Capitol Closed by Quake May Reopen Soon

Engineers are optimistic that Washington lawmakers will be able to return to the earthquake-damaged state Capitol shortly, but another state office building may have to be demolished.

A two-story brick building called the Employment Security Annex was structurally damaged in last week’s 6.8-magnitude earthquake, said General Administration Director Marsha Tadano Long. About 20 people work there.

Long said Wednesday the building was not salvageable, but General Administration officials said later that they may be able to repair it after all.

Long was upbeat about the Capitol, however. The Legislature won’t be allowed back at least through next week, but she said it’s possible lawmakers will be able to finish at least some of their 105-day session there.

“I think the building is quite safe,” agreed engineer Mike Wright. “The retrofits have shown that they work, and work well.”

Long and Wright said the real question is whether the Capitol dome could survive another earthquake. Until they know that, it will remain closed.

On Wednesday, a giant crane lifted scaffolding to the fifth-floor level of the 74-year-old building. In the next three days, workers will lift the scaffolding another 60 feet and start setting it up around columns that were damaged. Ten of the 16 columns, each weighing 60,000 pounds, shifted during the quake.

Once the scaffolding is up, engineers will be able to take a closer look and determine what they need to do. Wright said they will estimate how big an earthquake the Capitol can withstand. Once they know that, they’ll consult with seismologists on the probability that a bigger quake will occur. That will determine when the Capitol reopens.

Even when engineers say it’s safe to go into a building, people who rode out the earthquake may have qualms. Psychologists have been on hand as workers returned to state buildings this week. So were engineers and architects to explain why a building really was safe.

“Most were OK, and some were very, very nervous,” Long said about workers returning to the General Administration building. She said that once the Capitol is reopened, her agency may produce a video for people who work there to show them how the dome is constructed and how its safety was evaluated.

“If they understand how the building is built and where the strength comes from, they will feel better,” Long said.

The state House and Senate are meeting in other office buildings near the Capitol. While the Legislature hasn’t stopped work, several rallies scheduled for the Capitol steps in March have been canceled.

The earthquake caused damage across the state estimated at $2 billion. The state will supply its own damage estimate to the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday.