A Sneak Peek Inside Honolulu’s Newest Shiniest Condo, Symphony Honolulu

Residents have been moving into the Symphony Honolulu high-rise.

Photos: Rachel Ross

Developers of Symphony Honolulu, across from the Blaisdell Arena on Ward Avenue and Kapi‘olani Boulevard, received some flak this past year over the building’s glass. One million dollars worth of flak, to be exact. That’s the amount developer Oliver McMillan increased its commitment to the public facilities dedication fee in response to a settlement with the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority when it was determined that the glass was more reflective than allowed under current HCDA rules.

Still, the building was recently completed, and owners are now moving in.

From the outside, the building appears quiet, but inside, it’s bustling. Elevators are lined with protective blankets, and families are using shopping carts to move their belongings in. New neighbors meet in the high-speed, quiet elevators. They joke about fighting over the wagons. In the end, 85 percent of buyer residents relocated from local addresses.

On the amenities deck, only one family enjoys the heated, 65-foot salt water infinity pool on the sunny afternoon I tour the building. Taking a break from moving, probably. The cabanas, which can be reserved for gatherings by owners, span nearly the entire Diamond Head end of the deck and conceal the adult spa, which looks out on the skyline and ocean beyond Kaka‘ako, where we are starting to see the results of all those cranes.

Yes, residents live upstairs from a car dealership—but they’re Ferraris and Lamborghinis. In any case, the dealership didn’t dampen enthusiasm. According to the sales team, as of the end of May, 339 of the building’s 388 condominiums were sold. Seventeen are still available, including seven penthouses, and the rest are in escrow. Prices of remaining units start at $899,000.