When an old home presents new challenges, such as termite rot or an outdated layout, one course of action is to demolish the structure and start over. It’s often the most cost-effective and time-saving solution. But every once in a while, a gem presents itself—a structure with so much history, which has remained standing through so many historic events—that it is difficult to let it go. Such was the case with this World War II-era home on Pearl Harbor’s landmark Ford Island.

The History

The team at Forest City military communities preserved as much of the old growth vegetation as possible surrounding the home during restoration. Forest City consults with an arborist who advises them on how to prune and care for the trees.

The home, in the Nob Hill neighborhood, is built atop a former artillery gun battery used as a protective and surveillance structure during World War I. Later, it became the foundation for a home during World War II. Today, the home appears as it might have in the 1940s, but with all of the modern conveniences necessary for a 21st-century family. “When you walk around outside, it still could be 1944,” says Will Boudra, vice president of development for Forest City military communities.

The Team

Forest City worked to restore the home, along with the National Historic Trust, the State Historic Preservation Division, the Historic Hawaii Foundation and the National Parks Service. The group effort also included general contractor Alan Shintani, of Alan Shintani Inc. and the qualified preservation professionals at Mason Architects.

The Restoration

The grand entrance includes slate steps built directly over an existing concrete bunker.

Special structural and cosmetic work had to be done to restore the home to its original appearance. After discovering termite rot in much of the roofline and attic, the team worked to reframe and rebuild them. They also reconstructed the entryway.

“Because the entrance lanai is the top of the bunker, there had been various attempts to seal it throughout the years,” says Shintani. “We had to strip off all the old decking material and mortar bed, down to the original concrete bunker. Then, we added a water-sealing membrane and new slate on top.” The result is an entryway that’s functional and grand. The surface material also hearkens back to the era in which the home was built. “The green slate has a more appropriate appearance for that time period,” says Angela Thompson of Mason Architects.

To modernize the interior layout, the team removed a wall that once separated the kitchen and back entrance area. In addition, years before the most recent renovation, the main house and staff quarters, once two separate structures, were converted into one. “They realized the staff quarters actually had the best view,” says Shintani. “So they made that room into the master study, which now overlooks Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial.” 

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