Strong earthquake a probability

To the Editor:

While there are a good number of historic buildings in downtown Ukiah many of them share a similar weakness that may well cut their lives short: they are constructed of unreinforced brick. The historic building now occupied by The Dragon's Lair, a wood framed structure, is not one.

We ignore at our peril the fact that we live in an area that will sooner or later be shaken by a strong earthquake originating on either the San Andreas fault to our west or the even closer to us Mayacamas fault just a few miles east of downtown.

While some of the historic unreinforced brick buildings in downtown Ukiah have been seismically retrofitted to help withstand an earthquake, the seismic retrofitting of unreinforced brick buildings is best at saving lives, not buildings. Retroffited buildings may not be a pile of rubble after a quake but they may be nonetheless beyond repair.

By preserving the Dragon's Lair building, the last example of a decoratively patterned pressed metal clad wood framed building in Ukiah, the likelyhood of retaining at least some early Ukiah commercial buildings following a strong earthquake will be enhanced.

No case has been made for the historic character of the adjacent Tom's Glass building, therefore its demolition should be approved. — Michael Toivonen, Redwood Valley