Thought there use to be something about A occupancy in a mall??
Maybe what floor they can be on??? Or per centage???
09 commentary
Covered or open mall buildings are considered to be special types of unlimited area buildings and are exempt from the area limitations of Table 503 when they are limited to not more than three stories above grade plane. It should be noted that the height limitations in feet, specified in Table 503 based on the type of construction classification, are applicable to covered or open mall buildings. The allowance of an unlimited area anchor building is based on the restriction of construction types to noncombustible (Types I and II), noncombustible/combustible (Type III) and heavy timber (Type IV), and the effectiveness of the automatic sprinkler system. When the anchor building is over three stories above grade plane, it must comply with the general provisions of Chapter 5, such as Sections 503, 504 and 506. The last sentence of the code text serves as a reminder that the construction of parking garages is regulated by the general provisions found in Section 406 and that they are not regulated by the covered mall building's type of construction. It also clarifies that the garage is not included in the unlimited area as stated in the first sentence of the code text.
402.7.2 Tenant separations. Each tenant space shall be separated from other tenant spaces by a fire partition complying with Section 709. A tenant separation wall is not required between any tenant space and the mall.
Covered mall buildings are essentially large unlimited area mixed-occupancy buildings. Rather than complying with Section 508.3 or 508.4, the building has a series of protections including the tenant separations specified in this section. In order to limit the spread of smoke, tenant separation walls are required to be fire partitions (see Section 709) having a fire-resistance rating of at least 1 hour and extending from the floor to the underside of the ceiling (see Figure 402.7.2). Extending tenant separations to the floor slab or roof deck above is not always practical or possible because of operation of the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. The effectiveness of the automatic sprinkler system is also a reason for not requiring tenant separations to extend above the ceiling, including attic spaces (see Section 709.4, Exception 4).
Again the open mall "building" provides a unique question regarding separation of tenant spaces. The open mall building may likely be a collection of separate structures treated as a one open mall "building." As such, the walls between the tenant spaces and the mall will be "interior walls" to the whole covered mall building complex, but they are also exterior walls as they separate interior from exterior environments. As part of a complex of buildings, the exterior walls of each individual tenant space facing the mall will not need to meet the wall and opening protection of Section 705, but need to comply with other exterior wall provisions of Chapter 14. The walls on the exterior face of the open mall "building" would be subject to the provisions of Section 705.
Figure 402.7.2 TENANT SPACE AND ANCHOR BUILDING SEPARATIONS
