Infill Development: Building Up and Not Out

Building Up and Not Out: Infill Development 

A common development solution in dense urban areas is called infill development, sometimes called ‘land recycling.’

This allows developers to make the most use of existing land in between other developments, or on underutilized land (ie: parking lots or spaces between buildings). Generally, the focus is building UP within a city rather than OUT of the urban core. Many cities around the world make use of infill to create more opportunities to expand residential and commercial development within the existing urban cores.

While infill development does have detractors, it offers a city like Honolulu a great opportunity to expand housing within the existing core, rather than expanding outwards towards suburban or rural areas. Expansion out of the urban core can increase traffic congestion, decrease the quality of life, and necessitate more development outside of the core to provide key services.

Furthermore, with Honolulu’s current transit-oriented development measures, infill development within areas that are walkable, bike-able, and close to transit stations (bus and rail), means that people can live closer to where they work and play, without having to use a personal vehicle to get around the city.

HCDC Offers Solutions for Redevelopment of Urban Land

HCDC offers turnkey solutions for landowners that wish to transform their existing properties to build additional housing within the urban core. In 2019, the Honolulu City Council approved Bill 7, a workforce housing pilot project that can help make infill development or redevelopment of existing properties more financially viable for landowners. This legislation includes provisions for a higher density of units and smaller setbacks than what was previously permitted and eliminates a majority of the fees associated with development projects. Bill 7 is a five-year pilot project that makes it easier than ever before for landowners to convert under-built or under-utilized parcels of land into modern, denser developments in order to greatly expand Honolulu’s housing stock within our limited urban space. 

If you have land or an existing building that would be a candidate for redevelopment, please schedule a consultation with us to learn more about HCDC can help you move your project forward.