Appeal 10986

1029

Basements and sleeping rooms below the fourth story above grade plane shall have at least one exterior emergency escape and rescue opening in accordance with this section…Such openings shall open directly into a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public way
• Minimum clear opening shall be 5.7 SF.
• Minimum clear opening height shall be 24”.
• Minimum clear opening width shall be 20”.
• Maximum height from floor shall not exceed 44”.

The proposed design has the owners of the building living above their business, in a large apartment. The living and dining areas open to Pine Street, and the other walls of the apartment area are existing and abut the property line. A new emergency egress window would not be an allowed opening on the property line. An emergency egress window from this bedroom would not open directly into a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public way. The apartment area is of a "loft" style and has an open layout to the windows.

The second floor apartment has a line of windows the length of the Pine Street facade that serves the living area of the apartment. This is the only facade that opens into a public way. An emergency egress window is proposed in this location at the location closest to the bedroom. The building will be fully sprinklered to NFPA 13 on both floors.

Table 602, Table 705.8

Section 602 requires a 1 hour Fire Rating at 0’ Fire separation distance from the property line.
Section 704.8 - “The maximum area of unprotected or protected openings permitted in an exterior wall in any story shall not exceed the values set forth in Table 704.8.” Per Table 704.8, unprotected and protected openings are ‘not permitted’.

The existing unprotected openings located on Level 2 directly on the northern property line are proposed to remain unchanged. The window locations date to the original 1960 building construction. The existing adjacent building roof is located below these windows.

The windows are unchanged in the proposed modification of the building. No change is proposed for the windows or wall rating along the property line. These windows are under review as part of a proposed occupancy change from F-1 to A-3 on the building ground floor, and a proposed occupancy change from S-1 to R-3 on the south side of the second floor. The occupancy behind these windows is not proposing any work or any change in occupancy. The remainder of the north wall is CMU. The building will be fully sprinklered to NFPA 13 on both floors. We propose that additional sprinklers be installed at the windows as part of the NFPA 13 sprinkler system for the entire building.