Mezzanines and exception 505.2.1

[jar546]

I have a 1.1 million square foot distribution center that is separated into 2 buildings via a firewall. The area in question has existing mezzanines that make up 44.5% of the gross floor area of that section of the building.

The building was built under the 1996 BOCA and at the time was classified as a "special industrial occupancy".

The BOCA code no longer applies in Pennsylvania. We have been under the I-Codes for the past 8.5 years.

This is a distribution center for a retail clothing/department store, very typical with racking, lifts, etc.

The new plans are trying to call this an F-1 which I don't agree with after a visit to the building.

They are also trying to use Exception 505.2.1 which allows the mezzanines to take up to 2/3 of the gross floor area based on the fact that the building had a CO as a "special industrial occupancy"

The new mezzanine (50,000 square feet) now exceeds the 50% exception of 505.2.2 which is the one that I think applies.

I don't see how we can look back at old codes that have been repealed when the new construction will fall under the 2009 IBC and I-Codes.

I don't agree with F1 and I don't agree that this is a "special industrial occupancy" since it is nothing more than a warehouse.

Thoughts?

 

[Coug Dad]

Sounds like a S-1 to me. Can they use the unlimited area provisions for two story Group S that are fully sprinklered with 60 feet of clear space around the perimeter?

 

[north star]

= = +

An S-1 and the `09 I-codes will apply!

From Section 311.2 [ `09 IBC ] - Moderate hazard storage,

Group S-1.

Buildings occupied for storage uses that are not classified as

Group S-2, including, but not limited to, storage of the following:

Aerosols, Levels 2 and 3

Aircraft hangar (storage and repair)

Bags: cloth, burlap and paper

Bamboos and rattan

Baskets

Belting: canvas and leather

Books and paper in rolls or packs

Boots and shoes

Buttons, including cloth covered, pearl or bone

Cardboard and cardboard boxes

Clothing, woolen wearing apparel

Cordage

Dry boat storage (indoor)

Furniture

Furs

Glues, mucilage, pastes and size

Grains

Horns and combs, other than celluloid

Leather

Linoleum

Lumber

Motor vehicle repair garages complying with the maximum

allowable quantities of hazardous materials listed in Table

307.1(1) (see :Next('./icod_ibc_2009_4_par155.htm')'>Section 406.6)

Photo engravings

Resilient flooring

Silks

Soaps

Sugar

Tires, bulk storage of

Tobacco, cigars, cigarettes and snuff

Upholstery and mattresses

Wax candles

+ = =

 

[mtlogcabin]

Agree it is an S-1

The code does allow a change in occupancy without requiring the building to meet all the code requirements. I believe that provision is there to allow building built under previous code to remain without meeting all of the current code requirements. I would suggest if you choose to go that route and allow the existing mezzanine to stay that exiting would be a main concern and maybe protected exits leading directly to the outside might be something to consider.

3408.1 Conformance.

No change shall be made in the use or occupancy of any building that would place the building in a different division of the same group of occupancies or in a different group of occupancies, unless such building is made to comply with the requirements of this code for such division or group of occupancies. Subject to the approval of the building official , the use or occupancy of existing buildings shall be permitted to be changed and the building is allowed to be occupied for purposes in other groups without conforming to all the requirements of this code for those groups, provided the new or proposed use is less hazardous, based on life and fire risk, than the existing use.

Chapter 34 Existing Structures. The provisions in Chapter 34 deal with alternative methods or reduced compliance requirements when dealing with existing building constraints. This chapter allows for a controlled departure from full compliance with the technical codes, without compromising the minimum standards for fire prevention and life safety features of the rehabilitated building. Provisions are divided by addition, alterations, repairs, change of occupancy and moved structures. There are further allowances for registered historic buildings. There are also special allowances for replacement of existing stairways, replacement of glass and accessibility requirements. The fire escape requirements in Section 3406 are consistent with the fire escape requirements in Section 1030 of the International Fire Code (IFC).

Section 3412, Compliance Alternatives , allows for existing buildings to be evaluated so as to show that alterations, while not meeting new construction requirements, will improve the current existing situation. Provisions are based on a numerical scoring system involving 18 various safety parameters and the degree of code compliance for each issue.

Chapter 34 is repeated in the International Existing Building Code (IEBC). Sections 3402 through 3409 are repeated as IEBC Chapter 3 and Section 3410 as Chapter 13.

 

[steveray]

Jeff......Was it vacant and now just a new tenant?.....I do not agree with the F....are the mezzanines on both sides of the firewalls?.....I would say it might be allowed to remain as is if there are no changes, but a mezzanine addition might make it less compliant, and that would not be allowed....under current codes.

 

[jar546]

All mezzanines on the same side in the same area. Not new, existing and they want to add more mezzanines. I just can't see the justification for an F1 nor can I see how it can be classified as a "special industrial occupancy", even if the old CO says so. The problem is that PA had the 1927 Fire and Panic Act in place, not the BOCA code. If they built to the BOCA, then they chose to but it was not required.

 

[Coug Dad]

How about calling it unlimited area two story?

 

[FM William Burns]

I'm with the others......... S-1 and ours was classified using BOCA as an S-1.

 

[mtlogcabin]

existing and they want to add more mezzanines

No way can you expand the sq ft of the existing mezzanines to exceed current code limits

And it is not a Special industrial occupancy as described in 503.1.1

503.1.1 Special industrial occupancies.

Buildings and structures designed to house special industrial processes that require large areas and unusual building heights to accommodate craneways or special machinery and equipment, including, among others, rolling mills; structural metal fabrication shops and foundries; or the production and distribution of electric, gas or steam power, shall be exempt from the building height and area limitations of Table 503.

 

[kilitact]

What are the processes in this facility? Do they bring boxes in then stack and ship or do they do packaging? If the latter I can see the possibility of F1 classification.

 

[brudgers]

My take: allow continued occupancy as is. If they want to expand a non-conforming facility, then they need to meet current code requirements in regard to occupancy/area/construction type.

 

[Mech]

Can they classify the mezzanine space as a second story and add an elevator?

 

[steveray]

I do like the second story idea if it can work in the real world, but agree that it sounds like it does not work under the mezzanine sections...but then there are the accessibility issues.....