Niumalu Marketplace Kialua-Kona, HI Development Project

We proudly announce the Niumalu Marketplace, a 205,000 square foot grocery anchored shopping center, which broke ground June 27, 2018 and is expected to open in late summer/early fall 2020.

The Niumalu Marketplace, located on Henry Street, is a 20-acre site in the heart of the village in Kailua-Kona, HI. This site will be anchored by Safeway, a 63,000 square foot grocery store along with a 27,000 square foot gas pad. The remainder of the site will be comprised of two junior anchor tenants, in-line space and restaurants.

We designed Niumalu Marketplace to be that place in Kona reminiscent of relaxing in the shade of a coconut tree where the community can enjoy gathering with friends and ohana said CREDE CEO, Colby Durnin.

"We are excited to bring Niumalu Marketplace to the village of Kailua-Kona later this year.  This Safeway anchored retail center will be a focal point of the community and will have a complimentary mix of local and national retailers and restaurants."  said Thomas Reiter, President of CREDE.

Conversations over naming the marketplace were discussed by local Kona historian, Aunty Fanny AuHoy and Kumu Hula Etua Lopes, hence the name Niumalu was born.  The literal meaning of Niumalu is the shade of a coconut tree, where local residents may recognize this as the traditional name of the beach to the north of Kona's Hulihee Palace.

The development team is comprised of CREDE and Blue Vista Capital Management who acquired the 20-acre commercial piece in late 2017.  Liberty Mutual Insurance, AHL (formerly Architects Hawaii), R.M. Towill, E.M. Rivera & Sons, Unlimited Construction, Griffith Consultants and Jones Lang LaSalle round out the development team.

This project is estimated to have created 300 construction jobs and several hundred more long-term jobs by the time Niumalu Marketplace has been completed.  Safeway estimates more than doubling its current workforce from 100 employees to approximately 200-250 employees when the new store opens.

CREDE and Blue Vista Capital Management have Hawaii ties to various projects on Oahu.  This is their first venture into the West Hawaii market.