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New Architect, first project - ADA Help. Structure inside a structure.

S

SamBlu

Registered User
Joined
Apr 20, 2023
Messages
7
Location
WA
Hello all - I'm in the research stages of my first project and am feeling a bit lost. I'm trying to figure out the accessibility requirements for a 2 story office building being built inside of a prefab metal manufacturing warehouse. The structures will be erected together, so no existing structure. I'm assuming I need a lift, for the second floor, but I'm not exactly sure how I should be defining this office space... being a structure within a structure. It takes up less than 10% of the metal structure's floor space, so maybe it's an accessory unit? The facility will be manufacturing watercrafts and should fall under medium hazard.

I'd appreciate any help. Thank you~
 
The first floor will be about 3,810 SF while the containing warehouse will be about 57,075 SF.
 
Your thread title says “ADA” but your first post says “accessibility requirements”, which can additionally include local building codes. What Is the applicable building code where the project is located?
 
Yikes said:
Your thread title says “ADA” but your first post says “accessibility requirements”, which can additionally include local building codes. What Is the applicable building code where the project is located?
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I haven't come upon any specific amendments, around this, for the state , county, or city's code.
 

1104.4 Multistory Buildings and Facilities​

At least one accessible route shall connect each accessible story, mezzanine and occupied roofs in multilevel buildings and facilities.

Exceptions:
  1. An accessible route is not required to stories, mezzanines and occupied roofs that have an aggregate area of not more than 3,000 square feet (278.7 m2) and are located above and below accessible levels. This exception shall not apply to:
    1. Multiple tenant facilities of Group M occupancies containing five or more tenant spaces used for the sales or rental of goods and where at least one such tenant space is located on a floor level above or below the accessible levels.
    2. Stories or mezzanines containing offices of health care providers (Group B or I).
    3. Passenger transportation facilities and airports (Group A-3 or B).
    4. Government buildings.
    5. Structures with four or more dwelling units.
  2. Stories, mezzanines or occupied roofs that do not contain accessible elements or other spaces as determined by Section 1108 or 1109 are not required to be served by an accessible route from an accessible level.
  3. In air traffic control towers, an accessible route is not required to serve the cab and the floor immediately below the cab.
  4. Where a two-story building or facility has one story or mezzanine with an occupant load of five or fewer persons that does not contain public use space, that story or mezzanine shall not be required to be connected by an accessible route to the story above or below.
 
SamBlu said:
I haven't come upon any specific amendments, around this, for the state , county, or city's code.
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I’m saying that ADA is different from local code, and you haven’t told us what your local code is.
Is the project located in the state of Washington?
 
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SamBlu said:
We're calling the second floor a mezzanine, though.
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Be sure to look at Section 505 to make sure that it meets the definition of a mezzanine. Specifically, the occupant load and the extent to which you programmatically need it to be enclosed.

Also, when you define something as a "Mezzanine", you are subject to the Common Path of Travel distance per 1006.2. If the occupant load is to high (relative to the extent you need to enclose it) is may need to be treated as a 2nd Floor. This will require that you meet the travel distance to an EXIT, per 1006.3, and not just a Common Path of Travel to a point where two (2) exit paths are available.
 
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