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GE Construction - Seismic / Structural Construction
Have you been noticed by the City and what is your next step to comply?
“A soft story building is a multi-story building in which one or more floors have windows, wide doors, large unobstructed commercial spaces, or other openings in places where a shear wall would normally be required for stability as a matter of earthquake engineering design.” Many commercial and residential buildings (constructed before 1978) are not considered capable of resisting earthquake forces. A seismic retrofit may decrease earthquake insurance costs, increase the property value, and improve building safety. Seismic retrofit enhances the building structural stability to ensure safety of workers, equipment, and inventory. GE Construction provides the experience required to initiate and complete the job on schedule and budget, while ensuring effective communication with the owners, project managers, tenants, inspectors, and engineers. We are certified helical anchor installers.
What is the acquisition process for a seismic retrofit?
- Building owner contacts a structural engineer for inspection and planning.
- Draft plans developed by structural engineer.
- The city approves the plans.
- Contractor selected based on quote.
- The city approves permits.
- Inspectors provide in-process reports to ensure work is executed properly.
- Corrective actions completed accordingly.
- The city completes final inspection and signs permit card.
“The United States Geological Survey (USGS) predicts a 63% chance another large earthquake will strike San Francisco in the next 30 years. The intensity of that event is expected to rival, if not exceed, those of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. San Francisco enacted the Soft Story Ordinance in 2013 because of its exposure to this earthquake hazard. The ordinance's purpose is to mitigate soft story buildings' risk to damage and collapse due to strong earthquake ground shaking, and to thereby diminish the amount of uninhabitable housing following an earthquake disaster.”
San Francisco Soft Story Retrofit:
In accordance with the Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Program (MSSP), San Francisco requires the retrofit of pre-1978 wood-frame soft-story buildings which have not been previously seismically strengthened. The goal of the program is to ensure the safety and continuance of San Francisco’s housing to create a more resilient city. Deprived of retrofitting, the weak buildings may be exposed to major structural damage and possible collapse.
- View the SFDBI’s Soft Story Properties List to see if your building requires retrofitting.
Los Angeles Soft Story Retrofit:
The City of Los Angeles passed Ordinance 183893, which requires the retrofit of pre-1978 wood-frame soft-story buildings and non-ductile concrete buildings. The goal of the mandatory seismic retrofit ordinance is to reduce these structural shortfalls and improve the safety of the flagged buildings during earthquakes in Southern California. Deprived of retrofitting, the weak buildings may be exposed to major structural damage. More information can be found below:
- View the LADBS's Soft Story Properties List to see if your building requires retrofitting
- LADBS Soft Story Retrofit Program - Property Owner's Guide
- LA Times article on Soft Story Retrofits (good)
- Los Angeles will have the nation’s toughest earthquake safety rules
- City Adopts Earthquake Retrofit Code
- Homeowner checklist per City of Los Angeles Building Department and Safety
Santa Monica Soft Story Retrofit:
Santa Monica to require seismic retrofitting of vulnerable buildings. For types of buildings and schedules to conform see the information below.