Over the last year I’ve been pursuing an interest in unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings and their undeniable connection to the seismic preparedness of the State of Oregon. My initial interest emerged in the process of evaluating existing policy on retrofitting URM buildings, specifically in terms of how recommendations for altering and enforcing changes to that policy were negotiated. Soon, my interest expanded to include whether URM building owners and operators were being assessed differently than similar buildings. In other words, were those whose livelihoods resided in their URM buildings being wrongfully forced to sell or demolish their buildings due to mandated retrofit policy?
Underlying these questions into the social, economic, and equity issues surrounding URM buildings is my ongoing attention toward storytelling and sense of place. URM buildings are inherently vintage and therefore have a place within Oregon’s history. How important are these buildings to the historic landscape? Whether registered with historic significance or not, there may be stories yet to uncover within these brittle and fragile structures. How does the pressure of a seismic event change our perception of these buildings? In what ways do the presence of these buildings teach us about the perception of emergency preparedness within Oregon cities?
Resources
Portland Bureau of Emergency Management’s URM Retrofit Project – General information, updates of policy revision, and URM database for buildings in Portland.
Save Portland Buildings – Volunteer organization of URM building small business owners and allies
sarah mercurio 