First Hawaiian Center was the most recent addition to the Downtown Honolulu skyline. The 30 story…read morestructure rises more than 429 feet to claim the title of "Hawaii's tallest structure." It's modern design speaks tones to the culture of Hawaii, while paying homage to its future. Boasting more than 645,000 sq. ft of office space, it features views of downtown Honolulu, the harbor, and the most amazing views of the city from its upper floors. It's design incorporates natural light into the structure versus the traditional office space of using artificial light. The ocean side of the building features louvered windows which are meant to frame the sea while the mountain side features vertical windows which are meant to proportion the height. It feature the main branch of the bank on the first floor as well as a satellite location of the Contemporary Art museum. The Bankers Club on the 30th floor is clearly one of the most exclusive points in town (that is for another yelp review). The Walter Dodds Jr. Plaza fronting the building pays homage to the Chairman of First Hawaiian when the building was constructed and he personally undertook many of the aspects of the design of the structure. The center may not seem to incorporate elements of the past at first glance, but go a little search and it will turn up a lot of intricacies set in the design which truly set the building apart from the rest. Yelp 365 Challenge: #12/365

Located on 999 Bishop Street, opened 1996. The tallest building in Hawaii so far…read more I love the South King St. side artificial water falls. It is so soothing to be around water sound. Some benches to rest. There is First Hawaiian Bank headquarter on the first floor, and the part of it is a contemporary museum. YELP 365 - 289/365

I'm not too sure about this place anymore, BUT, this is where we use to have to go for our State…read moreID. And I THINK workers perm. Anywho, it used to be SO PACKED! Aside of that, this parking lot is the most closest and BEST parking for the Christmas parade. Why? Well cause not only do you have a nice roomy stall, but because there's a grassy area to sit on to watch the parade. Some families even pop tents. But you'd have to come SUPER EARLY. Like around 12pm. NAH NO! Not THAT early. But early enough to get these parking. Believe it or not, people actually arrive THAT early. Usually it's because they have a HUGE family who's coming later and to make sure they have a space for the parade, they make sure they save stalls. I for one HATE people who does that. However, if tables was turned, I think I would take that offer, right?! I mean.. Who wouldn't? LOL.

Participated in a non profit walk for NAMI ( mental health) here. What a wonderful propertyread more

RE-POST: Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building exists as PART of the Civic Center…read more The FRANK F. FASI MUNICIPAL BUILDING is a 16-story governmental office building. It was built sometime during the 1980's to early 1990's during the tenure of then Mayor Frank F. Fasi. It wasn't until 2006, when Mayor Hanneman renamed this building and the civic center after Mayor Fasi for the recognition of Mayor Fasi's service and commitment to the City of Honolulu. Mayor Fasi is credited for "building" much of the foundations on which Honolulu stands. In fact, as a young adult, I remember seeing bulldozers in downtown Honolulu's Capitol District where this building and several others were built. He held the distinction of being the longest serving Mayor of Honolulu (1969 - 1981). Last year, when we were in the process of selling our home, we had to get some documents from a couple of offices located this building. We parked in the municipal parking lot and followed the pathway to the building's entrance. It is a secure building as we signed in with the security guard and left our identification cards with him. We also had to pass through a metal detection booth which reminded me of those at airport TSA checkpoints. The offices that we know of that are within this building are: -Department of Planning and Permits -DPP Data Access & Imaging Branch (they STILL use microfiche readers) -Land Use Commission -Census Data. We're sure that there are other C&C offices here but we weren't allowed to take pictures or go to any other offices than what we signed in for. So, if you're planning to build an addition or renovation to your home, you or your contractor will need to come here to obtain a permit for the construction. This building houses offices related to Real Property. By the way, this building is PART of the civic center.

There is meter street parking along the street and continuing on the nearby streets. The parking…read moretime is limited to two hours. The different part of the building is under construction. The graduation ceremony law enforcement recruit class (LERC) 25-01 held their awards ceremony there. The auditorium was cleaned and plenty of seating. The air conditioning was working very well. The Sheriff and some of his Command Staff were present for the ceremony.

