The Robin Masters Estate (Pahonu)

[rubber chicken]

I'm sorry to see this. It's sad that Eve Anderson is leaving. I also fear that anyone who buys the property will have significant changes in mind that will forever change the estate.

A few nice houses that appeared in Magnum P.I. were demolished in order to divide the land into two or three new properties. The Anderson house is situated in a way that it could be left alone while splitting the rest of the land into two new parcels. This could mean the end of the "guest house" though, to make room for a beachfront home there.

If the property is kept whole I'd imagine the current house isn't what a modern-day multimillionaire desires to live in. It could be demolished and a new home built. This has already happened to so many of the old beachfront properties in Kahala.

I'm hoping someone will buy and restore the buildings and land to their former glory, but that may only be wishing thinking. Sorry to be downer. Hope these theories are proven false.

[ConchRepublican]

Looks like Pahonu (Robin's Nest) is for sale! $15.75M!

http://www.cbpacific.com/m/IDXDetail.as ... &uid=64453

Whoa. Just whoa. There are actually some interesting implications here.

It means I need to start taking Powerball Lotterys more seriously.

[ConchRepublican]

I'm sorry to see this. It's sad that Eve Anderson is leaving. I also fear that anyone who buys the property will have significant changes in mind that will forever change the estate.

A few nice houses that appeared in Magnum P.I. were demolished in order to divide the land into two or three new properties. The Anderson house is situated in a way that it could be left alone while splitting the rest of the land into two new parcels. This could mean the end of the "guest house" though, to make room for a beachfront home there.

If the property is kept whole I'd imagine the current house isn't what a modern-day multimillionaire desires to live in. It could be demolished and a new home built. This has already happened to so many of the old beachfront properties in Kahala.

I'm hoping someone will buy and restore the buildings and land to their former glory, but that may only be wishing thinking. Sorry to be downer. Hope these theories are proven false.

I agree, this doesn't bode well for the future of the Estate. I need to get my butt there . . .

[Steve]

I'm sorry to see this. It's sad that Eve Anderson is leaving. I also fear that anyone who buys the property will have significant changes in mind that will forever change the estate.

A few nice houses that appeared in Magnum P.I. were demolished in order to divide the land into two or three new properties. The Anderson house is situated in a way that it could be left alone while splitting the rest of the land into two new parcels. This could mean the end of the "guest house" though, to make room for a beachfront home there.

If the property is kept whole I'd imagine the current house isn't what a modern-day multimillionaire desires to live in. It could be demolished and a new home built. This has already happened to so many of the old beachfront properties in Kahala.

I'm hoping someone will buy and restore the buildings and land to their former glory, but that may only be wishing thinking. Sorry to be downer. Hope these theories are proven false.

I agree, this doesn't bode well for the future of the Estate. I need to get my butt there . . .

You should mention this to the COZI TV folks. The Ultimate Fan needs to be flown to our Mecca to film some spots before its too late.......

[KENJI]

It was interesting to see who the architect was who designed Pahonu.....Louis E. Davis.
I found the following info on Wikipedia....assuming the info is all correct, he was one of the more prominent architects on Oahu.
Have a look...........Davis was well known for his work in the Spanish Colonial/Mission Revival style, but he also designed a very significant building that is one of the few enduring examples of rustic Mediterranean Revival architecture in the state: the Territorial Board of Agriculture and Forestry Building (1930) at the corner of Keeaumoku and King Streets in Honolulu. For this building, he employed locally quarried sandstone with distinctive green mortar, along with concrete masonry and finer sandstone for such detailing as window sills, lintels, colonnades and casements, topped by a tiled, low-pitched hip roof without eaves.

During the early 1930s, land developer Theo H. Davies & Co. hired Davis to design new homes in a "Monterey" (or Spanish eclectic) style to be built on lots being developed in the new subdivision of Kāhala.

