32C-174 274 Pleasant code review 2016-09-12Code Review Thomas Douglas Architects Inc.
Optical Studio 274 Pleasant St, Northampton, MA 196 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA
413-585-0641
1
CODE REVIEW-REVISED September 12, 2016
The Optical Studio
274 Pleasant Street, Northampton, MA
Applicable Building Code: MA 780 CMR Eighth Addition
IBC, IEBC International EXISTING Building Code, 2009
ZONING DISTRICT:
PROPOSED RENOVATIONS:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
• Construct a new single story addition on the rear of the existing building.
• Make alterations to areas of the existing building.
Use Groups
• Existing use: B Business on the 1st floor. R2 Residential use on the 2nd floor.
• Proposed use in new addition: B Business on the 1st floor
Construction Type
• 5B
Chapter 10 requirements: Additions to Existing Buildings:
Below are general requirements for the entire project and specific
requirements for the proposed addition:
704.2, 912.2.1 Fire Protection: Automatic sprinkler systems
Automatic sprinkler systems are NOT required in this project because of the
exceptions in 704.2.2 and MGL 148 26G
The following conditions are present: (IEBC)
The B use in the building is less than 12,000 square feet. Table 903.2.2.1
All R2 uses are required to have sprinkler systems unless they meet the exceptions
below:
The Level 2 work area does not exceed 50% of the building floor area
MGL 148 26G:
Sprinklers are required if: The overall building area is greater than 7,500 square
feet.
• The total building area for this building is less than 7,500 square feet
(5,641 square feet).
Code Review Thomas Douglas Architects Inc.
Optical Studio 274 Pleasant St, Northampton, MA 196 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA
413-585-0641
2
Major alterations are work which is “major” in scope or expenditure, and which
results in changes affecting a substantial portion of the building” as defined in
MGL 148 26G
• The reconfigurations in the work area do not rise to the level of “major
alterations”
Major alterations or modifications are reasonably considered major in scope when
such work affects 33% or more of the total gross square footage of the building,
calculated in accordance with 26G.
• The work area in the R2 area is less than 33% of the total gross square
footage of the building.
Major alterations or modifications are reasonably considered major in scope or
expenditure when the total cost of the work (excluding costs relating to sprinkler
installation) is equal to or greater than 33% of the assessed value of the subject
building, as of the date of permit application.
• The costs for this project within the R2 work area are less than 33% of
the assessed value of the building.
704.4 Fire alarm and protection:
The existing building has a fire alarm system. It will be upgraded and altered as
necessary.
• Manual fire alarm boxes are not required in Group B uses if:
• Combined occupant load is less than 500
• Occupant load is less than 100 above or below the lowest level of exit
discharge
• Does not contain Group B ambulatory health care.
• This project does not trip these thresholds.
Seismic Zone
• See structural drawings.
Code Review Thomas Douglas Architects Inc.
Optical Studio 274 Pleasant St, Northampton, MA 196 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA
413-585-0641
3
Fire Resistive Required Types of
Construction, Table 601 & 602
Building Element Type 5B
Primary Structural
Frame
0
Bearing walls, Exterior 0
Bearing walls, Interior 0
Nonbearing walls and
partitions, exterior-
table 602-walls less
than 5’ from property
line
1
Nonbearing walls and
partitions, interior
0
Floor construction and
secondary members
0
Roof construction and
secondary members
0
Table 503, 508.4.2:Allowable building area:
506.1 Building area modifications: Building areas from Table 503 shall be
permitted to be increased due to frontage and sprinklers.
• For B and R2 uses and type 5B construction, the building area (per floor) is
within allowable height and area limitations.
508.4.2:Alowable building area:
The building is within the allowable areas for the use and construction type.
903.2Fire areas
Fire Resistance Rating for Exterior Walls
705.5 Fire resistance ratings: Exterior walls shall be fire resistance rated in
accordance with Tables 601 and 602
Table 601: Bearing walls, exterior: 5B construction, B use: 1 hour
Table 602: Nonbearing walls and partitions, exterior- table 602-walls less than 5’
from property line: The sides of this building will be less than 3 feet from the
property line. The walls will be built with a 1-hour fire resistance rating.
705.8 Openings: For an unprotected un-sprinkled building, where the fire
separation distance is less than 3 feet, the maximum area of exterior wall openings
is 0%. This building meets this requirement.
Code Review Thomas Douglas Architects Inc.
Optical Studio 274 Pleasant St, Northampton, MA 196 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA
413-585-0641
4
705.11 Parapets:
Exceptions
A parapet need not be provided on an exterior wall where the following condition
exists:
4.1 One-hour fire resistance-rated exterior walls that terminate at the underside of
the roof sheathing, deck or slab, provided:
The entire building shall be provided with not less than a Class A roof covering.
This project will have 1-hour fire resistant rated exterior wall that will terminate at
the underside of the roof sheathing. There will be a Class A roof covering
consisting of an EPDM mechanically fastened membrane over1/4” Georgia Pacific
Dens-Deck cover board, rigid foil-faced polyisocyanurate insulation,
plywood decking, and wood roof rafters.
