Team Lopez Rises Up

Lopez Contracting partnered with 090 Builder's Group on a large-scale commercial framing project at Victoria's University Heights, running from late February through early April 2025.

The project involved framing and sheathing a multi-story residential building containing bachelor suites to family apartments. The crew completed approximately 2,500 square feet of joisting and capping daily across four to five stories.

Working at those heights demanded serious preparation. Safety officer Sebastien Lebarge provided fall arrest certification training for the crew before anyone set foot on the elevated platforms. The conditions weren't always cooperative either — intense sunlight brought heat exhaustion risks, while powerful wind gusts occasionally halted crane operations entirely.

The schedule was demanding: six-day work weeks from 6:45 AM to 5:45 PM with one-hour lunch breaks. But the crew showed up every day.

Cody Clarke earned his reputation as a framing legend on this job — the MVP of the project through exceptional work ethic and quiet leadership. Carlos Garza, known to the crew as El Torro, demonstrated unwavering commitment before returning home to Mexico. The team worked alongside dozens of international tradespeople from South America, Central Asia, and Eastern Canada.

The project concluded with a celebration honoring 090 senior staff member Art's 60th birthday — a fitting end to a job defined by teamwork. And the panoramic views from the upper floors, overlooking the University of Victoria, Mount Douglas, and occasionally Mount Rainier, made the early mornings worth it.