Alexander Hamilton High School is a comprehensive school on the westside of Los Angeles that serves over 3,000 students and is comprised of several structures. Brown Hall and a large Theater Hall were both constructed in 1936, and each sustained damage in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. Rachlin Partners was selected by the Los Angeles Unified School District to evaluate the safety and structural integrity of the two buildings, which are classified as historical landmarks.
We began our reconnaissance of damage sustained by completing an ATC-2- Detailed Evaluation Safety Assessment, a process developed by the Applied Technology Council to mitigate the “effects of natural and other hazards on the built environment.” With thoughtful attention to the historic character of the campus, we subsequently prepared plans and specifications for extensive repair of cracked and spalled plaster walls, replacement of ceiling tiles and removal of hazardous conditions. Our firm also supervised demolition of an irreparably damaged pedestrian bridge that connected Brown Hall with the Science building. Ultimately, all earthquake damage was repaired, structural elements reinforced and the historic appeal of the handsome buildings preserved.