City proposal looks to make 'at risk' buildings earthquake safe
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SEATTLE -- One of the injury risks associated with earthquakes comes from debris falling off building, and now the City of Seattle wants to do something to make those buildings safer.
The pieces of buildings that tumbled down in the 2001 Nisqually quake fell mostly from old brick buildings. Now, more than a decade later, the city wants to force the owners of "at risk" buildings to make them safer.
"I wouldn't want to walk underneath it, especially in an earthquake or something like that. It's going to fall," said Bryan Duncan.
A city report has identified about 800 unreinforced masonry buildings that could be vulnerable in an earthquake. The buildings are mostly located in Pioneer Square, the International District, Columbia City, Ballard and Capitol Hill.
Barret Johnston's company owns 13 buildings, including an apartment building that is on the city's list. Johnston said he and his partner would have to spend $100,000 to retrofit the building.
"It's a substantial investment that doesn't add to the value of your building or the income of your building," he said.
But Johnston cares enough to attend the monthly meetings of the Seattle Police Committee, which is charged with drafting the new law requiring building improvements. He also cares about his tenants and won't fight the pending law. He just wants to make sure it's fair, so he can remain a successful property owner.
"The priority is making it safe for everyone who lives here," Johnston said. "The second priority is keep it standing so you can get up and running as a business shortly after that."
Johnston said he's also concerned that some cash-strapped building owners might be forced to let a piece of the city's history die.
"If they're expected to put $100,000 into a building they might say, 'You know, it's better off to just tear it down,'" Johnston said.
Johnston and other property owners are urging the city to consider tax breaks to help with the costs of earthquake retrofitting. The City Council could vote on the new law as early as the end of the year.
The pieces of buildings that tumbled down in the 2001 Nisqually quake fell mostly from old brick buildings. Now, more than a decade later, the city wants to force the owners of "at risk" buildings to make them safer.
"I wouldn't want to walk underneath it, especially in an earthquake or something like that. It's going to fall," said Bryan Duncan.
A city report has identified about 800 unreinforced masonry buildings that could be vulnerable in an earthquake. The buildings are mostly located in Pioneer Square, the International District, Columbia City, Ballard and Capitol Hill.
Barret Johnston's company owns 13 buildings, including an apartment building that is on the city's list. Johnston said he and his partner would have to spend $100,000 to retrofit the building.
"It's a substantial investment that doesn't add to the value of your building or the income of your building," he said.
But Johnston cares enough to attend the monthly meetings of the Seattle Police Committee, which is charged with drafting the new law requiring building improvements. He also cares about his tenants and won't fight the pending law. He just wants to make sure it's fair, so he can remain a successful property owner.
"The priority is making it safe for everyone who lives here," Johnston said. "The second priority is keep it standing so you can get up and running as a business shortly after that."
Johnston said he's also concerned that some cash-strapped building owners might be forced to let a piece of the city's history die.
"If they're expected to put $100,000 into a building they might say, 'You know, it's better off to just tear it down,'" Johnston said.
Johnston and other property owners are urging the city to consider tax breaks to help with the costs of earthquake retrofitting. The City Council could vote on the new law as early as the end of the year.
the only way to make them safe is to remove the bricks and replace that with fake brick plywood siding like they build in japan. that way the buildings still look like brick but are earthquake resistant. those buildings with brick pillars will have to be demolished as twisting of the pillars will cause building collapse.
""It's a substantial investment that doesn't add to the value of your building or the income of your building," he said."
Not quite true. It will add to the resale value, and having these improvements should gain a significant reduction in insurance costs.
I wonder when they are going to do this kind of action to require apartment owners to upgrade or install sprinkler systems in the old buildings. Runaway fire is just as much or more of a risk to people in a building with no or insufficient sprinkler systems.
'The pieces of buildings that tumbled down in the 2001 Nisqually quake fell mostly from old brick buildings. Now, more than a decade later, the city wants to force the owners of "at risk" buildings to make them safer'.
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So the city wants to FORCE the owners to renovate their buildings when the fault is created by a governement structure?
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And they wonder why business in Seattle sucks?
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Never mind....
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 @bobalouie How was the Nisqually quake a "government structure"? One of us is missing something here.
Very bad idea....this will lead to tearing down vintage structures and the character which made this city great...Also will put out of business landlords who cant afford to retrofit...This city keeps coming up with ideas to hurt business.....Nanny City run amok!! Â
On tv they said there was a complete list of the buildings on the website. Â Does anyone see a link for the list?
So has the overused (and incorrect) phrase "looks to / looking to" completely taken over such perfectly good phrases as: "seeks to", "wants to" (actually used in the story, however), "wishes to" "desires to", etc.?
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Our civilization's downward nose-dive continues, in a million tiny ways.
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