The Residences at Bishop Place
Built in 1992, the 25‑story granite‑and‑glass tower at 1132 Bishop Street has been reimagined as The Residences at Bishop Place, a roughly 637,000‑square‑foot mixed‑use high‑rise that delivers 493 apartments in the heart of the city’s financial district. 252 units are reserved as workforce homes for households earning 80 to 120 percent of Honolulu’s area median income.
By leaving the façade untouched and working within the existing structural frame, the conversion for Douglas Emmett, Inc. conserved embodied carbon and allowed resources to be focused on crafting a contemporary residential experience.
Inside, SCB re‑planned each floor around the original elevator, mechanical, and plumbing cores, creating efficient studio, one‑, and two‑bedroom layouts without relocating major infrastructure. The building features a newly renovated high-end lobby, ground-floor retail, an on-site café, 24-hour security, and EV charging stations. Located near transportation hubs, shops, dining, and entertainment, the site is also within walking distance of Chinatown, the State Capitol, Hawaii Pacific University, and major hospitals.
The goal of the project was to make minimal modifications to the building’s exterior granite and glass façade while creating a residential floor plan that preserved the existing elevators, mechanical, and plumbing systems. The design also retained the grand, double-height lobby, reimagining it with a more residential and Hawaiian aesthetic. A limestone reception desk and lounge seating area provide a more welcoming, home-like atmosphere, while a large-scale linear steel screen conceals the escalator leading to the second-floor amenities. The amenity program includes a new fitness center with a yoga studio, a community kitchen with event space and private dining room, and an indoor/outdoor lounge for residents.
Bishops Place reimagines a dated office tower into a vibrant, mixed-use residential community that seamlessly blends high-end living with a sense of place. By preserving key elements of the original structure while introducing thoughtfully designed amenities, the transformation sets a new standard for urban living in Honolulu.
