Garfield County Courthouse

Built in 1900, the Garfield County Courthouse is constructed of unreinforced masonry and stone with the floor and roof structures framed with conventional wood frame construction. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.  Swenson Say Fagét provided a seismic study and subsequent seismic upgrade to the facility.  Seismic improvements to the building’s lateral and gravity resisting systems included the addition of plywood sheathing over the existing roof decking, installing out-of-plane anchorage to the unreinforced masonry walls at the floor and roof diaphragms, and bracing chimney elements to the roof diaphragm.  Additional improvements included sheathing the interior faces of the tower elements and gable ends, and anchoring the bottom plates of the wall to the brick walls supporting them to increase lateral stability during times of high wind.