EPDM by Firestone Platinum
OCCUPANCY
Occupant Load Calculation (IBC 1004.4.1)
Proposed occupancy 1st floor B USE: 36 maximum occupants allowed. (100 gross
square feet per occupant.)
Means of Egress
There will be 2 means of egress for the first floor areas.
We propose to eliminate one of the 2nd floor apartment egresses which is a spiral
stair. See below. We propose a new egress corridor shared by both apartments,
leading to the existing front egress spiral stair. The stair exits directly to Main
Street.
805.2 Means of Egress Lighting
Means of egress lighting will be installed throughout the entire building
805.3 Exit signs
Means of egress throughout the entire building will have new exit signs installed.
705.4.2 Door swing.
All means of egress doors will swing in the direction of travel.
705.4.4 Panic hardware:
Panic hardware is not required because the occupancy is not greater than 100
705.6 Dead end corridors
No dead end corridors will exceed 35 feet.
Code Review Thomas Douglas Architects Inc.
Optical Studio 274 Pleasant St, Northampton, MA 196 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA
413-585-0641
5
Exits Required
Exits
required
Exits
provided
Exit Width
stair
.3” per
occupant
Exit Width other
components
.2” per occupant
First Floor 2 2 44” min
44” min
Second Floor 2 2 36” min 36”
Travel
Distance
(1016.1)
With NO
sprinkler
System
With sprinkler
System
Proposed max travel
distance
R use, 200 ft. 66 feet
B use, 1st floors 200 ft. 68 feet
711 Energy Conservation
Required values according to the MA stretch code
MA: climate zone 5A
Roofs: R-38
Walls above grade: R-13+R-7.5 ci= R20.5
Walls below grade: R-7.5
Slab on grade Floors, unheated: R-10
Level 2 work requirements: Existing Building
The reconfiguration of space, the addition or elimination of any door or
window, the reconfiguration or extension of any system, or the installation
of any additional equipment.
Below are requirements for the existing building:
Alterations Level 2 – Reconfigure the existing first floor layout. Remove existing 2nd
floor east spiral stair. Build new egress corridor to access west spiral egress stair.
Occupant Load Calculation (IBC 1004.4.1)
Proposed occupancy 2nd floor R2 use: 200 gross square feet per person equals 8
maximum occupants. 4 maximum occupants are proposed for the total R2 use.
Means of Egress
Alterations level 2, Section 705 .2 General:
The means of egress shall comply with the requirements of this section 705.2:
Exception 2.: Means of egress conforming to the requirements of the building code
under which the building was constructed shall be considered compliant means of
Code Review Thomas Douglas Architects Inc.
Optical Studio 274 Pleasant St, Northampton, MA 196 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA
413-585-0641
6
egress if in the opinion of the code official they do not constitute a distinct hazard to
life.
The two existing spiral stairs were allowed by the code when this building was
constructed. They are currently allowed under the IBC. The IBC new construction
code allows spiral stairs as a means of egress within a single residence.
We propose a change to these means of egress stairs. We propose to eliminate one
of the 2nd floor apartment spiral egress stairs. We propose a new fire rated egress
corridor shared by both apartments, leading to the existing front egress spiral stair.
The stair exits directly to the sidewalk at the Street.
This change is not allowed in the IBC. We would like to propose a compliance
alternative:
Section 1009.9 Spiral Stairways states” Spiral stairways are permitted to be used as
a component in the means of egress only within dwelling units for from a space not
more than 250 square feet in area and serving not more than five occupants… They
shall have a 7 ½” tread depth at 12 inches from the narrow edge. The risers shall
provide headroom of 78” and not more than 9 ½”. Minimum stairway clear width at
and below the handrail is 26”
104.10 Modifications: This section allows the building official to amend or make
exceptions to the code as needed where strict compliance is impractical. We are
required to:
• Show that our problem makes strict letter of the code impractical:
o If we maintained the spiral stair from the east apartment, it would
force egress to made into a small alley type space between our new
addition and a neighboring building. This would be an unsafe
option.
o If we built a code compliant straight stair, it would occupy required
Optical Studio business space on the first floor.
• The modification is in compliance with the intent and purpose of the
code:
o We propose a new egress corridor in compliance with 709 below.
o The existing spiral stair is in compliance with the code for spiral stair
dimensions. See attached drawing.
o There is currently a 1 hour rated ceiling between the 1st floor business
use and the 2nd floor. Any changes we make in this area will be
patched with 5/8” type X sheetrock, fire caulked and sealed.
• The modification does not lessen health, accessibility, life and fire
safety, or structural requirements:
o The residential occupancy is very low- a maximum of 2 people per
apartment equaling 4 people using this egress. The apartment space
Code Review Thomas Douglas Architects Inc.
Optical Studio 274 Pleasant St, Northampton, MA 196 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA
413-585-0641
7
is small. The east apartment is 860 square feet. The west apartment
is 720 square feet. The egress at grade is directly to the sidewalk. The
maximum travel distance is short- it is 66 feet from the most remote
point of the east apartment to the first riser of the spiral stair. The
wall construction around the remaining spiral stair is 1 hour rated
construction. It has 1 layer of 5/8” sheetrock on both sides of the
wall. We will still maintain 2 means of egress. The new egress
corridor shall have emergency lights, exit signs, and fire alarm
system. Both apartments are tied into an existing fire alarm system
that will be upgraded and modified as necessary to be compliant to
the IBC.
