Forell Elsesser provided structural engineering services for the seismic upgrade of this 1908, 97,000 s.f. 13-story building. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 201 Post Street is a steel-framed, brick infill with a historic terra cotta facade. The building houses offices on the upper floors and retail at the street level. The building also has a basement level that extends beneath the sidewalk.
The retrofit scheme is a combination of ductile concrete moment frames and shotcrete shear walls. The basement utilizes a system of outrigger walls and a spread footing that is being transformed into a mat slab to distribute load for even settlement.
Customized Solution
- Architect: BAR Architects
- Owner: Trinity Properties
- Steel framed, brick infill with a historic terra cotta façade with addition of ductile concrete moment frames and shotcrete shear walls
Highlights
- Other structural work includes a steel-framed parapet brace, window washing rail support, mechanical platforms, and exterior fire escape stairwell.
- A combination of the concrete shear wall at the “back” wall next to the adjacent property, and concrete moment frames on the remaining 3 sides were used. Upturned concrete beams above the floors were used for ease of construction, which made the rebar placement a lot easier compared to conventional frames. During the retrofitting process, the brick facade was anchored to the new concrete wall and frames.
Team
Simin Naaseh
Senior Principal