Originally, we stopped into the Mission Memorial Buildings to look for the Honolulu Mayor's Office…read moreof Culture and the Arts (MOCA) as we were interested in seeing what upcoming events were being planned. However, we came away with a LOT more information and history about these buildings. The Mission Memorial Buildings is a complex comprised of 3 separate buildings which face King Street and its closest neighboring Government building is Honolulu Hale at the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center. Currently, the 3 buildings are identified as the MMB (Mission Memorial Building), MMA (Mission Memorial Auditorium ) and MRC (Municipal Reference Center). Its Neo-Classical red brick structures are the ONLY example of Jeffersonian style in Hawai'i. TIMELINE: - 1915 to 1916: Originally, these buildings were commissioned by the Hawaii Evangelical Association in preparation for the centennial commemoration of the arrival of American Protestant missionaries in 1820. This complex of buildings served as the headquarters of the Hawaii Evangelical Association, part of the Hawaiian Mission Children's Society, a non-profit educational institution and genealogical society whose membership is comprised of descendants of the first American Protestant missionaries to Hawaii. The HMCS is also the parent organization of MissionHouses Museum. The Mission Memorial Building (MMB) site was the previous home of the Kawaiahao Seminary and the Honolulu Mission Printing Office. - 1930: The Municipal Reference Center was established as part of this complex where it houses publications issued by and for the City and County agencies. - 1944: The City & County of Honolulu procured these buildings in an effort to ease the congestion of offices in City Hall (Honolulu Hale). Agency offices were located here for decades. - 2003: The City decided to renovate the auditorium from office spaces to its original state. The auditorium is currently used for City and County of Honolulu departmental activities, local, non-profit organizations can also use it, especially for cultural and arts events. All events must be free and open to the public. - 2010: The Mission Memorial Building (MMB) was renovated and houses the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts, the Neighborhood Commission Office, and the Information and Complaints branches. The Department of Customer Services' Public Information Center is also located inside the building near the entrance. Okay, so it may seem to be "boring" to visit these agencies but I find it fascinating to discover and learn about the history of my home State of Hawai'i. Go out and see what you will discover today or tomorrow.

The Mayor's Office of Culture & the Arts sponsored the 2016 Mango Jam here. This Civic Center…read morerefers to a grassy area between City Hall and the tall Municipal Building on the left side of King Street in Honolulu. At Christmas time, the grounds transform into a festive site for Honolulu City Lights with vendors and rides for the keiki. This past July 2016, Angel, her son, her husband, and I happened to come here because the restaurant we wanted to dine at was closed due to Tropical Storm Darby. We had already paid for metered parking on South Street, so we thought - since we're here, let's check it out!! Otherwise, there is free street parking on Sundays. There were all kinds of booths at the Mango Jam (which is similar to Spam Jam in Waikiki, but smaller of a production) with clothing, jewelry, crafts, and food items such as Mango jam in jars! There was an area like a Beer Garden, a stage with cultural music and dancing, and a food truck section. We tried the Mango Chicken which was tasty! We sat on folding chairs and watched the live performances while other people sat on mats/towels on the ground. While we were walking back to our cars, we passed the Sky Gate sculpture and the Liberty Bell of Aloha. We'll probably return for some other festival at this venue - there are different ones year round. All of them have free admission!

