One particular area of interest in commercial building design relates to the upgrade of Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings.  URM buildings are common in the Pacific Northwest and pose unique challenges due to their inherent lack of seismic strength.  These buildings have been identified as significant life safety hazards.  PSE has worked on many URM buildings in the Portland, Oregon downtown and surrounding Pearl District to upgrade them to meet current code requirements.  This has allowed the owners to bring new life back to dilapidated and potentially dangerous buildings while restoring the original character of the buildings.

On the Industrial side, we have worked on the structural design for various industrial support structures as well as the seismic anchorage of equipment that widely varies for each project.  This can vary from relatively simple HVAC systems on roofs to heavy mining machinery supported several hundred feet above grade on existing or new structures. We have worked with small local HVAC contractors on local projects all the way up to large multinational corporations on projects on the East Coast and as far away as Qatar in the Middle East.  We have also worked on projects in the Semiconductor, Biomedical, Renewable Solar Power, Water Purifying, Mining, Paper Manufacturing and many other industries.

A unique area of expertise in the Industrial field is the structural analysis and design of steel stacks for both guy supported and unsupported configurations in accordance with the latest American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards for steel stack design.  The design of steel stacks often requires the consideration of unique wind effects such as vortex shedding which can create large dynamic forces on steel stacks.  We have designed self supporting steel stacks measuring over 100 feet tall.

Featured Projects

Pearl Design Center 2007-2008 Client: Stark Group

Stark Group recently redeveloped a city block of buildings in the NW Pearl district of Portland, Oregon that were formerly dilapidated industrial buildings. The site consisted of four buildings built between the 1930’s and 1950’s. One building was demolished to allow for on-site parking and the other three were redeveloped into the NW Pearl Design Center. PSE was involved in the structural evaluation and upgrades of the three buildings. One building required a seismic analysis and design of special frames and a new roof diaphragm to upgrade the lateral resisting system to meet current code requirements, while still allowing large penetrations to be cut into the existing walls for new storefront openings. The second building was a mixture of concrete and concrete block walls and steel frames and also shared a wall with the adjacent property. Due to the existing construction and the change in occupancy, the building had to be completely upgraded to meet current code requirements.
Retrofit elements and new welds were designed for the existing frames. In addition, new frames were added to resist the lateral forces and to allow new wall penetrations for new storefront elements, all while maintaining the original character of the building. For the third building, PSE performed the structural design of new architectural steel canopies and review of the existing framing for new heating units to be installed on the roof.

Belmont Firehouse Seismic Evaluation 2006-2008 Client: City of Portland Fire and Rescue

PSE performed a Tier 1 seismic evaluation of the Belmont Firehouse, built in 1912 and remodeled several times, in accordance with the ASCE 31 “Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings” Standard published by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Upon evaluation of the Firehouse, PSE identified potential seismic deficiencies and worked with Pinnell Busch to perform a preliminary feasibility study for possible upgrades to the building. An evaluation report was generated, which included the results of the analysis and deficiencies identified within the existing structure.
The evaluation identified a potential life safety hazard in an existing cornice feature that was located above the exterior sidewalk along the building. Subsequent phases of work included the analysis and design of remediation for the cornice to repair the cornice and additional loose brick work while maintaining the historic features of the building.

NW 17th Avenue Building Upgrade 2006-2007 Client: Mark Wuthrich, Architect & Owner

PSE’s client purchased an existing unreinforced brick building, built in 1937, that was previously a funeral home. The intention was to change the occupancy to a day spa and restaurant, which required a seismic evaluation and upgrade of the existing building. The building is of historical importance and the exterior architectural features had to be maintained without modification.
PSE performed an evaluation and designed structural upgrades as required to mitigate the seismic deficiencies found without altering the appearance of the structure. The project was completed in 2007 and the building is open for business. The interior of the building was upgraded to meet code requirements without changing any of the exterior historical features.

SE Grand Ave. Building 2007-2008

This project included the installation a new staircase on the West exterior of the existing building. Constructed of steel and treated lumber, this staircase was installed to serve as the main access and egress from the upper floors of this 3-story building.
PSE examined schematic architectural drawings and developed the structural design for the staircase while following the somewhat stringent requirements set forth by the architectural designer.