Existing door hardware, change of use.

[1849]

Change of use in PA, 1890s building, changed to a offices in the 1990s. Recently changed to a 17 Room hotel. R1, IBC 2018.
Main front doors have a 6 step, staircase. The accessible entrance is on the side w/ ramp and modern pull handle. The front doors have door knobs, not original but not modified in this change of use. Interested if some of you think the knobs should be required to be changed to levers in this change of use process.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

IEBC 306.7.1

Have they spent their 20 percent elsewhere?

 

[jar546]

Change of use in PA, 1890s building, changed to a offices in the 1990s. Recently changed to a 17 Room hotel. R1, IBC 2018.
Main front doors have a 6 step, staircase. The accessible entrance is on the side w/ ramp and modern pull handle. The front doors have door knobs, not original but not modified in this change of use. Interested if some of you think the knobs should be required to be changed to levers in this change of use process.

First, is it on a historical register?

Next, is it a certified building? Was there a CO from L&I when it was converted in the 1990s?

Depending on the purpose of the doors, yes, of course, they should meet accessibility standards.

Section 306 of the IEBC is your friend.

 

[steveray]

This would get dicey for "accessible" upgrades, but this might get you some upgrades...

1011.5.1 Means of Egress for Change to a Higher-Hazard Category​

Where a change of occupancy classification is made to a higher-hazard category (lower number) as shown in Table 1011.5, the means of egress shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 10 of the International Building Code.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Interested if some of you think the knobs should be required to be changed to levers in this change of use process.

IMHO Yes. Can I find a code section to back up my humble opinion? No.
I view it as the door hardware should be the same as what is required to enter and exit the hotel room. Similar to the same that panic hardware has to be installed along the entire exit path until you reach the exit.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

It's tempting to think of the new ramp and door as being "THE" accessible route, but not all disabilities require a person to be in a wheelchair. The need for lever hardware on doors rather than knobs is all about manual strength and dexterity, and the need for hardware that doesn't require "inching, tight grasping, or twisting of the wrist." Captain Hook had two good legs, but only one hand. He could walk up the six steps to the main entrance door but, if his one good hand was carrying "stuff," he wouldn't be able to open a doorknob with his hook. But he probably could release a lever-operated latch.

I had hand surgery on my right hand earlier this year. For about two months, I had zero grip strength. It has been seven months since the procedure, and my right hand is only now getting back to its pre-op strength and dexterity. Lever door hardware is a blessing.

 

[1849]

Located in a historical district, not registered and not a listed contributing resource. An elevator has been in the building for 25 years, the side door/ramp were not added in this renovation. 20% was NOT spent on ADA. Unclear if this building had a L&I c/o from its last renovations, those were probably late 1990s. The doors in question are the main entrance to the hotel. I fully agree that ADA is taken to mean wheelchair when in fact it is far more than that.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Located in a historical district, not registered and not a listed contributing resource. An elevator has been in the building for 25 years, the side door/ramp were not added in this renovation. 20% was NOT spent on ADA. Unclear if this building had a L&I c/o from its last renovations, those were probably late 1990s. The doors in question are the main entrance to the hotel. I fully agree that ADA is taken to mean wheelchair when in fact it is far more than that.

For alterations involving an area containing a primary function, the base requirements is that the route to the altered primary function area be brought up to current standards. This includes the accessible parking, the route from the accessible parking into and through the building to the altered primary function area, and the toilet rooms and drinking fountains serving the altered primary function area.

The ramp and side door constitute a get out of jail free card, BUT ... only if all other aspects of accessibility in and to any altered primary function areas are 100% compliant. If not, the code (and the ADA) says they have to upgrade accessibility. The relief is the 20% rule, which says they don't have to spend more than 20% of the total project cost on accessibility improvements. So, if everything isn't completely in compliance and they need to spend some money toward accessibility improvements, replacing the knobs with lever handle locksets would seem to be an easy way to spend some money without doing a lot of work.

