Restrooms Required for Small Retail Spaces w/ Unknown Tenants?

[fj80]

2015 IBC, 4-story mixed-use podium building: ground floor retail and 3 floors of apartments above.

Ground floor will be approximately 110'x70' and built out as one large space with ability to divide it into 5 smaller spaces depending on how much space the future tenants want. There is potential for a restaurant to go into a portion of the space but we really don't know yet who the tenants will be.

I believe we need to provide, at a minimum, enough plumbing fixtures for the entire ground floor retail space as required per Table 2902.1 for the Mercantile classification. If a tenant comes in, like a restaurant, who requires more plumbing fixtures, then those fixtures/restrooms would be allowed to be added at a later date as a tenant fit-out, after the shell-and-core building was built. Correct?

Also, Section 2902.3 Exception #2 says that public toilet facilities are not required for tenant spaces "having a public access area less than or equal to 300 square feet." What is this public access area? And it sounds like even if public toilet facilities aren't required, employee toilet facilities still would be required?

 

[ADAguy]

It depends fj, developers often leave the slabs unpoured on ground floors given the unknown requirements of future tenants.
Public Access areas may be viewed as "front" of house if food service or accessible to the public as in retail sales area of store.

 

[mark handler]

2015 IBC, 4-story mixed-use podium building: ground floor retail and 3 floors of apartments above.

Ground floor will be approximately 110'x70' and built out as one large space with ability to divide it into 5 smaller spaces depending on how much space the future tenants want. There is potential for a restaurant to go into a portion of the space but we really don't know yet who the tenants will be.

I believe we need to provide, at a minimum, enough plumbing fixtures for the entire ground floor retail space as required per Table 2902.1 for the Mercantile classification. If a tenant comes in, like a restaurant, who requires more plumbing fixtures, then those fixtures/restrooms would be allowed to be added at a later date as a tenant fit-out, after the shell-and-core building was built. Correct?

Also, Section 2902.3 Exception #2 says that public toilet facilities are not required for tenant spaces "having a public access area less than or equal to 300 square feet." What is this public access area? And it sounds like even if public toilet facilities aren't required, employee toilet facilities still would be required?

Some developers do a leave-out slab, or portion of slab. They do not pour the FF slab, or portion thereof, so the slab and reinforcing will not need to be cut out to add plumbing.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Also, Section 2902.3 Exception #2 says that public toilet facilities are not required for tenant spaces "having a public access area less than or equal to 300 square feet." What is this public access area?

Example would be a small take out area think a Little Caesars, Baskin Robins Ice cream.

 

[JPohling]

You should not need to provide any plumbing fixtures unless you are expecting a certificate of occupancy. That I am sure is not the case as you have no idea who these tenants may be. You would receive a certificate of completion for the building. Occupancy would be determined once you have a lease. the build out would need to satisfy the minimum plumbing fixtures for the occupancy. The leave out's in the slab are useful in many cases but may not necessarily be in the location or size needed for your tenant.

 

[fj80]

You should not need to provide any plumbing fixtures unless you are expecting a certificate of occupancy. That I am sure is not the case as you have no idea who these tenants may be. You would receive a certificate of completion for the building. Occupancy would be determined once you have a lease. the build out would need to satisfy the minimum plumbing fixtures for the occupancy. The leave out's in the slab are useful in many cases but may not necessarily be in the location or size needed for your tenant.

I think it would be very difficult to do leave outs in the right place since we don't know who will move in nor how much space they want.

Interesting approach to provide no restrooms and just get a certificate of completion but no certificate of occupancy. Can you get a certificate of occupancy for the upper three floors of the building without getting one for the ground floor retail?

 

[mtlogcabin]

Can you get a certificate of occupancy for the upper three floors of the building without getting one for the ground floor retail?

Depends on the AHJ we would require a functioning fire suppression and alarm system on the 1st floor and I would have to see you exiting plan for the upper floors

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Our sate requires issue of a C. O. within 3 days after the final inspection passes to plans. In a situation like this we require at least one restroom with an accessible route to it.