Seattle's Seismic Risk Concentrated in Capitol Hill

A new report on seismic risk details which Seattle structures would be most vulnerable during an earthquake. "The City of Seattle has added some 300 buildings to its list of old brick structures most at risk of damage or collapse in the event of a major earthquake. Among the 1,160 'unreinforced masonry structures' [URMs] counted in a recent report, Capitol Hill continues to have the most of any neighborhood in the city."

Bryan Cohen writes, "URMs, as defined by the city, are old brick buildings that were originally built without steel reinforcements and with inadequate ties between building elements. They are considered to be vulnerable to collapse during severe earthquakes." 

While URM property owners must retrofit during major upgrades or changes of use, they aren't required to do so by default. This updated inventory of URMs may be an important step toward such a mandate.