The Portland City Council voted to delay until November 2020 a requirement that owners of unreinforced brick and stone buildings post signs warning that the buildings may be unsafe in an earthquake.
The requirement was originally set to take effect for most property owners this month. Some building owners sued the city over the measure, and a judge ordered the city to hold off on enforcement. Members of the arts and music communities, African-American church leaders, and historic preservationists were among those who objected to the rule.
The delay does not apply to publicly owned buildings. The city is one of the largest owners of unreinforced masonry buildings in Portland, and will post the signs on its properties.
Seismologists say there is a 37% chance of a devastating magnitude 7.1 or greater earthquake in the Cascadia subduction zone, where Portland lies, within the next 50 years.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 8, 2020
5 must reads for the AEC industry today: June 8, 2020
Frank Lloyd Wright sites set to reopen and construction jobs rise by 464,000.
Codes and Standards | Jun 8, 2020
Reopened offices raise liability risk for businesses and owners
Risks may not be covered by property insurance.
Codes and Standards | Jun 4, 2020
American Wood Council updates report on fire resistance of wood members and assemblies
Provides new examples and background on mass timber calculations.
Codes and Standards | Jun 3, 2020
Virginia makes GCs liable for subs employee wages
New law allows workers to sue GCs for wages in class action.
Codes and Standards | Jun 2, 2020
Designers, owners reinventing restaurants to cope with COVID-19
Options include rearranged seating, mobile ordering, designated flow spaces.
Codes and Standards | Jun 1, 2020
How owners should comply with OSHA roofing safety guidelines
Buildings should have fall protection and restraint provisions for those who go on roofs.
Codes and Standards | May 29, 2020
AIA releases new, updated sustainable project documents
Streamlined sustainable design and construction process included.
Codes and Standards | May 28, 2020
USGBC outlines how it will support pandemic recovery efforts
Includes emergency guidance and upgrades to the LEED green building program.
Codes and Standards | May 27, 2020
Office market could be COVID-19 casualty
As companies get used to work at home, post-pandemic office market could collapse.
Codes and Standards | May 26, 2020
Architectural Reuse Council will step up efforts to reuse construction waste
Cabinets, appliances, lighting, and lumber diverted from landfills to be repurposed.