 

[1849]

For alterations involving an area containing a primary function, the base requirements is that the route to the altered primary function area be brought up to current standards. This includes the accessible parking, the route from the accessible parking into and through the building to the altered primary function area, and the toilet rooms and drinking fountains serving the altered primary function area.

The ramp and side door constitute a get out of jail free card, BUT ... only if all other aspects of accessibility in and to any altered primary function areas are 100% compliant. If not, the code (and the ADA) says they have to upgrade accessibility. The relief is the 20% rule, which says they don't have to spend more than 20% of the total project cost on accessibility improvements. So, if everything isn't completely in compliance and they need to spend some money toward accessibility improvements, replacing the knobs with lever handle locksets would seem to be an easy way to spend some money without doing a lot of work.

I THINK you are saying in your opinion, no, the front door knobs do not need to be changed to levers as there is an alternate accessible route from exterior parking to hotel lobby, bathroom, hotel rooms etc.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

I THINK you are saying in your opinion, no, the front door knobs do not need to be changed to levers as there is an alternate accessible route from exterior parking to hotel lobby, bathroom, hotel rooms etc.

I'm saying the knobs don't need to be changed IF every part of the building that contains a primary function is 100 percent accessible, or will be made 100 percent accessible by the alterations. If not, accessibility upgrades are required by the IEBC -- but the cost of the accessibility upgrades does not have to exceed 20 percent of the total project cost. It's not as simple as saying, "Okay, we've got a ramp -- we're done."

306.7 Alterations. A facility that is altered shall comply
with the applicable provisions in Chapter 11 of the International
Building Code, ICC A117.1 and the provisions of
Sections 306.7.1 through 306.7.16, unless technically infeasible.
Where compliance with this section is technically
infeasible, the alteration shall provide access to the maximum
extent technically feasible.
306.7.1 Alterations affecting an area containing a
primary function. Where an alteration affects the accessibility
to, or contains an area of primary function, the
route to the primary function area shall be accessible. The
accessible route to the primary function area shall include
toilet facilities and drinking fountains serving the area of
primary function.
Exceptions:
1. The costs of providing the accessible route are
not required to exceed 20 percent of the costs
of the alterations affecting the area of primary
function.
2. This provision does not apply to alterations
limited solely to windows, hardware, operating
controls, electrical outlets and signs.
3. This provision does not apply to alterations
limited solely to mechanical systems, electrical
systems, installation or alteration of fire
protection systems and abatement of hazardous
materials.
4. This provision does not apply to alterations
undertaken for the primary purpose of increasing
the accessibility of a facility.
5. This provision does not apply to altered areas
limited to Type B dwelling and sleeping units.

Another consideration: Are the main entrance doors (the old doors, with the knobs) part of a required path of exit travel? If so, I believe lever hardware is required.

1010.2.2 Hardware. Door handles, pulls, latches, locks and
other operating devices on doors required to be accessible by
Chapter 11 shall not require tight grasping, tight pinching or
twisting of the wrist to operate.

This section applies only to doors "required to be accessible by Chapter 11," so the AHJ may decide that it's not required for the main entrance/exit doors. There's a provision in the IEBC that says accessible means of egress are not required in existing buildings. As a long-time accessibility advocate, I don't like that provision, but my state didn't delete it or amend it, so them's the rules.

 

[mtlogcabin]

As been noted on here many times owners have had more than 20 years to improve the accessibility within their buildings that have nothing to do with permitted building code projects. There are even tax credits to encourage these minor barrier removal improvements.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Oh, hell -- I've been in doctors' offices built many years after the adoption of the ADA that didn't comply. One might think that if anyone would want to be accessible, it would be a doctor. If one thought that, one would be wrong.

Even the VA hospital I go to doesn't comply.

 

[1849]

Oh, hell -- I've been in doctors' offices built many years after the adoption of the ADA that didn't comply. One might think that if anyone would want to be accessible, it would be a doctor. If one thought that, one would be wrong.

Even the VA hospital I go to doesn't comply.

A sad state of affairs, I wonder why anyone bothers, it is hard to take any of seriously when you see such much ineptitude. Fire separations are more important for life safety but where I am, no one seems to understand they are even required.