Seismic Design at 181 Fremont to Set New Standards on Earthquake Resiliency

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The new 70-story mixed-use tower at 181 Fremont Street in San Francisco, California, being developed by Jay Paul Company, will be the most resilient building on the West Coast of the United States, with a structural design that will set new standards in earthquake resiliency for future urban development.

With renowned global firm ARUP as the structural engineer, 181 Fremont is at the leading edge of the next generation of buildings in the U.S., utilizing a unique megabrace system that would virtually eliminate structural damage in a significant earthquake (defined as a 500-year earthquake).

181 Fremont far exceeds current State of California construction codes, and is designed to not only safeguard lives in such an event, it would ensure business continuity by allowing immediate return to the tower with complete access to business operations, with the building fully functional within one month. The elevator systems are also designed for continuous operation during a catastrophic event, with exclusive contingencies for emergency evacuation.

Residents of the condominiums on the top 17 floors of the tower would also be ensured of minimal interruption in their quality of life due to the resilience-based design, which is focused on minimizing structural damage, property loss and protection of mechanical, engineering and plumbing systems, as well as the operation of building transportation.

“The seismic design is consistent with our approach to position 181 Fremont as the pre-eminent tower in San Francisco in every aspect of design and development,” said Matt Lituchy, CIO of Jay Paul Company. “With a strong, unified visual appearance created by the unique structural exoskeleton and saw-tooth curtainwall, the iconic tapering design of the tower will be an iconic presence on the San Francisco skyline. This is the only residential tower pre-certified LEED Platinum in San Francisco, with innovative sustainability features such as a water recycling system to reduce water consumption, a glass curtainwall to allow for maximum light and air for residents, regionally sourced building materials and passive solar energy-saving systems.”

Combined with panoramic vistas overlooking the landmarks of San Francisco, and residences designed by Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, 181 Fremont is ideally positioned to attract the region’s top-tier professionals in emerging sectors in technology, finance and information.

Strategically located at the cultural center of South of Market, the $665-million tower includes 432,000 square feet of Class A office space, 67 luxury condominium residences on the top 17 floors, and 3,000 square feet of retail space. The tower is ideally situated adjacent to the new Transbay Transit Center, with direct access to what will be the Grand Central Station of the West.