Travel distance at buildings with 2 levels of exit discharge

[YonLL]

Hi, I am working on this high-rise apartment building in NYC, where it has 2 street fronts, and there is one level height difference between the 2 streets (about 10'). This is a big site and has an enormous amount of units on each level. In evaluating the floor plan, the egress strategy on the 1st floor is kind of counterintuitive from a resident's perspective. This apartment building has apartment units at every level.

Below is a dumbed-down(NTS due to confidentiality) version of the 1st floor plan with the question highlighted. By instinct, you would think the apartments will split into 2 halves, with the first half egressing through the protected corridor, through the lobby, and directly out to the front street, and the other half going down to the stairs and discharging at the back street. However, as the diagram indicates, some units that appear closer to the front street need to travel through the stairs to satisfy the egress requirements. I think this is technically allowed, but from a tenant's perspective, I would never use the stairs unless the front egress is blocked(by fire, for example)

200' max is what is allowed in NYC for an R-2 fully sprinklered building.

I want to propose some side exits, but just want to get your opinions on this current condition that I described.

Thank you and have a good Thanksgiving holiday!

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

What's the plan of the floor/story below? Does the exit stair discharge directly to the outdoors, or through a lobby/vestibule?

 

[Sprinkler1000]

Hi, I am working on this high-rise apartment building in NYC, where it has 2 street fronts, and there is one level height difference between the 2 streets (about 10'). This is a big site and has an enormous amount of units on each level. In evaluating the floor plan, the egress strategy on the 1st floor is kind of counterintuitive from a resident's perspective. This apartment building has apartment units at every level.

Below is a dumbed-down(NTS due to confidentiality) version of the 1st floor plan with the question highlighted. By instinct, you would think the apartments will split into 2 halves, with the first half egressing through the protected corridor, through the lobby, and directly out to the front street, and the other half going down to the stairs and discharging at the back street. However, as the diagram indicates, some units that appear closer to the front street need to travel through the stairs to satisfy the egress requirements. I think this is technically allowed, but from a tenant's perspective, I would never use the stairs unless the front egress is blocked(by fire, for example)

200' max is what is allowed in NYC for an R-2 fully sprinklered building.

I want to propose some side exits, but just want to get your opinions on this current condition that I described.

Thank you and have a good Thanksgiving holiday!


View attachment 17231

I think that if at least one exit is within the 200 ft distance is enough for compliance.