4 Tenants 4 Bathrooms - 2 mens 2 womens - convert one to unisex ADA?

[Polar]

So there's (4) 1st floor commercial spaces with access though a common corridor to (4) toilet rooms.one set of men's and women's on one end of the corridor and another at the other endthe total occupant load for all four tenants is less than 100(This is NH and by the age of the tile in the toilet rooms, in is possible that the safe harbor part of the ADA guidelines would allow and ADA 1991 guidlines compliant accessible toilet room design)per IBC table 2902.1 only 1 toilet per 75 men and 1 toilet per 75 women are needed for an 'A-2' use/occupancyour occupancy would be the most restrictive and we would only need 1 toilet for all the men and 1 toilet for all the women so two toilet rooms - right now there are four separated by a distance of 50 feet between groups of toilet roomsCould we make just one of the four toilet rooms fully accessible and make it uni-sex (not men's or women's)?And could that one fully accessible unisex bathroom be 50 feet away from our tenant space? (see diagram)

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[Builder Bob]

Since the toilets are for common use, the number of fixtures should be based on the total occupant load of the present uses (all tenants)..... this may require additional fixtures.

 

[Polar]

Since the toilets are for common use, the number of fixtures should be based on the total occupant load of the present uses (all tenants)..... this may require additional fixtures.

Hi Builder Bob, the total occupant load for all 4 tenant spaces only seems to require 1 men's and 1 women's total - assuming that business and merchantile loads are less than a restaurants 1 toilet per 75 men and 1 toilet per 75 women

 

[syarn]

is it a change of use as part of the alteration?

 

[mark handler]

The use of unisex (or single-user) toilet rooms are allowed in alterations when technical infeasibility can be demonstrated.

Though you may want to look at potty parity

 

[Polar]

is it a change of use as part of the alteration?

Yes it is - that's the sort of odd thing - the 2nd has been totally gutted, but nobody has moved into the res. condos on the 2nd floor. I am guessing that they had offices on all of the 2nd floor and that's why they have 2x the number of toilets they seem to need now on the 1st floor.

I can tell by the toilet room tile that the 'shell' pre-dates 1991 - or seems to. But I don't have much experience apply the safe harbor relief in the 2012 application of the 2010 ADA guidelines. The existing bathrooms seem to match the 1991 accessible floor plan - or at least can accommodate a fully accessible toilet room layout (1991 again) if needed.

All said it looks like they renovated 85% of the building, leaving the core and shell in place. Not sure what the triggers are there....

As for change of use - for the renovation the designer labled the 1st floor retail spaces as merchantile (sp?). We are putting in an 'A-2' restaurant assembly with an occupancy load of less than 100 by the table in Ch. 10 and less than 50 by a manual count of actuall seating (the 15 sf per person in unconcentrated seating clobbers us with 53 alone).

What it was before the recent renovation? Who knows....

 

[Polar]

The use of unisex (or single-user) toilet rooms are allowed in alterations when technical infeasibility can be demonstrated.Though you may want to look at potty parity

I skimmed the potty parity post early this morning, but I'll take a look again. Thank you.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Looks like you could take the W ADA and the mens along with the room with the sink and make 2 compliant restrooms and then remove the other 2 near the exit and free up that floor space for something else

Just a thought

 

[Polar]

I skimmed the potty parity post early this morning, but I'll take a look again. Thank you.

mtlogcabin, that's a great idea - that corner space could be nice - unfortunately it's the rest of the base building and the Landlord already resents me for implying that the current toilet room configurations may not meet code.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Any ADA upgrades are a tax credit. Have him check with his accountant/tax preparer it might be the selling point you need