The future of the main service building of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, which was evacuated because it was damaged in the October 30 earthquake, has become clear. In the technical report prepared by Istanbul Technical University on the option of strengthening the building by the Metropolitan Municipality, scientists agreed that a new structure should be built in terms of both safety and cost instead of strengthening the building.
It has been determined how the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Main Service Building, which was damaged and evacuated in the October 30 earthquake of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, will be evaluated. After the meetings with the experts and professional chambers, the report prepared by the Istanbul Technical University Disaster Management Institute to evaluate the suitability of the strengthening of the building in terms of earthquake safety, immediate usability, applicability, effect on architectural use and cost was published.
Scientists: "Make a new one"
In the report prepared by Istanbul University Disaster Management Institute experts; It is thought that it is not appropriate to strengthen the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Main Service Building in terms of general engineering, structure and earthquake safety, cost, application difficulties and usage, and it would be a more rational solution to demolish it and construct a new structure with high performance and quality that can be used immediately after a potentially devastating earthquake. and the conclusion was reached.
Retrofit cost approaches new building cost
The report included evaluation and examination studies carried out under 8 main headings. Accordingly, if the earthquake performance of the building is to be improved, it was stated that since the whole of the ground-foundation-superstructure will have to be intervened, the possible cost of reinforcement will approach the cost of the new building, and the uncertainty regarding the achievement of the targeted performance after the reinforcement will be high. While informing in the report that the retrofitting project will cause additional costs in the interior planning and will also affect the functionality of the building, after the October 30 earthquake, settlement was observed in the A and C blocks, where the columns and piles with advanced corrosion were observed, and that the need for additional measures in reinforcement would increase the cost, technically, a static strengthening project can be prepared. however, considering critical dimensions such as application risks, cost and availability, it was stated that retrofitting is not an appropriate solution.
A new structure will be built that defines the square
After the evaluation meetings held with the experts of the subject and the evaluation made in the light of the report prepared by the Istanbul University Disaster Management Institute, it was concluded by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality that a possible retrofitting option would not be suitable for the correct and on-site use of public resources, and it was decided to demolish the building and construct a new structure that defines the square.
We have to use public resources efficiently
The statement made by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality to the public regarding the future of the main service building is as follows;
“Municipalities have to use the public resources that exist as a state institution in a balanced, rational and sustainable way, considering the long-term goals and priorities of the city. Our municipality has prepared a meticulous report on the option of strengthening the building, taking into account all these sensitivities. In the report, retrofitting requires a very difficult process due to the ground and other static conditions of the building, the cost of retrofitting will reach the levels of the cost of new building construction, and even additional costs may arise, and that it may not provide immediate use performance in a possible destructive earthquake after retrofitting, so it should be demolished and rebuilt again. concluded that it could. When all these issues are evaluated together, it was concluded that a possible retrofit option would not be appropriate in terms of the correct and appropriate use of public resources.
An advisory board will be formed
It has been evaluated that the process of determining the design and function of the new building to be built in such an important area should be carried out with a participatory approach, not only with the municipality units. For this purpose, an advisory board consisting of expert academics and professionals will be formed as soon as possible in order to make a decision on how the new building to be built in the area should be, and the construction process will be shaped with the recommendations of the advisory board. We wish the city of Izmir to be beneficial for its future.”
Service units are in Kültürpark
After the evacuation of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality main service building, which was damaged in the earthquake on October 30, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality reopened the 130-year-old historical municipality building in Kemeraltı. In addition to being the first municipality building of the city, the veteran building, which hosted the Defense Organization during the years of national struggle, began to be used as a presidential office in accordance with its historical mission. Most of the service units were temporarily moved to the fair halls in Kültürpark.
The entire technical report has been published on the website of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality for the citizens of Izmir to review. To review the report, please Click here.
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