57 Center St plumbing 2017-02-20 (2)City of Northampton
Massachusetts
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING INSPECTIONS
212 Main Street ● Municipal Building
Northampton, MA 01060
Stephen Flickenschild
Douglas Architects
196 Pleasant St
Northampton, MA 01060
February 20, 2017
Mr. Flickenschild,
The building at 57 Center Street has been undergoing renovations since December, 2007. A
plumbing permit to install floor drains was issued on August 13, 2013. Only a portion of the work was
inspected.
Larry Eldridge, the City of Northampton Plumbing Inspector has inspected the building drains to
the extent possible. The piping has been covered. The storm piping under the slab (SDR PVC 35) does
not meet the requirements of the Uniform State Plumbing Code (Massachusetts 248 CMR 10.00).
The storm drain piping must be redone in accordance with code requirements. Alternately, the
Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters, in accordance with 248 CMR section 10.06 (2)
(u), may grant a variance for “….alternate materials, methods, and systems….”
Variances are only granted by the Board; a municipal inspector may not grant variances to the
code.
The procedures for such variances are detailed on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts web
site (http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/licensee/dpl-boards/pl/)
I have included copies of the permit and inspections reports for that property. I can also provide
a copy of the plumbing code. Feel free to contact me or the Inspector Eldridge if you have any
questions.
Respectfully,
Louis Hasbrouck
Building Commissioner
City of Northampton
(413) 587-1240
lhasbrouck@city.northampton.ma.us
cc Northampton plumbing inspector