provides char-acter and historical context, making the clubhouse somuch more than just a building.” ➤

Kohanaiki Kohanaiki

History of the LandONCE THE RETREAT for Hawaiian royalty, Kohanaiki is nestled among ancient lava flows, carefully preserved

anchialine ponds, and cultural sites. Just offshore is a stretch of ocean known as “Ono Lane,” one of the island’s mostabundant fishing and diving regions. The land has been inhabited for generations and was highly valued by early families

as well as Hawaiian royalty as a bountiful, peaceful gathering place to trade gourds, coconuts, and taro for fish. Today, Kohanaiki is home to historic monuments and markers, including 14 rock formations known as

ahu (pronounced “ah-who”) that once served as landmarks for local villagers.

KOHANAIKI’S ADVENTURE TEAM OF EXPERIENCED GUIDES provide membersone-on-one instruction and expert guidance designed to build knowledge, skill, and confidence—and ultimately help forge a meaningful, lifelong connection to thePacific Ocean. Kohanaiki is a 450-acre oceanfront village, situated on 1.5 miles ofcoastline, boasting some of the best surf breaks, fishing, and diving in all of Hawaii.History records King Kamehameha the Great, Hawaii’s most famous ruler, surfedthe Kona Coast, riding the waves on heavy wooden planks fashioned from koa, ulu, and wiliwili trees.

HEALTH & WELLNESS is a core focus at Kohanaiki with yogaand pilates classes on the beach and hiking and exploration of

interconnected paths and trails on the property. At the clubhouse, members access a fitness room containing an

extensive selection of weight machines and cardio equipmentas well as a movement studio offering specialized classes.

Kohanaiki is the only golf course in Hawaii to receive Audubon International’s Silver Signature Course certification. “I hope you are distracted during play. It’s too incredible a place not to look at what’s around you. The course has a

mixture of feels and an unbelievably natural flow to it.” – REES JONES, GOLF COURSE ARCHITECT

Kohanaiki

THE BEST PLACE ON EARTHA family-first attitude has been engrainedat Kohanaiki from the start.

“I believe we deliver what the next gen-eration of private club members are look-ing for. Kohanaiki uses vertical member-ships that enable siblings, children, andgrandparents to be full members of theclub. Whatever we can do to make it easi-er for families to come together is a goodthing,” stated Punoose.

“What the ownership team of KennedyWilson and IHP Capital Partners hasaccomplished with no debt is remarkable.Kohanaiki’s location is the best in Hawaii

and one of the finest in the world,” lauded memberand full-time resident Richard Olazaba. “We are justtwo miles from the airport and in the sweet spot forweather with a consistent light breeze off the ocean,little rain, and five miles from downtown Kona.

“Management knows what needs to be done tomake this a go. Family first is imbedded in all activ-ities,” smiled Olazaba. “Even our golf course isn’tbeat-you-up tough.

“I tend to get depressed two days before I headoff island. For my return to Kona, I arrive at least twohours before departure to make sure I don’t miss myflight home to the best place on earth.” ■

For more information, please visit Kohanaiki.com.

Kohanaiki

“my philosophy can be summed up in a singular promise to source the best ingredients, no matterwhere they come from. my procurement extends to new Zealand for king salmon, Colorado for fresh

lamb, and indiana for maple leaf Farms duck.” – PATRICK HEYMANN, EXECUTIVE CHEF

A KohAnAiKi mixologistdesigned an eclectic aperitif menu of

old school cocktails. specialties includesazerac, a drink created in the French Quarter

of new orleans in the 1830s and negroni,first served in Florence, italy, that combines

gin, vermouth, and Campari.

2016 RYDER CUP TOURNAMENT AT KOHANAIKI. TEAM BLUEVERSUS TEAM RED: (From left, Team Blue) Chris Cook, RichOlazaba, Sarah Crawford, and Roy Johnson; (Team Red) KarenJohnson, Bob Crawford, Valerie Cartwright, and Doug Cook.

INTERIOR OF THE NEW CLUBHOUSE: (Clockwise from above) restaurant,game room, bowling alley, movie theater, and poker room.

The Beach Restaurant

welcome home

Welcome to the newest private residential club community on the Big Island of Hawai’i. This is more than a luxury home, this is Kohanaiki.

808.725.2218 • kohanaiki.com