These 15 Buildings In Kirkland Could Collapse In An Earthquake

KIKRLAND, 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 Kirkland. The state does not have complete information for all buildings, so some are missing an address or year of construction, for example. Buildings marked as "CMU" are concrete block construction; they are not technically URM, but are at risk of collapse in an earthquake.

Name: Sears, Joshua, Building
Built Year: 1891
Address: 701 Market Street, Kirkland, WA
Construction Material(s): Masonry - Brick
Building Use(s): Commercial

Name: Masonic Hall - Kirkland
Built Year: 1891
Address: 700 Market Street, Kirkland, WA
Construction Material(s): Masonry - Brick
Building Use(s): Commercial

Name: Peter Kirk Building
Built Year: 1891
Address: 620 Market Street, Kirkland, WA
Construction Material(s): Masonry - Brick
Building Use(s): Commercial

Built Year: 1926
Address: 120 Park Ln, Kirkland, WA 98033
Construction Material(s): Masonry - Brick, CMU
Building Use(s): Commercial

Built Year: 1918
Address: 112 Lake St S, Kirkland, WA 98033
Construction Material(s): Masonry - Brick
Building Use(s): Commercial

Built Year: 1925
Address: 116 Central Way, Kirkland, WA

Built Year: 1922
Address: 116 Central Way, Kirkland, WA

Built Year: 1925
Address: 21 Central Way, Kirkland, WA 98033
Construction Material(s): Masonry - Brick
Building Use(s): Commercial

Built Year: 1945
Address: 104 Central Way, Kirkland, WA 98033
Construction Material(s): Masonry - Brick
Building Use(s): Commercial

Built Year: 1929
Address: 105 Central Way, Kirkland, WA 98033

Built Year: 1914
Address: 105 Central Way, Kirkland, WA 98033

Built Year: 1949
Address: 88 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033
Construction Material(s): CMU
Building Use(s): Commercial

Built Year: 1949
Address: 92 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033
Construction Material(s): CMU
Building Use(s): Commercial

Name: Willy's Dealer
Built Year: 1946
Address: 450 Central Way, Kirkland, WA 98033
Construction Material(s): Masonry - Clay Tile, CMU
Building Use(s): Commercial

Built Year: 1947
Address: 14235 100th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98034
Construction Material(s): CMU
Building Use(s): Other Mixed Uses

You can see the whole database here.