SF Apartments magazine tackles the soft-story building issue

Alexander Itsekson of Enginious Structures brings us a fantastic write-up of the latest soft-story building news in the May 2010 edition of SF Apartments Association's magazine. You can read the entire text here or double-click on each of the pages below to see how it appeared in print.

A few key excerpts:

The Bay Area currently has thousands of potentially hazardous soft-story buildings, with tens of thousands of units. Damage to soft-story buildings has caused significant economic loss to building owners and has also resulted in fatalities and serious injuries to tenants during recent California earthquakes.

[...] The San Francisco Board of Supervisors recently passed a program to incentivize voluntary seismic retrofits. This program offers owners an expedited permit process and waived permitting fees if they voluntarily retrofit their buildings. Those who choose to take advantage of the program will also be exempt from any mandated retrofitting for 15 years following the construction. Owners will certainly want to take advantage of these incentives as the Mayor’s Office has put together a task force, which includes SFAA representatives, to design a future mandatory program for soft-story seismic upgrades. Code-mandated work remains eligible for a 100% capital improvement passthrough if proper paperwork is presented to and approved by the San Francisco Rent Board.

Deciding to retrofit is a difficult decision for a building owner to make, because the costs of retrofitting are clearly evident and demanding, while the benefits of a seismic retrofit lie far in the future, when an earthquake strikes. Contact a structural engineer or general contractor experienced in soft-story building strengthening to help you determine the magnitude of capital improvement costs associated with a seismic retrofit.

Kevin's Design + Build Excellence Featured in Cole Hardware Newsletter

Recognize anyone there? Cole Hardware featured Kevin as one of their design/build experts in their May 2010 edition of Hardware Hotline. Of course you may know Wallace Remodeling's work already, but it's great to see him profiled here! Read on to find out why.

EXPERT GUIDANCE FROM START TO FINISH

After 37 years in business and with over 2000 successfully completed jobs, Kevin’s keen enthusiasm for remodeling remains undiminished. His specialty is complex, high-end jobs. Here in our photo, he seems to have devised a particularly nifty solution to some pesky problem. Kevin has found that the Design/Build method is the most efficient way to complete most substantial projects, and he employs an exceptional Architect and dedicated support staff to accomplish this.


As the term implies, Design/Build is an integrated process, where both design and construction are implemented by a single company. This approach provides Kevin’s clients greater efficiency and a wider range of remodeling options than other companies can offer. If you are considering a substantial remodeling project, here is a brief outline of how the Design/Build process would typically proceed:


• Initial meeting with Kevin at your home to discuss the project’s scope and budget
• Kevin provides a proposal and a contract for the initial design work.
• The architect measures your home and generates floor plans of existing conditions
• Kevin presents various design options
• Project details are refined & appropriate floor plans & architectural renderings are generated.
• Client receives project contract and budget for all work.
• Kevin and staff coordinate all of the design features with the client and subcontractors through completion of the project.


Kevin’s many projects include whole house remodels, vintage home restorations, updated kitchens and baths, new master suites and garage additions, and structural seismic upgrades. He can suggest creative financing options for your project, and he also offers on-site consultation services for prospective homebuyers.


Reliable communication, coordinated teamwork, consistent on-site supervision, and superior craftsmanship from beginning to end are the keys to Kevin’s continuing success, and to the satisfaction of his loyal clients and colleagues. See how Cole and Kevin can make your remodeling dreams become a reality by calling our Home Repair Referral Service at (415) 753-2653 ext. 3.