New Condominium and ADA Requirements

[Yikes]

jar456, not meaning to pile the criticism on our esteemed forum coordinator, but the way your original post asked the question results in GIGO. It uses 2 generic, colloquial terms (condo and ADA) that have a much more precise and focused meaning as legal terminology.

When people hear the word “condo” most think of housing, but I’ve seen office condos, storage condos, and live+work condos. I’ve seen private housing condos where the HOA decides to rent out the rec center to the public, and now the common area is a place of public accommodation.

Besides needing to clarify whether the condos were housing, you initially limited the question to “ADA” but you really meant “all applicable accessibility regulations”. Unfortunately “ADA” has a specific limited legal application but is used generically in our American culture for “access compliance”.

My most often-posted response to these kind of questions is: where is the project located, and what do you initially believe are the applicable codes and regulations?
You’ll get a radically different answer in California vs. Florida.

And in the case of private housing, there are more follow-up questions related to FHA, and in CA our CBC 11A:
How many of the units are flats, and how many are multistory? (Units per floor defines the entry level of the unit but not necessarily the number of stories inside the unit.)
Is there any elevator on the project?

 

[Mr. Inspector]

So would the IBC and ANSI A117.7 apply to R2 condominiums?

Both would apply to all buildings everywhere as amended where the IBC was adopted and enforced except the homes that are covered by the IRC.
I believe FL goes by their own code.

 

[mtlogcabin]

I had forgotten FL incorporated the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design, into their codes.
So not a "generic" term for him when talking accessibility codes.


553.503 Adoption of federal standards.—Subject to modifications under this part, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design, and related regulations provided in 28 C.F.R. parts 35 and 36 and 49 C.F.R. part 37, are hereby adopted and incorporated by reference as the law of this state and shall be incorporated into the Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction and adopted by the Florida Building Commission in accordance with chapter 120.

 

[jar546]

He lives in an area where all multi-floor residential building are referred to as "condos" similar to ordering a "Coke" 40 years ago in parts of the south the waitress would ask "what kind" it was and still is used as a generic name for all soda/pop brands and flavors.

They are being designed and incorporated to be condominiums, which is why I used the term. This is relevant as they are designed as an R2. Not all multi-residential buildings in Florida are called condominiums so I don't know where you get that idea from. Either way, this thread is way off-topic and becoming useless because the purpose of the thread topic is not being addressed.

 

[jar546]

jar456, not meaning to pile the criticism on our esteemed forum coordinator, but the way your original post asked the question results in GIGO. It uses 2 generic, colloquial terms (condo and ADA) that have a much more precise and focused meaning as legal terminology.

When people hear the word “condo” most think of housing, but I’ve seen office condos, storage condos, and live+work condos. I’ve seen private housing condos where the HOA decides to rent out the rec center to the public, and now the common area is a place of public accommodation.

Besides needing to clarify whether the condos were housing, you initially limited the question to “ADA” but you really meant “all applicable accessibility regulations”. Unfortunately “ADA” has a specific limited legal application but is used generically in our American culture for “access compliance”.

My most often-posted response to these kind of questions is: where is the project located, and what do you initially believe are the applicable codes and regulations?
You’ll get a radically different answer in California vs. Florida.

And in the case of private housing, there are more follow-up questions related to FHA, and in CA our CBC 11A:
How many of the units are flats, and how many are multistory? (Units per floor defines the entry level of the unit but not necessarily the number of stories inside the unit.)
Is there any elevator on the project?

A condo is an R2 with ownership. An apartment is an R2 without ownership that is rented. They are both designed the same and have the same requirements. I am actually being more specific by letting everyone know that I a talking about condominiums. I am now aware that many of you inappropriately refer to many things as condos when they in-fact, are not.

 

[jar546]

My most often-posted response to these kind of questions is: where is the project located, and what do you initially believe are the applicable codes and regulations?
You’ll get a radically different answer in California vs. Florida.

Yes, which is why the thread was started. To create dialogue about accessibility requirements regardless of the location. You may answer the question with your California answer and someone else may answer it with the Florida requirements, North Carolina, Maine, Texas, etc. That is what makes this forum valuable is the variety of information that can serve many people.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

We have some townhouses that are condos. The townhouse units are privately owned while the community owns the land and recreational areas. These would be under the IRC. I suggest not using the word condo on this web site because it makes confusion and has nothing to do with the codes.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

We have some townhouses that are condos. The townhouse units are privately owned while the community owns the land and recreational areas. These would be under the IRC. I suggest not using the word condo on this web site because it makes confusion and has nothing to do with the codes.

Thank you. Most condominium projects around this state are townhouse buildings, designed and constructed under the IRC. If the form of ownership didn't impact the question, I respectfully suggest that it would have been more appropriate to describe the units as what they are: R-2 dwelling units. As it is, it wasn't until post #8 that we learned the question did not address townhouse structures under the IRC.

 

[jar546]

Thank you. Most condominium projects around this state are townhouse buildings, designed and constructed under the IRC. If the form of ownership didn't impact the question, I respectfully suggest that it would have been more appropriate to describe the units as what they are: R-2 dwelling units. As it is, it wasn't until post #8 that we learned the question did not address townhouse structures under the IRC.

Because you were only thinking inside your own bubble.

 

[steveray]

Because you were only thinking inside your own bubble.

Stay out of my bubble...it's my safe space....

 

[Sifu]

He lives in an area where all multi-floor residential building are referred to as "condos" similar to ordering a "Coke" 40 years ago in parts of the south the waitress would ask "what kind" it was and still is used as a generic name for all soda/pop brands and flavors.

I grew up in the south. This is EXACTLY the way it was. I would want an orange soda, or a Dr. Pepper, or a Mr. PIBB, or......an RC cola (how's that for a blast from the past?). I would ask for a coke, they would say what kind, and I would tell them. I then moved to the northeast, I would ask for a coke, and I got one. I was confused. It took a minute to adjust my ordering behavior. I grew to like Coke.

As far as the condo debate. I ignore the "condo" word when I see it and go from there. I think FL has a lot of these type of 2 and 3 story stacked floors with just a few units each. Just a style of living. My part of MX has a lot of them as well, but lets not have a discussion about codes and accessibility in MX.