The Robin Masters Estate (Pahonu)

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Thanks, Pahonu. So I guess it was the foliage concealing him. Don't feel like getting out the DVD to check out the pilot. But I don't remember him sitting on that side of the wall and certainly not during that opening scene in the pilot.

[Pahonu]

Thanks, Pahonu. So I guess it was the foliage concealing him. Don't feel like getting out the DVD to check out the pilot. But I don't remember him sitting on that side of the wall and certainly not during that opening scene in the pilot.

Yeah, he was sitting on the bench in the spot I marked on the linked image. I think we might be misunderstanding each other about where. Either way, the wall behind him is low but it was densely foliated.

https://ibb.co/98rYpYj

[usc1]

I always stop by the Nest as I have a second residence nearby. A high official like Obama must have purchased through Nesbit for sure as Hawaii never gives permission to build seawalls for a residence. I know personally as I tried even with some connections in the City. The property now has three separate units for Obama and two daughters. The tide pool is a major treat and a must visit for MPI fans for sure.

[robicurp]

Hi All,
I noticed today that Google Earth finally updated their photo of Robin's Nest / Obama Estate. Its updated to August of 2022

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aMmcjz ... share_link

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Hi All,
I noticed today that Google Earth finally updated their photo of Robin's Nest / Obama Estate. Its updated to August of 2022

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aMmcjz ... share_link

Looks like there are 2 pools there - one parallel to the ocean and one perpendicular to it.

[robicurp]

I agree. Two pools, three new houses. Plus the Guest/Boat House and the Gate House. They definitely filled up the space.
Street view on Google Earth has not been updated yet though.

[Pahonu]

I always stop by the Nest as I have a second residence nearby. A high official like Obama must have purchased through Nesbit for sure as Hawaii never gives permission to build seawalls for a residence. I know personally as I tried even with some connections in the City. The property now has three separate units for Obama and two daughters. The tide pool is a major treat and a must visit for MPI fans for sure.

I don’t know if the sea wall permits were approved before listing the property, but they were definitely applied for by Eve Anderson, not Obama or Nesbitt, and paid for by Anderson or the trust before the sale went through. This is in the public record. Don’t forget Anderson was herself a state legislator representing Waimanalo and it has been suggested by some that it played a role in the permit approval. Whether or not that is true, not being able to reinforce and raise the sea walls (they were not newly built) would have significantly lowered the property’s value. I completely understand why an owner would want to prevent that, but that was done at the request of Eve Anderson not Obama or Nesbitt.

[Pahonu]

Hi All,
I noticed today that Google Earth finally updated their photo of Robin's Nest / Obama Estate. Its updated to August of 2022

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aMmcjz ... share_link

Thank you!

[Pahonu]

I agree. Two pools, three new houses. Plus the Guest/Boat House and the Gate House. They definitely filled up the space.
Street view on Google Earth has not been updated yet though.

The permits are for two residences and two pools. The smaller house is to the left (west) near the historic boathouse and gate house, and the larger house is to the right (east) and has an actual guest house separated slightly from the main house. It’s not zoned as a third residence.

The total square footage of all structures is actually larger than the original estate’s total. All the structures have been built further from the sea walls in compliance to the new building codes. Also, the sea walls have not been moved in any way. They have been reinforced and raised in some sections as the new permits allow.

Did you know that the sea wall section by the boathouse is actually on state land? It was constructed even before Pahonu was built in the 30’s, when that area was a separate property. When Mrs. Wall created Pahonu by combining multiple properties, permission was granted to keep that sea wall and connect it to another existing sea wall from a different property. That other sea wall was in the area of Pahonu’s main house. The low sea wall built to connect the other two is the section that was raised in this latest project. That middle section was the only new sea wall built when Pahonu was created.

[KENJI]

Hi All,
I noticed today that Google Earth finally updated their photo of Robin's Nest / Obama Estate. Its updated to August of 2022

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aMmcjz ... share_link

Many thanks for the link Robicurp!

They definitely did cover a lot of ground with structures from the homes and pools to the existing coach & boat house etc.. I'm sure they did their best to max the square footage on both properties. I believe the shared driveway and the small gap between the homes that goes to the beach/tidal pool lines up with the easement on the original property. It makes sense to do it that way in case the city has to do any repairs or improvements etc.. It will be interesting to see the street view when it gets updated.

