2009_03_10 Brewery Egress Letter_Louis H
■ 16 Call Rd
Colrain, MA 01340
■ 413.624.9669
413.624.9635 fax
■ office@austindesign.biz
10 March 2009 DRAFT
Louis Hasbrouck, Local Building Inspector
Office of the Building Inspector
Puchalski Municipal Building
Northampton, MA 01060
re: Northampton Brewery 2nd Floor Egress Walk & Egress Stairway
Dear Mr. Hasbrouck,
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me last week regarding the 2nd floor means of
egress passage and egress stairway at the Northampton Brewery. The following is a brief
description of the conditions and applicable 780 CMR, 6th ed. Building Code references –
• Egress passage from the 2nd floor egress door to the egress stair (approximate distance
of 14’-0”) - This section of walk is not required by Code to be covered or protected by the
weather but it is required to be “maintained in good working order” per 103.0
“Maintenance”. The Owner will keep this passage clear of snow, ice, etc. and in good
working order as specified. The clear width of the walk shall be maintained at 44” MIN as
required by 1011.3 “Width”
• Egress stairway shall remain unchanged with the exception of the addition of a permanent
translucent covering in place of the existing canvas covering. The new covering will protect
the treads, platforms, and landings from the accumulation of snow and ice as required per
1014.12 “Exterior Stairways”. The existing steel canopy structure will be reinforced as
required by our structural engineer to support the required snow loads. Please see the
attached report by Ryan Hellwig PE dated March 9, 2009.
I believe this addresses the issues of egress passage & stair protection and maintenance we
discussed. Please confirm that you are in agreement with my findings and let me know if you
need any additional information.
Respectfully submitted,
Chris Farley,
Austin Design Inc.
MA lic. # 11043
cc: Sean Jeffords, Beyond Green Construction
Ryan Hellwig PE
Bill Austin, Austin Design Inc.