Detached Middle School Gymnasium

[nmorgan]

Hello everyone,

I am a long-time reader but a first-time poster. This forum is an incredible resource, and I am very glad to have all of your knowledge and expertise available.

I have a middle school wanting to build a detached gymnasium (basketball court, wrestling room, no classrooms) roughly 30' away from the main school building. My question for you all is whether you would apply section 303.1.3 and consider this building an E occupancy, or would you consider it an A-4 since it is detached? It is likely, but unconfirmed, that they will hold sporting events and band concerts here. Thanks in advance!

 

[RLGA]

Section 303.1.3 seems rather straightforward but is actually not, so you have to look at it closely. For one, it states "a room or space" and not a building; thus, it should be interpreted to mean an assembly "room or space" that is ancillary to the main Group E occupancy can be included as part of the Group E occupancy. A building with predominantly assembly spaces should be classified as a Group A occupancy.

The IBC Code and Commentary supports this interpretation by stating, "It is worth mentioning, for these assembly functions to be considered part of the primary Group E occupancy, the assembly functions must be ancillary and supportive to the educational operation of the building." It further states,

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"If the spaces are to be used for functions where more than the students and staff are in attendance, they would be classified into the appropriate Group A occupancy based on their specific function...[O]ften these school facilities are used for other functions such as a meeting of a community service organization or a community crafts fair. These types of uses fall outside of the intent of this section, and therefore such assembly spaces would need to be classified as Group A."​

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

If it will have indoor seating (including bleachers) it should be an A-4. If there will be NO indoor seating -- ever -- then it can be an A-3. I would not classify a detached building as E unless they provide an analysis of the entire school under the code provisions for treating multiple buildings on a site as a single building. Even then, the gymnasium is an A-3 or A-4 use, and the overall complex would be mixed occupancy.

 

[Tim Mailloux]

I work in the educational group at my firm, and every new school we do is a mixed E / A occupancy.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

I work in the educational group at my firm, and every new school we do is a mixed E / A occupancy.

This question, though, is about a gymnasium in a separate building. Has your firm ever done a school like that? In order to treat it as a mixed occupancy, you would have to be using the provisions under which multiple buildings on the same site are assessed as a single structure. (IBC 503.1.2)

503.1.2 Buildings on same lot. Two or more buildings on
the same lot shall be regulated as separate buildings or
shall be considered as portions of one building where the
building height, number of stories of each building and
the aggregate building area of the buildings are within the
limitations specified in Sections 504 and 506. The provisions
of this code applicable to the aggregate building
shall be applicable to each building.

 

[Tim Mailloux]

This question, though, is about a gymnasium in a separate building. Has your firm ever done a school like that? In order to treat it as a mixed occupancy, you would have to be using the provisions under which multiple buildings on the same site are assessed as a single structure. (IBC 503.1.2)

Given how small the allowable area is for an E occupancy I don’t see how this stand-alone gym building could be considered part of the main building. Almost every school we do has a fire wall or two to break it up due to area limitations. I would most certainly consider this a separate building and classify it as an A.

 

[Penguin87]

Definitely A. You can only consider it part of the main occupancy if, along with any other accessory uses, they total less than 10% the area of the area of the building.

However, 30' separation would generally be permitted as a separate structure, and will generally be beneficial to do so.