Mililani, Hawaii

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Mililani is a census-designated place (CDP) and master planned community located near the center of the island of Oʻahu in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. It had a population of 28,608 at the 2000 census. Mililani sits on former plantation fields owned by Castle & Cooke, which began planning for its development in the early 1960s under its Oceanic Properties subsidiary. Castle & Cooke's plan was to make Mililani Town a satellite city by using a prestigious group of planners and architects to satisfy Oahu's great pent-up demand for housing with a sensitively designed, affordable new community of a type unique in Hawaii. The first homes in Mililani went on sale on June 3, 1968. In 1976, the Interstate H-2 opened, cutting travel time from Mililani to Honolulu in half. In 1986, Mililani was named an All-America City. It is the only community in Hawaii ever to receive this distinction. Mililani is the third wealthiest zip code (96789) in the state of Hawaii, according to the 2006 ranking by Pacific Business News. Although it is largely a bedroom community for Honolulu, Mililani has its own commercial shopping centers, schools, parks, community centers, and a golf course, and resembles a modern American suburban town. Mililani homeowners must pay dues to the Mililani Town Association, which enforces covenants and design standards, and provides recreational facilities including several pools. The Mililani Golf Club is a par-72, 6,455-yard course that is open to the public. The Mililani Technology Park is a nearby campus-like park that is zoned for high-tech industries. The older portion of Mililani to the west of Interstate H-2 is known as Mililani Town. The newer portion of Mililani to the east of Interstate H-2 is known as Mililani Mauka. Almost all of Mililani's commercial and retail centers are in Mililani Town. A third region of Mililani is "Launani Valley", a secluded, master planned development located below Mililani Tech Park on Wikao Street. The area was developed by Towne and contains a blend of townhome and single family units. On April 6, 1990, ground was broken for Mililani Mauka, a newer and more upscale community east of the Interstate H-2. The first homeowners moved into Mauka in 1992. In 2003 Mililani was designated as the pilot site for the City and County of Honolulu's curbside recycling program. In 2004 Mililani resident Jasmine Trias was a contestant on American Idol. In 2005, Money magazine named Mililani as one of the best places to live in the U.S. In 2006, Mililani Ike Elementary School first grade teacher Phyllis Nakama-Kawamoto was named Hawaii's American Star of Teaching by the U.S. Department of Education. Mililani Mauka is the future site of the Oahu Arts Center.