Anchor plate system for reinforcing masonry walls that are perpendicular to support joists

In a building having a masonry wall with an exterior surface and at least one floor supported with floor joists, a method of retroactively reinforcing said masonry wall from within a void space in between said floor joists, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first bracket, a second bracket and a beam;
• anchoring said first bracket to a first joist of said floor joists;
• anchoring said second bracket to a second joist of said floor joists;
• mounting said beam across said void space to said first bracket and to said second bracket;
• providing an anchor plate having a face surface, an opposite contact surface and a geometric center, wherein a mounting hole extends through said anchor plate from said face surface to said contact surface at said geometric center of said anchor plate;
• advancing a tensioning tether through said masonry wall;
• positioning said contact surface of said anchor plate against said masonry wall, wherein said tensioning tether extends through said mounting hole in said anchor plate;
• anchoring the tensioning tether to said beam;
• and
• tensioning and anchoring said tensioning tether to said anchor plate to bias said anchor plate against the masonry wall.