At GLY, building isn’t just about concrete or steel—or budget, schedule, and risk management. It’s about creating spaces where people live, connect, and thrive. Every project has a purpose and a lasting impact on the community it becomes part of.
Specializing in sensitive environments vital to a community—including healthcare, education, and senior living—we understand that getting it right takes more than expertise; it demands emotional intelligence and genuine care.
Nowhere is that more evident than at Emerald Heights Senior Living Community in Redmond, Washington, where our team recently completed two expansion projects: The Courtyard, a three-story Independent Living Unit [ILU] complex, and FirView, a three-story Assisted Living Unit [ALU] complex.
While both projects involved typical design and construction challenges, the most memorable stories involve the team's interactions with the residents.
We sat down with three team members who played pivotal roles in these projects to hear about their experiences, the challenges they faced, and the powerful human connections they made—reminding us why we do what we do.
GLY began construction on FirView [top] while wrapping up The Courtyard, shown above. Overlapping these two major projects on the Emerald Heights campus kept the team on-site from September 2022 to January 2025, allowing them to connect and build meaningful relationships with residents.
Though they’ve worked in construction for some time, for Demetrios Stamatakis and Juan Duarte, Emerald Heights marked their first experience building in a senior living environment. Demetrios served as Senior Project Engineer for both The Courtyard and FirView, overseeing the projects from early preconstruction through to certificate of occupancy. Juan joined as an apprentice carpenter in 2022 and can recount his journey from initial spread footings to final touches on both projects.
Luke McArthur’s involvement spanned several roles on both projects, including Assistant Superintendent, overseeing civil work, carpenter supervision, and managing punch lists. Although he’s worked in similar environments, his extended time at Emerald Heights allowed him to build lasting connections with the residents and staff.
Luke McArther [back row, second from left] celebrates alongside Emerald Heights staff and residents at the FirView groundbreaking.
Unlike healthcare, education, or other human-centric environments, working in a senior living community means being surrounded by residents who are present nearly 24/7. They are driven by natural curiosity and genuine concern for what's happening around them.
Luke sums it up, “It’s more personal. An older generation has more time and input because they’re available, and this is likely the last place they’ll live.”
Demetrios adds, “We always work with owners and developers, but not as often with the people actually living in a space day and night. Here, we interacted with the residents daily—from answering questions from current residents to working one-on-one with future tenants to select custom finishes for their units, which is uncommon on most projects.”
These interactions left a deep impression on the team. For Juan, the realization that he was building someone’s forever home changed his approach to his work: “I viewed each unit as if it were my own home.”
Building in an occupied senior living community comes with unique challenges. For the Emerald Heights projects, the team had to balance technical precision with emotional sensitivity, navigating complex logistics while honoring the personal stories behind each residence.
Demetrios noted that the level of customization available to residents moving into The Courtyard became a major undertaking. “It grew into a greater scope than originally intended,” he explained. “We implemented additional QA measures to maintain schedule and quality standards while accommodating a wide range of customized resident selections.” Though navigable with GLY’s processes and tools, ultimately, the key to success was recognizing how much each fine detail meant to the residents.
For many residents, moving into Emerald Heights marked a significant life transition, often leaving behind homes filled with decades of memories. This reality heightened the team’s commitment to delivering a space that truly felt like home.
Luke recalled meeting a resident whose urgency to move stemmed from a deeply personal reason: he wanted his wife to be settled before his health declined. “It changed my perspective and reminded me to first seek to understand—persistence often has an underlying cause,” Luke shared. “It was a reminder of the emotional weight behind our work.”
Luke also shared a touching memory of a resident who, despite downsizing significantly, expressed nothing but gratitude. “It was humbling to see someone so gracious and thankful despite moving into a much smaller space than they’d been accustomed to for most of their married life.”
From curious residents walking the fence line to face-to-face interactions with staff and community members, effective communication was essential.
“News travels fast in any community, but in a senior living community, it spreads like wildfire,” Luke explained with a knowing smile. “Being upfront and honest is imperative. You can use that communication to your advantage by highlighting aspects people are excited about, generating support and enthusiasm for the work.”
The team’s regular participation in community town halls allowed them to provide updates, answer questions, and build trust. “It wasn’t always easy to answer their questions, but the feedback and appreciation we received were invaluable,” said Demetrios.
Through every challenge, the team was reminded that building with compassion is just as important as building with precision.
An aerial view of FirView during construction highlights the care and precision required to build within an occupied senior living community—balancing complex logistics while respecting the personal stories within each home.
GLY’s monthly town hall presentations allowed the team to provide updates, answer questions, and build trust.
This journey of building on purpose left an indelible mark on our team, reminding them that at the heart of every great project are the people who will live, laugh, and make memories within its walls. Over the course of each project, the team met incredible people and heard stories that reinforced the idea that what GLY does is about people first—always.
Juan shared, “Almost every resident I met was eager to have a conversation. Listening to their stories, like where they came from and what they achieved in their lives, was both fascinating and humbling.”
From a former airport director and multiple pilots to real estate investors and even a pioneering scientist who developed optical lenses for cataract patients, the residents shared rich stories and wisdom that kept the team on their toes.
A few memorable moments include:
Demetrios reflected, “Interacting with current and future residents left a lasting impression on me. Hearing their stories and seeing their vested interest in the project drove home the importance of the product we were delivering and the expectation that comes with the GLY brand.”
The Emerald Heights community train model is a source of pride and fun! Residents constructed a crane to represent the work in place.
As we continue to build meaningful spaces for communities, the Emerald Heights team’s experiences and lessons learned continue to guide the way. These projects are just two among many that embody the compassion and dedication at the heart of the GLY experience.
Want to learn more about the Emerald Heights projects or Senior Living construction in general? Reach out to Principal Bryan Haakenson.
