It’s an important milestone for what would be a significant building for Victoria during a major natural disaster, such as an earthquake.

https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/victoria-s-new-public-safety-building-mixes-fire-hall-with-affordable-housing-1.24306986

“The size of the rebar and the amount of concrete is incredible,” Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said Tuesday after a tour of the site. “This is preparing for the future. This building will stand for hundreds of years.”

The fire hall and emergency centre are designed to withstand a massive quake and will meet new B.C. Building Code standards for buildings designed to remain operable following a disaster, giving it a seismic design load that is significantly higher than typical commercial buildings. After an earthquake, the building — equipped with high-capacity backup generators — will be able to deliver emergency services.

There will be fire and ambulance bays at street level, emergency operations centre and fire department headquarters on the second floor, office space on the third and 130 units of affordable rental housing on the remaining floors. Pacifica Housing will own and operate the top eight storeys.

lisa helps is an idiot.

“The size of the rebar and the amount of concrete is incredible,” Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said Tuesday after a tour of the site. “This is preparing for the future. This building will stand for hundreds of years.”

Hundreds of years? That is quite a claim.

Hundreds of years? That is quite a claim.

Buildings can stand for hundreds of years as much of Europe, Asia and the Middle East has proven. Our problem isn't how long a building can physically remain in place, it is how long before some politician wants to make his/her mark.

Buildings can stand for hundreds of years as much of Europe, Asia and the Middle East has proven. Our problem isn't how long a building can physically remain in place, it is how long before some politician wants to make his/her mark.

Were those buildings built in the modern concrete style, with rebar inside that can potentially rust and decay long before 100 years has passed?

Interesting article discussing concrete and rebar construction, from 2016.

https://theconversation.com/the-problem-with-reinforced-concrete-56078

"Early 20th-century engineers thought reinforced concrete structures would last a very long time – perhaps 1,000 years. In reality, their life span is more like 50-100 years, and sometimes less. Building codes and policies generally require buildings to survive for several decades, but deterioration can begin in as little as 10 years."

I'm not a construction expert though. Anyone on the forums able to shed light on what they do in modern construction to prevent rebar from rusting and causing "concrete cancer"?

what most can assure is that that building will not last “hundreds of years” despite what our expert mayor says.

I know she went to China to inspect the steel for the bridge though. that lets me sleep well at night.