McKinley Tower, Anchorage, Alaska

The 14-story McKinley Tower (formerly the McKay Building) survived the 1964 Good Friday earthquake but suffered significant damage. Measured at a magnitude of 9.2, the tremor is still the strongest ever measured in North America. High repair costs kept the building vacant and uninhabitable for more than 20 years – that is, until QuakeWrap™ provided an economical solution for retrofitting the building.

Some 55,000 square feet (5,000 square meters) of various carbon and glass fabrics were used to strengthen more than 120 columns, as well as 400 beams and shear walls. Today, the historic structure has re-opened, marking the birth of a revitalization effort in the east end of downtown Anchorage.

View a video of this project, which was covered on the local CBS station, by clicking on the following link:

How much is peace of mind worth when it comes to the safety of your structure during unpredictable disasters?

Mo Ehsani, Ph.D., P.E., S.E.
President, QuakeWrap Inc. and
Professor of Civil Engineering, The University of Arizona