Improving Earthquake Safety, Dec. 24

Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, today named 12 school districts and one community college that will receive grants to rehab elementary schools, high schools and gyms so they will be better prepared to withstand a major earthquake. The grants were awarded through the Infrastructure Finance Authority, a division of Business Oregon. “At Business Oregon, our mission is to grow our economy and our communities,” said Sean Robbins, Business Oregon’s director. “We’re proud that we can use the tools provided by the Legislature to help make Oregon school children safer in Bandon, Salem, La Grande and 10 more communities across Oregon.” The background: Senate Bill 3 in the 2005 Legislature established Oregon’s Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program to make seismic improvements to essential public buildings. The bill created a grant program for schools — from elementary schools to universities — and for emergency service buildings, including hospitals, fire stations and police stations. The Oregon seismic program was recently featured in a New York Times’ article. The funding: In 2013, the Legislature approved $30 million for seismic projects with the funding split between schools and emergency services. The applications: Business Oregon received 46 applications for school projects totaling $45 million in requests. Recipients: The Seismic Rehabilitation Advisory School Subcommittee recommended 13 projects totaling nearly $15 million. (The emergency services projects will be announced later this month.) On the Oregon Coast: Bandon High School classroom building – Bandon School District // The retrofit will correct structural deficiencies in the 1974 building. Grant amount and total project cost: $824,496. Riley Creek Elementary – Central Curry School District (City of Gold Beach) // Six buildings included in the retrofit project were built from 1957 to 1970. Grant amount and total project cost: $1.1 million. Sitkum Hall – Southwestern Oregon Community College (City of Coos Bay) // The retrofit will correct structural deficiencies in the 1965 building. Grant amount and total project cost: $497,755. Toledo High School gym – Lincoln County School District (City of Toledo) // The gym was built in 1955. It has a very unusual construction and has a high seismic hazard level. Grant amount and total project cost: $1.5 million.