Built in 1962, Homestead High School is a California Distinguished School with many notable alumni and a reputation for playing a large role in the development of Silicon Valley. Working with the Fremont Union High School District, ZFA identified two of the original 1960s-era buildings as seismically deficient, particularly the precast concrete floor and roof diaphragms. Our team assisted the school in pursuing state funding through the Seismic Mitigation Program (SMP) for the seismic strengthening of Buildings A and B, which are both two-story structures with CMU bearing and shear walls.
These large, heavy buildings warranted a creative approach to improve seismic performance without adding significant weight or replacing substantial elements. ZFA utilized fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) for the concrete retrofit, which mitigated critical seismic deficiencies without adding burden to any other structural elements. Steel framing was incorporated to strengthen collectors and in-plane shear transfer in select locations.
This project also included major modernization work to all the interior spaces, such as moving walls to enlarge classrooms and eliminate ancillary spaces, and upgrades to mechanical systems, electrical systems, and finishes. These refreshed structures, with architectural spaces and structural performance elevated to the 21st century, are ready to inspire students for many more years to come.