Karl Robertson Makes His Own Mark On BC, Much Like His Grandfather Before Him
VICTORIA – Karl Robertson comes from a powerful legacy.
Karl Robertson breaks ground at Empresa’s Cortile Verde property in Sidney
His grandfather, William “Villi” Lepik, was born and raised in the small Baltic country of Estonia. William grew up speaking 7 languages and was exceptional in math. In 1943, with the unsettling of the country by Stalin and Hitler during William’s post-secondary years, William escaped in the middle of the night, concealed under the fishing nets of a small power boat headed to Helsinki, Finland, with fellow Estonians.
There, they volunteered their services to the Finnish Army as freedom fighters, determined to help protect Finland’s borders from the Soviet onslaught.
On July 16, 1944, William received a Medal for Bravery from the Finnish Government. Wounded, and unable to return to his beloved Estonia, William moved to Sweden, where he worked and completed his schooling in Building Technology.
In 1951, William departed for Canada, his new home, meeting up with brother Paul in Toronto, who had been a Captain in the Estonian Navy and also served with the Finns. They eventually put down roots in Vancouver. In 1954, with Paul’s savings as a Naval Captain and William’s savings from logging the BC coast, they pooled their knowledge and resources to launch Lepik Construction Ltd., purchasing their first housing complex. The Lepik brother’s real estate development career was born.
For decades, the business thrived, the company building residential homes and high-rises across Vancouver. Lepik Construction became, amongst other things, the first construction company to build multi-family high-rises with balconies in BC, a largely European feature at the time. William’s work and influence on the Vancouver skyline left an indelible mark on the province well into the ‘70s. His life story also left an equally impactful mark on Karl.
Empresa’s Cortile Verdeo at 9762 Third Street in Sidney was designed by award winning DeHoog & Kierulf Architects and LADR Landscape Architects
Karl founded Empresa Properties in 2015 after successfully assembling three unlisted lots in Victoria’s Fairfield neighbourhood from different owners, closing on all three homes soon after. While Empresa undeniably stemmed from a vision to carry out his grandfather’s legacy as a builder, Karl also took a significant amount of motivation from another family source.
“My parent’s entrepreneurial drive really kick-started my career,” explains Karl. “They created an aviation empire, based out of the Edmonton International Airport, that runs a gamut of services. I was fortunate enough to be around as they undertook major office and hangar facility construction projects to meet quickly growing demands. Their work ethic left a deep impression on me.”
Karl’s drive to succeed was forged from the same entrepreneurial tenacity of his grandfather and parents, and his company uses their example in its approach to every project Empresa undertakes.
Elaborates Karl, “All of our projects are in different markets and are unique in their own way. For instance, Cortile Verde in Sidney is an urban infill project currently under construction on a narrow site that likes to challenge us. We’re excited for the final product that will create a highly desirable open-air single loaded corridor, landscaped to create an urban oasis, with some units attaining natural light from all sides. This will be a high quality building from a walkable urban site that was passed over by developers for a while. Ultimately, we believe the challenge is worth undertaking.”
Karl’s vision for BC residents will allow them access to the beauty of Vancouver Island from the comfort of their expertly designed homes
Another key to Empresa’s success is strong collaborations, creating partnerships designed to maximize the potential of every project undertaken. It’s a process Empresa takes very seriously.
“I spend a long time debating the pros and cons of certain partnerships,” explains Karl. “It essentially boils down to whether or not I trust the person, and their ability to bring original thinking to ensure a successful project. This goes for everybody I work with from contractors to consultants, not just my immediate partners. Once I let them into my bubble I really rely on their professional expertise to help inform the project.”
One of these partnerships is a collaboration with Sam Ganong, Co-Founder of Curate Developments and Greg Damant of Cascadia Architects. The project, currently undergoing its second full redesign, is a 42-unit traditional build integrating elegant curved architecture in Victoria’s Fairfield neighbourhood.
Enthuses Karl, “We’re very proud of what the new team has envisioned. Sam is a natural in the development world, he is thoughtful in his approach and is very hands-on with every aspect of the project. We collaborate well. It was Sam who convinced me to bring on Cascadia to reimagine the site’s potential. The Burdett project is architecture at its best, with each facade treated in a unique way from a three storey streetscape that terraces up to five at the back of the site. The curvature of the building plays into a central courtyard providing ample green space for the community below.”
The Burdett project recently received unanimous approval from the advisory design panel, and will soon go onto the Victoria City council.
As 2021 approaches, Karl envisions a busy year for his growing team, with three new projects under construction and a desire to collaborate with new talented partners while fostering Empresa’s existing relationships. In short, Karl intends to continue the legacy of his family before him and make his own mark in doing so.
“We are fortunate to be surrounded by a world class natural environment in BC, so our mission at Empresa is to be a transformative builder that provides access to urban centres’ while maintaining our part to preserve that environment,” concludes Karl. “BC is a very special place, and we’re proud to build here.”