Located near the east end of Honolulu's Financial District, this civic center features many Hawai'i…read moreCity and County and State Government buildings. The park is bordered by Punchbowl Street, South King Street, Alapai Street and South Beretania Street. There is a large municipal parking structure to its northeast corner. As I wandered through this civic center, I noticed these Governmental buildings that we, as residents, might have had occasion to take care of some business at. - Honolulu Hale (official seat of Hawai'i City & County and Mayor's chambers) - Mission Memorial (City Hall Annex) & Municipal Reference and Records Center - Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building - Early Education Center above the municipal parking structure - State Kalanimoku Building (Department of Accounting and General Services HQ). Ah, but this park is not "all business". Its manicured landscape also features a paved concrete pathway and several art pieces and memorials interspersed throughout. These are the pieces that I noticed: - LIBERTY BELL OF ALOHA: I'd like to point out that it is HERE where I found the SECOND replica (without its familiar crack) of the Liberty Bell. The replica is located on the front lawn (South King Street) of the Mission Memorial Building. It is called the "Liberty Bell of Aloha" as it was gifted to the people of Honolulu by the Nichiren Shoshu Soka Gakkai of America. The plaque reads in part "This Liberty Bell of Aloha is presented to the people of Honolulu as a symbol of our wish for peace...That there be no more Pearl Harbor, no more Hiroshima and no more war". - SKYGATE: This sculpture was controversial/notorious when famed sculptor Isamu Noguchi installed it. As a piece of public art, most people look at it as an "eyesore" and see it as a sewer line gone amok! But, Isamu Noguchi's sculptures are World-renown for spare aestheticism and organic shapes. It is Hawai'i's SOLE sculpture by Noguchi. At certain times of the day, the shadow from the top organically shaped ring creates a perfect circle around the inner concrete base. - NANA I KE KUMU (LOOK TO THE SOURCE): Sculptor's Michael Wiendenbach's stone sculpture of Indiana limestone of a Hawaiian woman carrying a gourd. The orientation of the sculpture has the figure looking towards Tahiti in recognition of early migrations to Hawaii. Located on the grounds of the Mission Memorial Auditorium. - 9-11 ETERNAL FLAME: This eternal flame honors the victims of the attacks on NYC's World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. This small memorial sits in front of Honolulu Hale. There is a small dedication plaque next to the base of the flame. Honolulu's Capitol District is full of interesting local history, architectural styles that exhibit our history, memorials and art work. I'm glad that I have taken the time to walk about to enjoy the beauty that surrounds me and to not just look at these places as just normal everyday workplaces.

Nice and quiet neighborhood near Wiliwili circle side. The only con I could think of is getting…read moreback onto Wheeler. The gate closest to the airfield and Mililani Tech park side closes around 9pm. So you'd have to enter the gate across Lyman. Other than that, it's a little more peaceful and laid back than the hustle and bustle and crowd on Schofield. There is a pre-school called Armed Services YMCA that you could put your child in, a community pool for Island Palm residents, a car selling lot, a small and quaint bowling alley, and a small PX. I believe the Navy housing is farther back behind Wiliwili. The park is well kept. I'd recommend this area of you're ever stationed here and there is an opening.

I've lived & worked 'on Post' here for 2 years. I LOVE our quiet lil neighborhood (and neighbors)…read moreWili Wili in the back near the horse stables (private memberships available.) I Remember when we first got stationed here my husband said to me Wheeler army airfield? Isn't that the first place to get hit before Pearl Harbor? Yes, yes it was. There's interesting historical signs about it On the main road by the big gray building and others in the pink Amelia Airhart hanger on the airfield. Many of the homes and hangers that got hit still have the bullet holes in them as historical landmarks. So we live here with respect and humility from the past & excitement about the future. This base is small but friendly & traffic isn't as bad as Schofield in my opinion. AVOID crossing between bases if you can in the morning. It will add an hour to your day. Wheeler has a wonderful new small bowling alley (only 4 lanes) with yummy food beer & free pool Thursday & Friday. Unfortunately due to sequestration they are not able to be open on other days At this time. It was built for the barracks next-door but tends to attract more of an older and family crowd. There are nondenominational Christian worship services at Wheeler Chapel 11 am Sunday's with Potlucks every first Sunday. Pagans meet in the church 1 Friday/mth although I hear it's basically a bunch of young gaming kids and probably not super religious. The Community Center behind the chapel has a pool, Small fitness center, and small movie theater you can reserve for parties. There are several great playgrounds all over the base. There is A barbershop, a bank, a delicious DFAC, shoppette, and a gym in and around the big gray building. The only gas station is on Schofield. All of the housing is pretty awesome in my opinion including the older historical WWII housing (except for poor Camp Stover in the back.) Make sure to make your way over to Schofield on the weekends for the KoleKole (sp?) Pass Hike. It's open to the public usually too. It's only .8 mi one way & doable with small kids & the views are phenomenal. I'm going to leave here with such fond memories! And those Mountain View's?! Breathtaking!! Historically Hawaiian Warriors trained on this plateau also (as they still do as part of the Hawaii National Guard.) Don't miss out on learning about the local Hawaiian history while you're here. I recommend the Shakka app if you're driving around the area. And while you're at it, stop at Zippy's and get some local food and donuts, it's kind of like a Hawaiian Denny's. Dole is only 2 Miles up the road for visiting family & tourists. We also make a great 'Gateway to the North Shore .'Last, all the helicopter & air traffic doesn't bother my family & we can't hear much in our house. Loving Hawaiian Army Aviation life at Wheeler Army Airfield!!