[robicurp]

When I visited in August of 2021, I swam in the Pahonu Pond and examined the construction. I was happy to see them renovating the Boat House. There is a small, but nice sized beach there now. Its a great swimming area, not crowded at all. The extended Sea Wall is pretty imposing, and would effectively keep people as well as waves off the property. But understandable since a former President lives there. I wonder if the Secret Service had much input in the design?
At least we'll always have the lagoon/Pahonu pond for our Magnum PI nostalgia. Its also very cool to see copies of TC's helicopters flying around.
If I am ever fortunate enough to move there, I'll have to get an Island hopper's VW van to drive around. A Ferrari just wouldn't accommodate my two Doggies

[Pahonu]

When I visited in August of 2021, I swam in the Pahonu Pond and examined the construction. I was happy to see them renovating the Boat House. There is a small, but nice sized beach there now. Its a great swimming area, not crowded at all. The extended Sea Wall is pretty imposing, and would effectively keep people as well as waves off the property. But understandable since a former President lives there. I wonder if the Secret Service had much input in the design?
At least we'll always have the lagoon/Pahonu pond for our Magnum PI nostalgia. Its also very cool to see copies of TC's helicopters flying around.
If I am ever fortunate enough to move there, I'll have to get an Island hopper's VW van to drive around. A Ferrari just wouldn't accommodate my two Doggies

Thanks for the update! I’m happy about the boathouse renovation too.

I can’t imagine the Secret Service having any input. The sections of added height were necessitated by rising sea level and the reinforcement along the entire wall was designed by engineers to maintain their integrity. As I mentioned previously, the center section dates to the construction of Pahonu about 90 years ago, but the other two sections could be 100 years old, maybe more. The massive EIR report includes all the participating entities for the sea wall project, and no Secret Service. If they wanted added layers of security they could likely do so anywhere around the property above the sea walls or the perimeter walls. These changes were based on mitigating the risk of damage to the property itself from sea level rise.

[Capa150]

Someone made a second version of the estate in Minecraft:
https://youtu.be/Kl6k9dSoLvk



(my build of the estate in Minecraft here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9ET0BKPZWw )

[usc1]

I always stop by the Nest as I have a second residence nearby. A high official like Obama must have purchased through Nesbit for sure as Hawaii never gives permission to build seawalls for a residence. I know personally as I tried even with some connections in the City. The property now has three separate units for Obama and two daughters. The tide pool is a major treat and a must visit for MPI fans for sure.

I don’t know if the sea wall permits were approved before listing the property, but they were definitely applied for by Eve Anderson, not Obama or Nesbitt, and paid for by Anderson or the trust before the sale went through. This is in the public record. Don’t forget Anderson was herself a state legislator representing Waimanalo and it has been suggested by some that it played a role in the permit approval. Whether or not that is true, not being able to reinforce and raise the sea walls (they were not newly built) would have significantly lowered the property’s value. I completely understand why an owner would want to prevent that, but that was done at the request of Eve Anderson not Obama or Nesbitt.

Hmmmm. Thank you for the tidbit of info.

Strange as I was golfing with a big business man at Waialae Country Club and he said it was for sure pushed through by other forces aka obama. Sea wall permits are almost impossible to get approved without very deep connections.

[Pahonu]

I always stop by the Nest as I have a second residence nearby. A high official like Obama must have purchased through Nesbit for sure as Hawaii never gives permission to build seawalls for a residence. I know personally as I tried even with some connections in the City. The property now has three separate units for Obama and two daughters. The tide pool is a major treat and a must visit for MPI fans for sure.

I don’t know if the sea wall permits were approved before listing the property, but they were definitely applied for by Eve Anderson, not Obama or Nesbitt, and paid for by Anderson or the trust before the sale went through. This is in the public record. Don’t forget Anderson was herself a state legislator representing Waimanalo and it has been suggested by some that it played a role in the permit approval. Whether or not that is true, not being able to reinforce and raise the sea walls (they were not newly built) would have significantly lowered the property’s value. I completely understand why an owner would want to prevent that, but that was done at the request of Eve Anderson not Obama or Nesbitt.

Hmmmm. Thank you for the tidbit of info.

Strange as I was golfing with a big business man at Waialae Country Club and he said it was for sure pushed through by other forces aka obama. Sea wall permits are almost impossible to get approved without very deep connections.

I can’t comment on such conversations, but the details I listed are in the public record no matter what others say they believe to be true. I think perhaps the key here might be that the sea walls didn’t need to be approved as they were already in existence. What was needed was for their existence to be extended and to be repaired to meet sea level rise. As Mrs. Anderson was a former state legislator, I see how she may have had some sway. I don’t know that to be true, but she was the applicant for the sea wall permit extension and subsequent renovation.