Change of Use, 1960's nonsprinklered Motel to multifamily

[GregC]

I have a project that is going from R1 to R2 as a temporary solution to an area of blight as they do some other developments on site before ultimately tearing these down. So the owners are trying to avoid spending a lot of money.

2 buildings similar but not identical as the site isn't flat.
2 story
11147 sf per floor per building (Thats over whats allowed as nonsprinklered)
Units are tiny so the bathrooms don't work for accessibility.
2018 Codes (Idaho)

Do we have to sprinkler the building?
Does the entire building need to be brought up to full compliance on accessibility?
Noise ratings between units?

One of my colleagues swears it does and has more experience in this arena than I do, however, I feel like I've seen things to the contrary.

 

[steveray]

What compliance method are you using? IEBC 301-ish....

 

[GregC]

Trying for the Performance Based Method (In my mind it gives the most latitude, although I am not positive on that)

 

[Yikes]

What year was it first built? Was it back when hotel and apartments were still in the same occupancy classification / group?

 

[e hilton]

Seems like you could issue a temp CofO for a defined period, maybe a year, non-renewable. I wouldn’t be concerned about noise separation. Maybe install new smoke alarms tied to a monitoring service. Add a portable fire extinguisher in every unit.

 

[GregC]

What year was it first built? Was it back when hotel and apartments were still in the same occupancy classification / group?

Built in 1960.

 

[steveray]

Performance might be the only way out....Just a bunch of work to find out...

 

[mtlogcabin]

as a temporary solution to an area of blight as they do some other developments on site before ultimately tearing these down.

Get a specific time frame for this temporary solution and you could consider the following.

License it as a hotel/motel under your state laws and pay the bed tax. Then rent the rooms on a weekly or monthly time frame, and you are an R-1 under the code.

 

[Yikes]

Built in 1960.

Check 1960 Idaho codes and your certificate of occupancy to see if apartments and hotels or motels were treated as the same type of occupancy.