QUAKE PRECAUTIONS: FEDERAL BUILDING SCRUTINIZED

The Federal Building, a two-story, 48,500-square-foot structure, which was dedicated in Cape Girardeau on Nov. 7, 1968, will undergo some strengthening renovations in the near future.

The purpose of the project is to give the 23-year-old building added structural integrity in the event of an earthquake.

"We hope to have some plans ready for bidding sometime in 1992," said J.B. Malone, building superintendent.

A group from the Sverdrup Corp., St. Louis, was in Cape Girardeau Wednesday to gather information to be used in putting together the structural renovation recommendations.

"Things are at a very preliminary stage now," said Chris Wayman of Sverdrup Corp. "The building was constructed in 1967 and conformed to all earthquake and building codes of that era. We have copies of the floor plan and wall placements, but we won't have any recommendations before the first of the year."

Wayman was one of three Sverdrup Corp. representatives who inspected the federal building Wednesday. The other two were Dean Kube and Duane Atchley.

Wayman said it could be the middle of next year before recommendations are made and bids sought.

"Tentatively, we're looking at the first of the year," he said. "But, in a project like this, it could take longer."

The General Service Administration (GSA) made a determination to strengthen the building against earthquakes almost a year ago.

"The GSA made the decision just after the Sept. 26, 1990 earthquake," said Malone.

On that date, a quake measuring 4.6 on the Southeast Missouri State University Earthquake Center seismograph shook parts of six states, including the Cape Girardeau area. The morning quake, centered near New Hamburg, resulted in some minor damage to area buildings.

The federal building, designed by a St. Louis architect, Edward J. Robson, was constructed in 1967-68, at a cost of $1.35 million, and was ready for occupancy in October of 1968.

The building houses a number of federal offices, including the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.

Well over half of the building's 48,500 square feet of floor space is devoted to offices.

The Federal Building also includes the federal courtroom, which has seating space for about 100 persons, and rooms for the court clerk, secretary, witnesses, and other offices connected with U.S. District Court.