This month in history

By Amy Chen

14 Years Ago: It was 4:31 a.m., Jan. 17, 1994. UCLA students were jolted awake by the frightening 6.7 Northridge earthquake that rocked the campus for 30 seconds. Thankfully, no students, faculty or staff were killed.

The four spires atop Kerckhoff Hall rotated six inches, and cracks appeared in Royce Hall’s towers, forcing both buildings to close temporarily. Royce’s main auditorium stayed dark until 1998 following a $70.4-million renovation. Capital Programs accelerated an extensive seismic reinforcement plan to make buildings safer and more quake-resistant, preserving the campus’ most cherished icons for the future. With construction of two replacement hospitals and major work on Powell Library and other buildings, costs have soared well beyond $1 billion. All told, FEMA provided $595 million to the hospitals, campus, business enterprises and facilities management.

For more memorable moments in campus history, visit the UCLA History Project.