On July 20, we joined local leaders and community partners for a powerful walking tour of Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings in Pioneer Square and the Chinatown International District — 2 of Seattle’s most historic and seismically vulnerable neighborhoods.
The tour, followed by a lunch-and-learn session, was more than just a look at beautiful brick facades — it was a call to action. With over 1,100 URMs in Seattle, these iconic buildings are the most at-risk structure type in the event of an earthquake. And in a region where we face nearly a 90% chance of a damaging quake in the next 50 years, the risk is not theoretical — it’s inevitable.
Legislators including Senator June Robinson (LD 38), and Representatives Sharon Tomiko Santos (LD 37), Ed Orcutt (LD 20), Brianna Thomas (LD 34), and Greg Hill (LD 3) joined to see firsthand what’s at stake. Their presence underscored growing momentum to support legislation that would make seismic retrofits more affordable, including HB 1810, HB 1408, and SB 5460. These bills could provide the tools and funding Washington needs to protect lives and preserve the historic character of our neighborhoods.
This impactful event would not have been possible without the planning and partnership of the Masonry Institute of Washington, the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Union Local 1, Historic South Downtown, Historic Seattle, the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority, Interim Community Development Association, the Satterberg Foundation and BuildingWork Architecture. We thank you for your leadership and commitment to a safer, more resilient Seattle.