Looking at The Empress - Victoria BC

We are excited to announce the grand opening of our new office in Victoria, BC!

Our newest office location allows us to better serve our clients and projects in the booming Victoria area and greater Vancouver Island.

To celebrate, we interviewed James Macauley, Glotman Simpson Associate and Victoria Lead (who grew up in Victoria). Take a look at what James had to say here:

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Growing up in Victoria, what was your favourite building structure as a child? 

I’ve always had a love of local history and especially the historical buildings in Downtown Victoria. There’s so much heritage in Victoria, so many wonderful structures! When I was younger, a family friend who was an architect took us on a walking tour through Market Square, Bastion Square and Chinatown; the stories the buildings could tell inspired me. I’d honestly be hard-pressed to pick a favourite, maybe the basement of Capital Iron when it still had its marine surplus shop.

What is your favourite building structure in Victoria today?

It’s been interesting to see the new Johnson Street Bridge in Downtown Victoria from inception through to commissioning. I remember seeing the resistance to the bridge at the time, due to the cost and the removal of the Old Blue Bridge. While there were some hiccups along the way, it seems that the community is happy with the result. And boy does it look slick, a real modern piece of architecture added to the Victoria cityscape!

What upcoming Victoria project are you most excited about seeing take shape?

I’m thrilled by all the development that’s happened over the last 5-10 years and is still happening. Growing up in Greater Victoria, it didn’t seem like there were “cranes in the air,” but there sure is now. I’m particularly excited about the Harris Green Village project, one of the larger residential projects planned for Downtown Victoria, which has a great mix of amenities, commercial space and residential.

Seeing the growth on the Island over these past few years, how do you think Victoria will look in another 10-15 years?

The future of Greater Victoria is bright! It seems like there’s been an influx of new residents that are coming in from the Lower Mainland and beyond looking for affordable housing in a beautiful area with safe and thriving communities. The number of new restaurants and other shops opening around the area has added some new energy that I’m delighted to see. Between townhouse and condo neighbourhood infill projects and high rises going up in Langford and Colwood, the densification will make more room for more people to come into the community and bring along some great amenities. It’s also been exciting to see development happening right across the Island, from Oak Bay up to Campbell River seems like everyone had gotten wise to how great the Island is! There’s also been a real movement towards mass timber projects, perhaps even more so than in the Lower Mainland (per capita); I can only imagine what the landscape will look like in a few years.

Where’s your favourite spot to grab a coffee in Victoria?

Oh! Tough question. I’d say Discovery Coffee; great coffee, and I can sneak a baked treat from Yonni’s.

 

We look forward to sharing more about our new office space and Victoria projects with you soon!