BUSINESS BRIEFS
HVCB to lay off 11 workers

Advertiser Staff and News Services

The Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau is laying off 11 employees from its central office in a restructuring to focus primarily on promoting Hawai'i vacations in North America.

HVCB is taking the action after losing international marketing contracts from the Hawai'i Tourism Authority. The bureau is closing its global corporate communications and partnerships division.

The layoffs are in addition to 18 HVCB jobs eliminated from the organization's international divisions. Before the reductions, HVCB had nearly 100 employees.

Shidler acquires two buildings

Shidler Group has acquired the Davies Pacific Center and the Pan Am Building from the California State Teachers' Retirement System for $90 million.

The pending sale was reported in October. The California State Teachers' Retirement System bought the buildings in 1989 for $145 million.

Matt Root, a partner at San Diego-based Shidler, said the properties account for 5 percent of Honolulu's office market.

Hunt hires naval officer

Hunt Building Co. has hired career naval officer Steve Colón to oversee its Hawai'i real estate development and property management operations.

Hunt, which is based in El Paso, Texas, is developing homes, shops and restaurants on Ford Island for the Navy with partner Fluor Federal Services LLC. The company is also working on Navy housing projects in Kane'ohe and Pearl City.

Colón recently completed a one-year active duty recall as a Navy captain assigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor as a Plans and Policy Division staff officer.

Shopping center expansion done

Anchor Cove Shopping Center has completed a $700,000 expansion that added 15 retail spaces to the 14-year-old center at Nawiliwili Harbor on Kaua'i.

The expansion, which also included 56 parking stalls and tour bus parking, was made in part to serve increasing cruise ship visits.