Archive

Nisqually Earthquake

An Overview

The Cadillac Hotel

On February 28, 2001, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Western Washington. Almost three years later, many buildings damaged by the quake are still recovering.

Historic Seattle's Response

As Seattle's only nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the city's architectural heritage, Historic Seattle provided a key role in the city's earthquake response as a preservation advocate and press contact, information and contractor resource, and eventually a funding source for quake damaged historic properties. For weeks after the disaster, city and county preservation office staff worked around the clock to aid individual landmark property owners in understanding the barrage of reports, damage tags, and potential assistance packages.

Most initial media attention focused on severely damaged buildings and public safety concerns rather than retrofit successes or preservation issues. Many preservation proponents feared the premature demolition of weakened historic buildings. Historic Seattle promoted two primary points during the first month after the quake when public interest was still high. These were 1) don't rush to tear down damaged historic buildings and 2) older buildings are safe. With few exceptions, property owners of historic buildings have not prematurely taken down unstable buildings or parapets. The mild hysteria surrounding falling bricks in the affected historic districts abated soon after the quake.

Funding for Damaged Historic Buildings

Coordination was important for both immediate and long-term earthquake response for a number of reasons, including fundraising around the disaster. Of all the issues raised by the quake, funding for historic preservation emerged as one of the most important. Many property owners and potential funders believed FEMA and the SBA would provide low interest loans that would cover damage, but these programs do not fund what are considered "cosmetic fixes" like rebuilding historic cornices or repairing decorative terracotta tiles. The programs were sold to the public as primary funding solutions, but their usefulness to historic building owners suffering a variety of damages was mixed. Funding gaps were common.

Financing architectural and engineering plans, retrofits and repairs was a primary concern. Within the first 10 days of the quake, Historic Seattle committed $250,000 from its Save the Buildings Fund toward earthquake response, with the hope of stimulating preservation action and leveraging more funding from local foundations and public agencies.

Working with the City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development, the City's Department of Neighborhoods that houses the City of Seattle's preservation office, and a nonprofit capitol development agency, Historic Seattle helped craft a public funding program for property owners of historic buildings. Conceived as a financial and technical assistance team, the fund has been used primarily to pay for loan officers who have helped property owners understand and package various loan programs, and as a pool for reimbursing owners for architectural and engineering services up to $10,000 for each project.

Historic buildings aided by Historic Seattle's earthquake response program included:

901 Occidental Avenue/Steil Building, Pioneer Square: Rob Steil was the first property owner to contact us after our first press release. He received $10,000 from our program toward engineering expenses.

McCoy's Firehouse, Pioneer Square: While in the midst of earthquake repairs, Pat and Crystal McCoy were going bankrupt, and were paying their contractors on their credit cards. They received $10,000 from our program, and are now open for business. Funding from Historic Seattle supported engineering and master planning services for the rehabilitation.

Slugger Sports, Pioneer Square: Slugger Sports, located near the stadiums, learned of our program through the McCoys. Sluggers received $8,372.96 for engineering services through our program.

Compass Center, Pioneer Square: The Compass Center, which provides housing and services for area homeless, suffered an estimated $5 million in damage. Center services are now shunted to churches in neighborhoods outside Seattle's core. The Center received $10,000 from Historic Seattle's program was used for engineering fees.

Bread of Life Mission, Pioneer Square. The Bread of Life Mission, which serves area homeless, sustained substantial damage. Some of this is still visible from the street due to the mission's limited funds. The Mission received $12,664.84 from our joint program with the City of Seattle.

Milwaukee Hotel and the Alps Hotel, Chinatown International District: The Milwaukee and Alps Hotels are owned and managed by the same group. The Milwaukee and the Alps have collectively received $6,431.03 from our program for engineering and related services.

Hong Kong Building, Chinatown International District: The Hong Kong Building is being rehabilitated into affordable housing units. Funding from our program paid for architectural services provided by Paul Wu.

Hip Sing Building, Chinatown International District. Paul Wu, the architect directing the Hong Kong Building rehabilitation is also working with the Hip Sing Foundation to utilize all floors, and repair significant seismic damage (the back wall has separated from the wood floor sills). Mr. Wu is helping the Foundation through planning for new uses, and may be employing funding provided by the National Trust's Community Partners program, and tax credits. Funding from our program paid for Mr. Wu's planning and architectural services.

Panama Hotel, Chinatown International District. The Panama Hotel has received reimbursement for engineering fees on seismic rehabilitation work.

Bush Hotel, International District. The Bush Hotel, an affordable housing project in a historic hotel, was developed by the Seattle Chinatown International District Public Development Authority. The building sustained approximately $100,000 in damages. Our program reimbursed SCIDPDA for $10,000 of the total sum to offset the cost of architectural and engineering fees. The Bush Annex, another historic building within the district, received $576.25 from our program.

Bing Kung Building, International District. The Bing Kung Building received $6,700 from our program for an engineering assessment of damages related to the earthquake.

Seattle Hebrew Academy, Interlaken. The Seattle Hebrew Academy suffered over $9 million dollars in damage after the quake. The Academy applied for but was denied FEMA aid. Substantial seismic evaluations and stabilization work were required immediately after the quake, and the Academy received $12,050.58 from our joint program.

Trinity Parish Episcopal Church, First Hill. Trinity sustained about $5 million dollars in damage during the Nisqually Quake. Bassetti Architects was working with the church before the earthquake on plans for comprehensive capitol improvements, and after the quake shifted focus to earthquake repair planning. Trinity received $10,000 from our program.

Assay Office, First Hill. This local, state, and national landmark currently houses Seattle's German Heritage Society. Our program with the city offset $3,250 worth of expenses for an engineering report to upgrade the building. Heritage Society volunteers provided a large portion of the labor. 100% of this grant came from City of Seattle funds.

Mount Baker Park Presbyterian Church. The Mount Baker Park Presbyterian Church was faced with a difficult decision immediately after the quake when costs to repair and seismically upgrade the building's signature tower competed with comprehensive capital improvement needs. An ingenious church member suggested hanging a sign on the tower reading "Save Our Tower" which attracted donations from over 100 community members, most of them not belonging to the church. Historic Seattle joined in the effort to preserve the beautiful church by granting, along with the City, $10,000 toward engineering services, and by preparing a landmark nomination for the building that has long been an unofficial landmark in the Mount Baker Park community.

Cadillac Hotel, Pioneer Square. What began as an advocacy effort is now Historic Seattle's primary development project. For more about rehabilitation efforts at the Cadillac, visit the Preservation Seattle archives.