These 5 Buildings In Bellevue Could Collapse In An Earthquake

BELLEVUE, WA - State officials have completed a new map of about 4,500 buildings across the state that are at risk of collapse in a strong earthquake. Many are unreinforced-masonry (URM) buildings across the state, which tend to be older structures that can "pancake" in an earthquake.

The database was compiled by the state Department of Commerce and Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation and completed in October. The report and database were presented to state lawmakers last week.

"URM buildings contribute to the unique, distinct character of the state’s cities and towns. While historic and frequently majestic, URM buildings are prone to partial or complete collapse in the event of an earthquake," commerce department director Brian Bonlender wrote in a letter to the state Legislature last fall. "Washington’s URM buildings suffered extensive damage during earthquakes in 1945, 1969 and 2001. Similar earthquakes around the world have shown just how vulnerable URM building construction can be if left unmitigated."

The database includes buildings across the state built before the 1960s. Buildings in the database include apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, fire stations, and commercial structures. In a strong earthquake, the exterior walls of a URM buildings can sway, allowing the floors to separate and fall to the ground. The buildings can be retrofitted to withstand earthquakes.

Even in weaker earthquakes, parapets on top of URM buildings can fall and cause damage on the streets below. In the 2001 magnitude 6.8 Nisqually quake, pieces of old brick buildings in Pioneer Square in Seattle fell, crushing cars and other objects, but luckily missing people.

Here are the buildings identified that are in Bellevue. The state does not have complete information for all buildings, so some are missing an address or year of construction, for example.

Built Year: 1946
Address: 10525 Main St, Bellevue, WA 98004
Construction Material(s): Masonry - Brick
Building Use(s): Commercial

Name: Twin Valley Dairy
Built Year: N/A
Address: 410 130th Place SE, Bellevue, WA

Address: 124th Ave. NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Construction Material(s): Unknown
Building Use(s): Industrial

Built Year: 1953
Address: 9653 24th St NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Construction Material(s): Suspected URM

Built Year: 1957
Address: 1438 130th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98005
Construction Material(s): Unknown
Building Use(s): Industrial

You can see the whole database here.