What does it really feel like to live in paradise? That question is the heartbeat behind Kali’u (pronounced Kah-lee-oo), a first-of-its-kind wellness-centered residential development rising in Honolulu, Hawai’i—and it’s one that Tony Chen, Managing Director of ProsPac Holdings, has spent the last two and a half years deeply immersed in answering.
Tony’s path to leading Kali’u was not the one he initially planned. Born in Shanghai and raised in Vancouver, he had nearly completed the admissions process for law school when his father, Xianxin Chen—the founder of ProsPac Holdings—passed away. Almost overnight, Tony relocated to Honolulu and stepped into the role of carrying his father’s vision forward.
“The wellness concept for Kaliʻu came from my late father, and I give him full credit for seeing where residential living was headed before many others did,” Tony says. “He was a remarkable visionary, and understood years ago that wellness would become an essential part of how people define quality of life at home.”
Inspired by names like Aman, Canyon Ranch, and the Sensei resort on Lāna’i, the philosophy behind Kali’u is attainable access to wellness for longevity. “At its best, real estate should make daily life feel more effortless,” Tony explains. “With Kaliʻu, our goal is to reduce everyday friction and create an environment where residents have more time, access, and support to live the way they want to live.”
This logic applies to the cutting-edge technology Kali’u offers, including a partnership with Aescape, a robotic massage system born from its founder’s struggle with chronic back pain and inconsistent access to quality care. Rather than booking an appointment days in advance—often after a workout left you unexpectedly sore—residents can simply use it when they need it.
In terms of major development on the island of O’ahu, Tony acknowledges it’s not a universally comfortable conversation. Development in Hawai’i never is. Yet, Kali’u sits on land that, just a decade ago, was occupied by underutilized warehouses sitting across the street from one of the most stunning beaches in the world. Tony has thought a great deal about what that means—both practically and philosophically.
“Keep the city city,” he says, borrowing a phrase from a local economist he admires. Tony often points to the importance of focusing growth in appropriate urban areas, where infrastructure, transit, services, and daily conveniences are already concentrated. By making the urban core of Honolulu more efficient, vibrant, and livable, thoughtful development can take the pressure off the places and natural landscapes that make Hawaiʻi so special.
When it came time to choose a brokerage partner, Tony was deliberate. His criteria weren’t about volume or market share—they were about alignment.
It’s a detail-oriented, almost infrastructural approach to wellness, utilizing technology and partnerships intentionally to weave holistic health routines into everyday living.
“I truly admire Mauricio [Umansky] and the vision behind what he’s built with The Agency,” he says. “Real estate can become a cut-and-dry, volume-based game, and his experience-based philosophy really resonates.”
Kali’u is one of the last remaining front-row development opportunities in its Honolulu neighborhood, and Tony sees its completion as something of a milestone—not just for the project, but for the area itself. For the buyers who choose to be part of it, he’s most excited about the totality of the experience: the thoughtfully designed floor plans in collaboration with globally recognized firm Olson Kundig, the integrated wellness technology, and the sense of being part of a community that didn’t exist before. This is legacy in motion.
Kali’u is the first featured project for The Agency + rennie, an integrated global platform that comprehensively takes new development from concept to closing. To learn more about The Agency + rennie’s services or to make a formal inquiry, visit theagencyrennie.com.
