Homeowners and project partners gathered today to mark the groundbreaking for the rebuild of Lahaina Residential, a 60-home community at 1034 Front Street lost in the August 2023 wildfire.

Mayor Richard Bissen, Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura and project partners joined homeowners for a blessing led by Kahu Alalani Hill and ceremonial groundbreaking. Arita Poulson General Contracting, the project’s general contractor, expects construction to begin Oct. 19 and take approximately 18 months to complete.

“Our homeowners have been through a lot over the past three years, and today they can finally see their homes starting to come back,”said Thomas Ravey, president of the Association of Apartment Owners of Lahaina Residential and a Lahaina Residential homeowner for 30 years. “We are grateful to the County and our project team for helping us reach this moment and for their work ahead.”

“Arita Poulson started on Maui over 40 years ago, and these homes will be built by local hands, people who understand what this community has gone through,” said Shannon Robinson, controller at Arita Poulson General Contracting. “Our work will be guided by a deep respect for this place and the people who have been waiting to come home.”

As the general contractor, Arita Poulson will oversee all aspects of rebuilding the community and the delivery of the 60 homes. The company is part of the Goodfellow Brothers family of companies, which helped rehabilitate Lāhainā’s banyan tree during the August 2023 emergency response, assisted with debris removal to help prepare for rebuilding, and supported the development of temporary housing and the temporary King Kamehameha III Elementary School campus. 

“Housing is the foundation of our recovery,” said Mayor Richard Bissen. “Every home that is rebuilt in Lāhainā brings a family back to West Maui. This project, built by local workers for local families, is a milestone worthy of celebration, and another step forward in our community’s healing.”

The rebuild restores the six two-story buildings to their original size and layout, with improvements that make the community more resilient, sustainable and safer for residents. These include fire-resistant siding and roofing, defensible space and fire-safe landscaping, native plants that reduce water use, low-flow plumbing fixtures and infrastructure for future electric vehicle chargers.

The property sits within the Lāhainā Historic District next to the historic U.S. Marine Hospital, also known as Seaman’s Hospital. The project team collaborated with County of Maui historic representatives on exterior materials and design elements that complement the hospital and the historic Front Street view corridor. 

The project team includes Michael Wright & Associates Inc., Kasprzycki Designs, Martin & Martin, Island Geotechnical and Scientific Consultant Services Inc.