About the building
Bayview One is a premier 11-storey concrete-and-steel luxury high-rise situated on a hilltop in the Songhees district, offering panoramic views of Victoria's Inner Harbour and the Olympic Mountains. Completed in 2009 as the inaugural phase of the master-planned Bayview Place community, the building features resort-style amenities including a full-time concierge, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, an outdoor hot tub, and a fireside lounge. Residents benefit from high-end finishes like European cabinetry and granite countertops, all while being a short walk from the Galloping Goose Trail and downtown Victoria.
Bayview One was the first phase of Focus Equities' Bayview Place, the 20-acre master plan that later absorbed the heritage E&N Roundhouse; owners Ken and Patricia Mariash kept a penthouse here. Structural engineers RJC describe 128 condominiums and six townhomes with floor-to-ceiling windows and oversized terraces, and sources count 10 or 11 storeys; the architect is credited to Merrick Architecture by some sources and DIALOG by others. Construction is concrete with brick facing.
The amenities are the biggest in the Songhees: a roughly 30,000-square-foot clubhouse with a spa, lounge, lap pool, fitness centre and wellness gym, squash and racquetball courts, tennis courts and a community café, plus a guest suite, bike storage and a 1.8-acre hilltop park within the eight-acre first phase. Later phases added Promontory (21 storeys), Encore (17 storeys) and the 25-storey Roundhouse tower, each a separate strata. Downtown is about fifteen minutes on foot across the Johnson Street Bridge.
About Songhees
Songhees is the harbour-front peninsula on the Victoria West side of the Inner Harbour, directly across the water from downtown. Songhees longhouses once ran from Songhees Point past the present Johnson Street Bridge; the community was moved to Esquimalt in 1911 to make way for industry, and the land was redeveloped as housing from the late 1980s onward. The result is one of the densest condominium enclaves in the region, with concrete and brick buildings along Songhees Road, Kimta Road and Cooperage Place oriented to harbour and city views, and the Delta Ocean Pointe resort at the tip.
There is no village centre; residents walk across the Johnson Street Bridge to downtown in ten to fifteen minutes or drive to the Westside Village shops in Vic West. The Westsong Walkway, a flat paved and boardwalk path, runs about five kilometres return along the shore from the Ocean Pointe to West Bay Marina, and Spinnakers brewpub has been on Kimta Road since 1984. The Galloping Goose passes through Vic West a few blocks north. The City's official plan treats Songhees, Dockside Green, Bayview and the Roundhouse as one high-density growth area, so the skyline here is still filling in.
About Victoria West
Across the Johnson Street Bridge from Downtown Victoria lies the diverse and modern Vic West neighborhood, a dynamic subarea of the city that blends history, urban convenience, and waterfront living. The community has experienced rapid growth in recent years, particularly in areas along the Inner Harbour and adjacent to the waterfront, where new residential developments sit alongside revitalized industrial spaces.
Vic West offers residents easy access to scenic shoreline and waterfront walkways that stretch around the coast, connecting parks, marinas, and the Vic West Community Centre in Craigflower Village. The area is well-known for its vibrant recreational opportunities, with the Galloping Goose Trail serving as a popular route for both commuting and leisure, linking Vic West to Downtown Victoria and communities to the north across Portage Inlet.
The neighborhood features a mix of heritage homes, modern condos, and townhouses, attracting families, young professionals, and retirees alike. Local amenities include shops, cafes, restaurants, and community facilities, creating a lively yet community-focused atmosphere. The blend of industrial history, contemporary development, and accessible natural spaces gives Vic West its unique character, balancing urban living with a connection to the outdoors.
Today, Vic West is recognized for its welcoming community, waterfront lifestyle, and convenient location, making it one of Victoria’s most appealing neighborhoods for those seeking both city amenities and outdoor recreation within reach.