Davis is also credited as the architect of several of Hawaiʻi's classic movie theatres.The Princess Theatre opened in 1922 at 1236 Fort Street. It was remodeled in 1939, renovated in 1958 for Cinerama, closed in 1969, then demolished. The New Pawaa Theatre opened in 1929 at 1550 South King Street. Its exterior and distinctive Spanish-style interior was renovated in 1962, when it was renamed the Cinerama, then closed in 1999 to become an auto-parts store.The New Palama Theatre opened in 1930 at 701 North King Street with 1,100 seats. This ornate Chinese-style building was leased and renamed the Zamboanga Theatre in 1970, but became retail space and is now a church. The rural Waipahu Theatre, with its graceful sloping tile roof, opened in late 1930 on Depot Road, across from the Waipahu Sugar Mill. Sold in 1970, it is now a church. In 1931, Davis designed the Lihue Theatre on the Island of Kauaʻi. It was damaged in two hurricanes in 1982 and 1992 and its auditorium was demolished for senior citizen housing but the facade and lobby were retained and restored.

More interesting info for the Robin's Nest section.

[KENJI]

Also from Wikipedia......Louis was also born around 1884 and died in 1962.

[Styles Bitchley]

Man. I'd love to have the means to buy and maintain the place. I must say though, even if I had more money than I knew what to do with it, I'd have to think twice about the price. $16 mill is a lot of bread!

Maybe one of these guys with half the world's wealth?

[J.J. Walters]

Ok, I updated the Robin's Nest page. Zillow estimates the property to be worth 9.1 million.

[KENJI]

Thanks James!
My guesstimate was in the ball park at between $8 and $10 million, but
even at that price we can only dream. I've seen a few mega mansions listed at obscene amounts before, only to see them come down to reality a few years later. That might buy us some time to hit the big one! I wish Eve well, but lets hope this transaction doesn't happen anytime soon....unless it is one of us!

[Stelth]

Would this transaction be for the leasehold or do you actually own the land after the transaction?

[KENJI]

You would own the land....it is fee simple (FS) and not (LH) leasehold.

[Stelth]

Thanks for the reply.

[Pahonu]

You would own the land....it is fee simple (FS) and not (LH) leasehold.

From what I understand, that's key in Hawaii: fee simple vs. leashold, and that would seem to drive the price up. Sadly, I also can't imagine the place not being subdivided for development reasons. The land is worth far, far more than the structures. Do the math. Three acres subdivided into 9-12 third or quarter acre beach front lots. They'd probably be worth 2-3 million each just for the unimproved land. I also don't know that the house has been designated historic which could stop such subdivision. Calling it "historic" in the ad doesn't mean anything legally. It doesn't look good to me. As someone else said, I need to get there quick.

[steveadl]

You would own the land....it is fee simple (FS) and not (LH) leasehold.

From what I understand, that's key in Hawaii: fee simple vs. leashold, and that would seem to drive the price up. Sadly, I also can't imagine the place not being subdivided for development reasons. The land is worth far, far more than the structures. Do the math. Three acres subdivided into 9-12 third or quarter acre beach front lots. They'd probably be worth 2-3 million each just for the unimproved land. I also don't know that the house has been designated historic which could stop such subdivision. Calling it "historic" in the ad doesn't mean anything legally. It doesn't look good to me. As someone else said, I need to get there quick.

I remember someone saying a while back that the zoning in this are of Waimanalo would only allow for subdividing into 2 or possibly 3 lots total of the estate land. Of course this may not be correct or could have changed since.

[J.J. Walters]

Kenji! Thank you!

I can't tell you how long I've been searching for the architect of Pahonu!! Louis E. Davis!! Of course!!!

The Prudential property page also confirms that it is indeed Louis E. Davis:

http://www.pruadvhawaii.com/pages/16105 ... ghway.aspx

This page also shows that the property is zoned as R-10, which appears to mean that it is going to be difficult to someone to build multiple homes on the property (minimum lot size is 10,000 sq. ft.). It also means duplexes are not allowed. It's complicated though.

http://www.aroundhawaii.com/business/re ... rules.html