ESC Pacific acquires historic Podmore Building for Honolulu U.S. headquarters

ESC Pacific, an international architecture, engineering and environmental consulting firm with operations in Japan, Guam and the United States, acquired the historic Joseph W. Podmore Building at 202 Merchant Street in a privately negotiated, off-market transaction that closed August 18, 2026. The company will establish its U.S. headquarters at the property.

"The Podmore stood out for its history, its location, and what it represents," said Eric Newman, President of ESC Pacific. "We are proud to become its next steward, to establish our U.S. home here, and to preserve the historic character of this part of downtown Honolulu."

Constructed in 1902 of Hawaiian blue-gray basalt and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, the 4,638 sq. ft. two-story Podmore Building is one of the few surviving cut-stone commercial structures of its era in Honolulu and has anchored Merchant Street for more than a century. ESC will occupy the building's second floor as its U.S. base, while the ground floor will continue its longstanding restaurant use.

The acquisition followed a deliberate, locally driven search. Rather than pursue a marketed listing, ESC Pacific worked quietly over the course of a year, drawing on local market knowledge and relationships to identify a property suited to its long-term objectives. The opportunity to acquire and preserve a landmark of Podmore's stature carried particular significance to the firm.

CBRE Hawaii Capital Markets represented ESC Pacific in the transaction, from sourcing through close.

"The best opportunities in this market are rarely the ones being advertised," said Matthew McKeever, Senior Associate with CBRE Hawaii Capital Markets. "ESC was looking for the right long-term home, not just an available building, and finding it took a private, locally driven search. It was a privilege to help a firm of this caliber establish itself in downtown Honolulu."

The acquisition reflects continued interest from international firms and private capital in establishing a long-term presence in downtown Honolulu.