23A-070 70 Main St Flo plan review 2013-08-05 (2)City of Northampton
Massachusetts
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING INSPECTIONS
212 Main Street ● Municipal Building
Northampton, MA 01060
Ben Schenkelberg
One Monarch Place, Suite 2540
Springfield, MA 01144
Re 70 Main Street Florence 23A-070
August 5, 2013
Dear Mr. Schenkelberg,
I have reviewed the building permit application and plans submitted for the addition to Valley
Medical at 70 Main Street in Florence.
I have approved the foundation plans. I will need more information before I can finish my plan
review and issue the full permit.
Your code review for this project does not specify the compliance method you’ve chosen as a
basis for this project (Chapter 34, section 101.5).
The existing and proposed occupancy loads are not listed.
There is no information about energy code requirements. Northampton has adopted the Stretch
Energy Code (Appendix 115AA). That section requires an addition that exceeds 30% of the
existing conditioned floor area of the existing building meet the requirements for new
construction. This includes the requirements for the thermal envelope, and compliance with
sections 502-505.
The plans and specifications for the fire alarm system do not provide enough detail to determine
whether the system will meet code requirements. It would seem that the alarm system
specifications do not include enough pull stations (7 pull stations, 8 exterior doors) or visual
alarm notification devices (24 devices, more than 40 exam rooms, 907.5.2.3.1).
The plans and specifications for the sprinkler system also do not provide enough detail to
determine whether the system will meet code requirements.
I will consider approving the next phase of the project pending full plan approval. Feel free to
contact me if you have any questions.
Respectfully,
Louis Hasbrouck
Building Commissioner
City of Northampton
(413) 587-1240
lhasbrouck@city.northampton.ma.us
cc Northampton Fire Department
Crocker Builders