IBC section 709 Fire Partitions: The proposed corridor is a “Fire Partition”. Fire
Partitions are required for walls separating dwelling units from dwelling units and
dwelling units from corridor walls. Fire partitions shall have a fire resistance rating
of not less than 1 hour. Although 709.3 exception 1 allows corridor walls to have a
½ hour rating, this building does not have sprinklers and should therefore
maintain the 1-hour rating. The doors shall be 1 hour rated. (IBC 420.2 and 709.1)
Alterations level 2, General:
701.3 Compliance
New electrical equipment must comply with section 708
Length of dead end corridors, comply with 705.6 There are no proposed dead end
corridors.
Minimum ceiling height of newly created habitable and occupied spaces shall be 7
feet. There are no newly created spaces.
705.4.4 Panic Hardware
In level 2 work areas, Panic hardware is only required for A uses with
occupancies over 100. This project does not have this occupancy count or use.
705.7 Means of Egress lighting
All means of egress shall have compliant exit signs.
705.7 Exit Signs
The tenant space shall have compliant egress lighting
711 and 607 Energy Conservation:
Level 1 and 2 alterations are permitted without requiring the entire building to
comply with the International Energy Conservation Code. Alterations (new
construction) shall comply with the International Energy Conservation Code.
Code Review Thomas Douglas Architects Inc.
Optical Studio 274 Pleasant St, Northampton, MA 196 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA
413-585-0641
8
A building that undergoes Level 2 alterations is required to meet a certain level of
energy compliance.
Where there are reconfigurations of the space or new doors or windows, any such
new element is required to meet the International Energy Conservation Code.
Elements within the building that are not being affected do not heed to be evaluated
and do not nee to comply with the energy provisions. Essentially the entire building
is not required to meet the energy provisions; only a degree of possible improvement
in the energy performance of the building is intended to be achieved by making the
new elements meet the IECC. In certain cases where the reconfiguration of the space
might have resulted in the creation of new spaces the newly created space should be
evaluated as a whole for compliance with the energy provisions even though some of
the element within the space might actually not have been altered. Likewise, in a
case where an existing mechanical system is being extended to other areas or new
ductwork is being installed to reconfigure and reroute the ducts to various spaces, it
is only required to have the new elements meet the energy provisions and not the
entire system.
Any new replacement windows will have a maximum U value of 0.4
Any new entrance doors will have a maximum U value of 0.8
None of the existing exterior walls or roof are being altered, so no new insulation is
required.
806 Accessibility
CMR 521
Valuation of Project:
• This project’s construction costs are: $540,000
• The assessed value of the building is: $202,600
• The cost of the project is 266% of the assessed valuation of the tenant
space.
3.3.1 b. If the work costs $100,000 or more, then the work being performed is required
to comply with 521 CMR. In addition, an accessible public entrance and an accessible
toilet room shall be provided.
3.3.2 If the work performed, including the exempted work, amounts to 30% or more
of the full and fair cash value of the building, the entire building is required to comply
with 521 CMR.
3.3.3 Alterations by a tenant do not trigger the requirements of 3.3.1B and 3.3.2 for
other tenants.
This project’s construction costs are more than 30% of the assessed value of the
building and more than $100,000.
Code Review Thomas Douglas Architects Inc.
Optical Studio 274 Pleasant St, Northampton, MA 196 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA
413-585-0641
9
The new addition will be built to accessible standards. The existing B use will be
renovated to accessible standards.
Schedule:
Start construction fall 2016
Completion in 3 months
End of Document
NEW CLOSET
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
Scale: 1/2" = 1'-0"2 1'
-0"
8"LANDING
2'-10"x2'-6"4 3/4"4 3/4"
1-HR
RATED
WALLS
1-HR RATED
CEILINGS3SKA-12'-2"
DISPLAY
CASEFIRST FLOOR PLAN
Scale: 1/2" = 1'-0"1
4 3/4"4 3/4"1'
-0"
8"
15 RISERS = 9 1/4"
1-HR RATED WALLS
1-HR RATED
CEILINGS3SKA-1Architects, Inc.
The architect shall be deemed the author of these documents and shall retain all common, statuatory and other reserved rights including the copyright. Any changes to these drawings without the written consent of the architect shall void the accuracy of the plans.
196 Pleasant Street, Northampton, MA
phone: (413) 585-0641
ISSUE:
274 PLEASANT STNORTHAMPTON, MA 01060
OPTICAL STUDIO
DATE:
THOMAS DOUGLAS SKA-1
SPIRAL STAIR
DETAIL
SCALE: AS NOTED
ON DRAWING
09/12/2016 09/12/2016
DATE REVISED:
STAIR SECTION
Scale: 3/8" = 1'-0"3
15 RISERS
= 9 1/4"9 1/4"TO
HALLWAY
EX. 1 HR
RATED
WALLS TOREMAIN
9'-0 1/2"