Luxe Big Island Estate up for auction (and what does John Wayne have to do with it?)

Photos Courtesy Concierge Auctions

Five years ago, the Honolulu Museum of Art organized the first retrospective on Vladimir Ossipoff, a Russian immigrant to Hawaii whose contributions to post-war modern architecture include the IBM Building, the airport terminal, the famed Liljestrand residence and the Thurston Chapel at Punahou. As varied as his commissions may seem, Ossipoff conceived them all as part of a single project—a “War on Ugliness.”

On November 12, one piece of Ossipoff’s protest is going to be sold at auction, nearly 60 years after it was completed. The Hale Kai estate, which was featured in the Museum’s exhibition catalogue, possesses a natural beauty matched by its storied history. Originally built as a residence for William H. Hill, one of Hawaii’s first senators, the home has seen its fair share of famous guests (including John Wayne, who married his third wife on the grounds).

The property boasts five bedrooms and six bathrooms spread across a main house, a pool house, guest quarters and caretaker’s quarters, as well as a tile pool and tennis courts. By situating the bedrooms throughout the campus of Hale Kai, Ossipoff was able to create an environment simultaneously private and very open, with each building enjoying breezes off Keauhou Bay.

The property will be open daily from 1 to 4 p.m. for viewing, as well as by appointment at 78-120 Holua Road in Kailua-Kona. For more information, call 888-966-4759 or conciergeauctions.com.