Chinatown Seismic Retrofit

Interior view of a building under construction, showing exposed wooden framing, steel beam, support braces, and part of an open doorway leading to a city street with neighboring buildings.

A close-up of a structural steel beam with bolts, brackets, and wood framing in a partially constructed building. Labels and a diagram are visible on the beam.

A blue building under construction on a sloped street, with plywood barriers, construction cones, and an open doorway visible at street level.

A person walks past a three-story light blue apartment building with an open ground-level garage and external fire escape on a sloped urban street.

Steel reinforcement bars and anchor bolts embedded in a concrete foundation, with exposed rebar grid and surrounding unfinished construction materials.

Exposed wall framing and anchor bolts in a basement, with some wood, concrete, and metal hardware visible, and minor red staining on the sill plate.

A building under construction with boarded-up storefronts and orange cones, located at the corner of Keyes street. A woman walks past a watch repair shop.

Focus

A soft story seismic retrofit without displacing a single tenant

Location

San Francisco, CA

Year

2019

Client Feedback

“Associated Builders delivered exactly what they promised—structural safety without disrupting our tenants’ daily lives. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and ability to coordinate with the city made the process smooth and surprisingly stress-free.”

Project Overview:
What started as a code-driven compliance project became a model of thoughtful structural
upgrading and tenant-conscious construction.

Parts of the foundation were replaced and two new steel moment frames were installed to strengthen the apartment building’s light-wood frame connection to its foundation. This work was conducted while tenants continued to inhabit the apartment building (with no temporary or permanent displacement of residents) – a major feat considering the project’s technical complexity and its location on a compact urban site (with just one off-street parking spot for use
during construction).

In addition to partial foundation replacement and moment frames installation, the scope of work
involved constructing several shear walls, installing seismic hardware, replacing two garage doors, repairing dry rot damage, replacing damaged egress doors to the fire escape, and replacing
sidewalk, curb and gutter to meet San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) standards. Importantly, all work complied with the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (SF DBI) Mandatory Soft Story Retrofit Program (MSSP).

Associated Builders led the project from start to finish, managing its in-house concrete and
carpentry crews, while coordinating with Owner, Project Engineer and SF DBI. Associated Builders further managed required inspections as well as third-party consulting and testing lab
documentation to ensure compliance, quality, and timely delivery.

Client Vision:
The Owner purchased the apartment building a few years prior, and shortly after, learned that a soft story seismic retrofit was required by the City and County of San Francisco. To this end, the Owner sought a no-drama path to compliance—one that prioritized safety and tenant stability. Associated Builders, with its deep experience in seismic retrofit and city coordination, provided a turnkey approach: leading permitting, implementing its concrete and carpentry teams, sourcing skilled subcontractors, and managing project milestones. Associated Builders’ commitment to low-disruption execution gave the owner peace of mind and earned appreciation from the building’s residents.

Key Takeaways:
1. Tenant-first construction is possible.
Careful scheduling, good communication, and thoughtful construction sequencing meant that no tenants had to relocate. This minimized disruption and preserved rental continuity.
2. Retrofitting doesn’t have to be chaotic.
By managing engineering, inspections, and construction through one central team, Associated Builders delivered a smooth, city-compliant project—even with unexpected
structural discoveries during the process.
3. Seismic compliance improves more than just safety.
The retrofit also modernized key building systems, improved accessibility, enhanced curb
appeal, and preserved long-term asset value—without compromising the daily life of
residents.