Seismic retrofitting gives Evergreen’s clock tower an unfamiliar appearance

LISA PEMBERTON | Staff writer, The Olympian
August 18, 2011

OLYMPIA – Construction scaffolding envelopes the 120-foot clock tower at The Evergreen State College (TESC), making the iconic structure appear futuristic – almost like it was plucked out of a science fiction movie.

The $1 million seismic retrofit for the clock tower is scheduled to be finished by the end of next month, said Paul Smith, director of facility services at Evergreen.

Seventy-five percent of the cost is being paid for through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency; the remainder is being paid for with funding from the state Emergency Management Division, according to Evergreen spokesman Jason Wettstein.