With mandatory upgrades proposed, will it be enough to avoid demolition of historic buildings on a massive scale? Seismic retrofitting for Unreinforced Masonry Buildings (URMs) is mandated in earthquake-prone cities from San Francisco to Tokyo. In Oregon, it is not – but that may soon change. With the dire predictions of the Cascadia quake […]
New Study Sheds Light on Portland’s Masonry Buildings
In the beginning of the twentieth century, as Portland grew and expanded to the east and north, residential and commercial buildings were constructed along the streetcar and automobile travel corridors and at neighborhood centers. Many of these utilized unreinforced masonry (URM) for its improved fire resistance, durability, and lower maintenance over wood framing. The City […]
Masonry Conservation Handbook Offers Tips for Downtown Building Owners
Historic masonry matters. In Oregon, it speaks of solid buildings constructed with local materials and labor; it expresses a community’s values, joie de vivre and aspirations. The investment in fine masonry made by owners and other business people in many of Oregon’s cities and towns stand today as reminders of how important buildings were—and still […]