PROJECT PROFILE
Nordic Builds the Dream Incubator
Entrepreneurs Sandbox aims to accelerate technology and innovation BY PRISCILLA PÉREZ BILLIG PHOTOS COURTESY NORDIC PCL CONSTRUCTION INC.
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he toddler’s sandbox has taken on a whole new meaning since the innocent days of childhood. Today, the Entrepreneurs Sandbox is a 600-acre high-tech, startup incubator designed to create innovation-focused jobs in Hawaii. Nordic PCL Construction Inc. recently completed construction of the $7.3 million, 13,500-square-foot, two-story steel and concrete Hawaii Technology Development Corp. (HTDC) project in Kakaako. The stateowned, tech-focused hub marks the first phase of completion of the Kakaako Innovation Block with funding from state, federal and private sources, according to Pamela Nitta, manager, special projects division at Nordic PCL. “When the Entrepreneurs Sandbox was under Pamela Nitta construction, the Nordic PCL team used a 360-degree camera to document and track punchlist items as well as help solve constructability issues in the field,” Nitta says.
The Entrepreneurs Sandbox has a mix of open spaces and dedicated desks.
“The team also utilized mobile applications that allowed the field workers to submit all documents to a shared platform where team members could review them immediately.” The structure features exposed concrete slabs, exposed structural steel, 58 | BUILDING INDUSTRY HAWAII | DECEMBER 2020
The Entrepreneurs Sandbox offers three sound-proof private “phone booths.”
colored STO finish and large curtainwall panels. The ground floor houses 4,500 square feet of co-working and event space. Co-working amenities include high-speed wireless internet, conference rooms equipped for teleconferencing, three sound-proof private “phone booths,” secure offices and a mix of open and dedicated desks. Multiple event spaces are also available for rent to the public. The largest event area is 3,000 square feet and features a three-story, large-format screen with a state-of-the-art projection system. Smaller classrooms and conference rooms are spread throughout the building, providing flexible collaboration spaces for start-up firms. The Entrepreneurs Sandbox had several stakeholders, including developer Stanford Carr; the HTDC, attached to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA), a public entity created by the Legislature and housed within DBEDT; the Federal Government Economic Development Association; and the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. “Each entity had varying and sometimes competing objectives,” says Nitta. “During the construction process, Nordic PCL collaborated with all parties to ensure that each stake-
The Entrepreneurs Sandbox in Kakaako
holder’s needs were addressed.” As the Entrepreneurs Sandbox had to conform to strict budget and program requirements, Nordic PCL along with architect Ferraro Choi worked with stakeholders to develop a comprehensive list of value engineering items ranging from alternative materials to design modifications to meet program requirements more efficiently, according to Nitta. The HTDC-managed facility has secured tenants that include innovation teams from Central Pacific Bank, Servco Labs, Hawaiian Telcom, Hawaiian Airlines and Pacxa, a technology services group. “An effort being supported by the HTDC and its tenants is the true initiative, which is accelerating the adoption of technology and innovation Len Higashi through collaboration and sharing of solutions to common business problems,” says Len Higashi, acting director of HTDC.
