The project: Perform a comprehensive seismic rehabilitation of Estacada High School’s existing gymnasium facility to enhance life safety and community resilience.

The goal: Estacada School District sought to strengthen the gymnasium at Estacada High School to ensure its structural integrity in the event of a major earthquake. The building is designated to serve a dual purpose as both a school facility and a community emergency shelter. To fund the rehabilitation, the district was awarded a grant through Oregon’s Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program (SRGP).

Project features: The 20,533-sf facility houses the school’s gymnasium, wrestling room, locker room, and bleachers. Originally constructed with unreinforced CMU walls, steel framing, and a metal roof deck, the building required substantial upgrades to meet modern seismic standards.

Design approach: IMEG worked collaboratively with Estacada School District, leading the structural design and managing project delivery under the Construction Manager / General Contractor (CM/GC) model. Our team guided the Design Team in developing seismic strengthening strategies that reduced disruption to existing programming while maintaining an aggressive construction timeline.

Key structural improvements included:

  • Installing a shotcrete shear wall within the gymnasium
  • Connecting the roof system to exterior walls using steel anchors
  • Strengthening mezzanine diaphragms with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)
  • Enhancing the roof diaphragm using a metal deck overlay, chosen as the most cost-effective solution after multiple options were evaluated

Throughout the design and construction process, IMEG coordinated closely with the GM/GC and Estacada School District, ensuring a streamlined schedule and delivery within budget.

The rehabilitation was designed to meet ASCE 41-17 standards for Immediate Occupancy, aligning with the building’s role as a post-disaster emergency shelter for the community.

Challenge: Strengthening the existing roof diaphragm to meet seismic performance goals. Solution: Multiple solutions were considered before implementing a metal deck overlay, which offered both structural performance and cost-efficiency.

Project outcome: Once completed in 2025, the Estacada High School Gymnasium will not only provide a safe and modern space for student athletics and activities, but also serve a critical role in the district’s emergency preparedness strategy. The upgraded facility will offer a dependable refuge for the community during extreme events, reinforcing both the structural resilience of the school and the safety of Estacada’s residents.