drubinoff
Member
Hi,
I'm working on a small mixed use building in Massachusetts. The existing second story will be converted to residential (two apartments) and a new third story addition will be built for an additional one or two apartments.
The existing second story has two means of egress. The building will be fully sprinklered.
I'm reading in IBC 2009 that Table 1021.2 allows for the second story to have one means of egress in our case (R-2 occupancy) and the third story to have one means of egress in our case (R-2 occupancy with sprinklers). Therefore, it's my interpretation that each unit only needs access to one egress stair. Another way of interpreting this is that the two third floor apartments would could share a common stair (outside the units) down to the second floor.
I would have thought the third floor would have had to have had two means of egress and have every unit have access to two means of egress, but I guess that's not the case here.
The situation is muddied by the fact that the rear of the building (which is part of a continuous block of buildings sharing party side walls) has the basement at grade; I suppose it could be argued that the rear of the third story is actually a fourth story, and would need a second means of egress for both the story and for both units on that floor.
In particular, I'm trying to understand on the third floor if I need (a) the second stair and (b) if so, whether I need to surrender square footage to a connecting corridor between stairs.
Thoughts? Please argue with me.
Thanks,
Derek
I'm working on a small mixed use building in Massachusetts. The existing second story will be converted to residential (two apartments) and a new third story addition will be built for an additional one or two apartments.
The existing second story has two means of egress. The building will be fully sprinklered.
I'm reading in IBC 2009 that Table 1021.2 allows for the second story to have one means of egress in our case (R-2 occupancy) and the third story to have one means of egress in our case (R-2 occupancy with sprinklers). Therefore, it's my interpretation that each unit only needs access to one egress stair. Another way of interpreting this is that the two third floor apartments would could share a common stair (outside the units) down to the second floor.
I would have thought the third floor would have had to have had two means of egress and have every unit have access to two means of egress, but I guess that's not the case here.
The situation is muddied by the fact that the rear of the building (which is part of a continuous block of buildings sharing party side walls) has the basement at grade; I suppose it could be argued that the rear of the third story is actually a fourth story, and would need a second means of egress for both the story and for both units on that floor.
In particular, I'm trying to understand on the third floor if I need (a) the second stair and (b) if so, whether I need to surrender square footage to a connecting corridor between stairs.
Thoughts? Please argue with me.
Thanks,
Derek