HONOLULU (KHON2) -- After years of delays, a 23-story, $155 million high-rise for Native Hawaiians is about to break ground. The old Bowl-o-Drome site will soon become a pilot project for future developments benefiting Native Hawaiians. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You A blessing ceremony was held on Wednesday, marking the start of construction for Hale Moiliili, the first high-rise rental development exclusively for Native Hawaiians. "This is an island with very little land, so we need to be more innovative in how we develop our land," said Kali Watson, Director of the Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL). The project is groundbreaking for DHHL, which says it addresses the critical housing needs of beneficiaries. "We have 24,000 people on our waitlist for residential housing. So, we won’t have a problem filling it. I don’t see it," Watson added. The state has owned the property since the old Bowl-o-Drome closed 20 years ago. The project faced delays, mostly due to a lack of funding. Over the years, the site has become a haven for the homeless. So, the brighter future planned for the site is being embraced by the family of the original operators of the beloved bowling alley. Supermarkets packed ahead of Thanksgiving holiday "Everybody loved the Bowl-o-Drome and loved Mom Stagbar, loved my mom," said Robin Kim, daughter of the former bowling alley operators. "They might not be here physically, but they're here watching what we're doing, and they're saying, 'Yay, something beautiful is going to happen in the near future.'" Developer Stanford Carr said there will be 4,700 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor, and the genealogy of the property will be woven into the story of the building. "So, we're preserving some of the lanes, the oak floors, and the bowling pins to create an area to celebrate the past," Carr said. "Residents here will have unobstructed views toward the east, toward Diamond Head, as well as views of the Ewa plains, the Ko‘olau range, and the Wai‘anae mountains." Priority will be given to beneficiaries on the Oahu waitlist. Of the 287 units, 183 will be reserved for those earning up to 60% of the median income. According to HUD guidelines, this would set rent for a studio at approximately $1,462 per month. DHHL said it plans to use this as a pilot for future projects and is considering incorporating rent-to-own options for these types of rental properties. "So initially, you rent, but over the period of 10 to 15 years, you become the owner," Watson explained. "Then, you get the ownership of that particular townhouse. Similarly, we're looking at this for condos and eventual homeownership. I think that would be very attractive to a lot of people on our waitlist, especially those who aren’t inclined to work the land." Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Construction is expected to begin next month, with tenant applications being accepted six months prior to the expected completion date in 2026.