Special Applications
Technical Merit

Location:901 Occidental Ave., Seattle

Owner/developer:Steils Properties

Project team:Bird Construction, general and concrete contractor; BPA Group, structural engineer; and Cadman Inc., ready-mix supplier

Built around 1910, the Squire Building sustained major damage to the top floor of the four-story building in the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. The northwest and southwest corners below the parapet level bulged outward more than 6 inches.

Cracks throughout the building were observed and there were gaps of more than 1 inch between the floors and walls.

The city of Seattle red-tagged the building, which prevented occupancy until repairs were made.

Contractor Bird Construction and structural engineer BPA Group determined the building diaphragm would need to be upgraded by installing a perimeter angle anchorage system at all brick wall/wood flooring interfaces.

Extra shear capacity was also needed in the building. That was accomplished by shotcreting walls from the basement level to the underside of the roof.

During construction, it became apparent that the amount of reinforcing steel in the wall would not allow proper bonding of the shotcrete to the rebar and voids would occur. Cadman supplied a self-consolidating concrete called Perform X to meet the difficult placement. Perform X is a new mix design that can be placed without vibration and still achieve good consolidation of concrete during its placement.

A finishing touch for the building are its interior walls, which feature a detailed wood-grain finish in concrete.

Finalists included the Target distribution center in Lacey and Winco Foods in Vancouver.