Honolulu's City Hall is named "Honolulu Hale"…read more.. Hale (pronounced: Hah-lay) is the Hawaiian word for building or house. Therefore, Honolulu House (or Honolulu Building) contains some of Honolulu's important departments... such as the Office of the Mayor. I've been to Honolulu Hale to view the annual Christmas decorations and wreath contests, for early voting, and to pay Real Property taxes. This time, I parked under the building, using an entrance on Punchbowl Street. It was metered parking - pay at the machine. My fellow members of the Rising Phoenix Jaycees and I were invited to the Honolulu City Council Chamber to receive a Proclamation for our 40 years of service to our Community! It was a great honor! Our Past President, Eve E., gathered us together. Council member, Radiant Cordero, spearheaded this event. Council members, Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and Radiant Cordero, read the Proclamation aloud. The event was live-streamed on 'Ōlelo Station and will be uploaded to YouTube. Thank you for this great recognition! We were all excited to be inside the City Council Chamber of Honolulu Hale!

Amazing display of a bowl that is big enough for people to walk in. The one star subtracted is…read morebecause the Honolulu Hale lobby is so dark. There needs to be more light for people to see the details of the bowl. The hallway and seats for the clerks office is dark. Some seniors looked uncomfortable waiting for their turn.

We received beyond excellent services from Heather of Social Security District Office in downtown…read moreHonolulu Federal Building. She was quick, friendly but professional. She's just very accomodating and with smile all the while. Thank you so much Heather for your magnificent sercvice! I salute you!

300 Ala Moana Blvd is where the US Federal Building named Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana'ole Building…read moresits. In and at this building sits all, and I mean ALL the federal departments. US Federal District Court, IRS, SSA, VA, TSA to name a few are homed here. Here are a few things you need to know 1- no Building or Facility parking! zip! zero! nada!. There are 2 municipal parking lots on the east side of Punchbowl Street. $2.00 per hour. There are street metered parking spaces so you need to bring your change; $.25 will do it @ $2.00 per hour. These parking meters are old. It does not accept credit cards. 2- Secured entrance to building now only on the south side of the building. (reduced from 3 entrances pre Pandemic) Best you have an appointment for the department you are visiting or you may have to wait outside until the crowd control says you can enter. Picture identification is required 3- Sundry Store on the ground floor is in sad shape and condition. Their A/C is out. Their coffee maker is broken and their refrigeration system is running warm.... 5- Cafeteria on the 5th floor has lost its luster. I used to love to eat there. The food used to be good and it was priced right. The Cafeteria was designed to service the federal employees, judges, attorneys, plaintiffs and others who have business within the Federal Building. But its not the greatest anymore. Menu has shrunk, coffee from Starbucks, no table service. You wait in the line like a cafeteria and you bus you own trays. So the bottom line is unless you have specific and definite business in the Federal Building, don't go there or go prepared.