Nordic PCL Construction is advancing two major emergency department expansions on Oʻahu, at Straub Benioff Medical Center in Honolulu and The Queen’s Medical Center, West Oʻahu in ʻEwa Beach. At Straub Benioff, the new basement Observation Unit was completed late last year, strengthening short-term patient evaluation and care. Construction is nearing completion on a new 10,600-square-foot emergency room that will nearly double capacity, improve patient flow, integrate advanced technology, and create flexible, family-centered care spaces.

The team is also starting construction on a major expansion of emergency and patient care services at The Queen’s Medical Center–West Oʻahu, which will be one of the region’s most significant healthcare facility upgrades in recent history. Located on the ʻEwa Beach campus, the four-story, 123,590-square-foot project will include a new Emergency Department (ED) and patient care tower, an expanded utility plant, and renovation of the existing ED. The much needed expansion will dramatically increase capacity, modernize critical infrastructure, and strengthen Queen’s ability to serve the rapidly growing West Oʻahu community with faster, more advanced, and more accessible emergency care.

Kaneshige shares that once construction wraps, our island will be equipped with significantly better emergency care. “If you look at where our explosive growth has been, it’s been on the West Side,” he says. “We need to deliver facilities that truly serve West Oʻahu, so in a critical moment patients aren’t forced into long ambulance rides into town, fighting traffic when every second matters.”

By shortening the time it takes for patients to reach emergency care, Kaneshige says we’re not just improving service—we’re saving lives. He stresses that this matters even more in Hawaiʻi, where our senior population is large and growing. “These services are going to be absolutely critical for caring for our kūpuna.”

Nordic PCL Construction has also played a major role in strengthening Hawaiʻi’s hospitality sector, building landmark projects such as the Four Seasons Resort Oʻahu at Ko Olina and leading the renovation of Mauna Kea Resort as well as the revival of the historic Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort. Kaneshige underscores why this work matters: the visitor industry remains the engine of Hawaiʻi’s economy. “It’s the top driver of our state’s GDP. It creates local jobs, and that impact ripples through every business and service. It reaches every corner of Hawaiʻi.”

Committed to Community Service

Focusing on the needs of the local community is something Kaneshige lives every day—both in his role at Nordic PCL Construction and in his personal life. He serves on the boards of several local nonprofits, including Child & Family Service, Aloha United Way, Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi and the YMCA of Honolulu.

As President of Nordic PCL, he sees giving back as a responsibility, not an option. “Nordic has to be part of the community and serve it,” says Kaneshige, whose father, Mitsuru, led the company from 1978 to 1996. “It’s important to being seen as a local company with local values.”

That commitment has become part of the company’s culture. Kaneshige’s example inspires employees to get involved, supported by ʻImi Ola, Nordic PCL’s volunteer committee that organizes service events and community focused opportunities throughout the year. Their collective efforts have helped the company earn recognition as one of Hawaiʻi Business Magazine’s most charitable companies, reflecting a team wide belief that construction is about building stronger communities as much as building structures.

Overall, Kaneshige says his goal is not to be the largest local contractor, but a firm that consistently delivers quality projects, on schedule, and safely. He sees the company’s relationship with clients as a “trusted partnership.”

“If growth is the result of that, that’s great, but I don’t want to just become the biggest on the block,” he says. “Our priority is constant improvement by staying ahead of rapid change so we can better serve our clients and our community.”

For more information about Building for a Better Hawai‘i, visit the PRP website and follow @prphawaii.