Appeal 16633

1022.2, 1022.4

1022.2 Enclosures for interior exit stairways…shall be constructed as fire barriers in accordance with 707.,
1022.4 Elevators shall not open into the interior exit stairway

The existing historic hotel building has an interior stair that is open to the corridors and elevator lobbies on all four levels of the building. The stair shares the floor landing with the corridor. The building is proposing renovations that include upgrades to the seismic, fire and life safety systems.

The proposed renovations maintain the existing historic interior stair and relationship to the adjacent corridors and elevator lobbies. The proposed design adds new doors on magnetic hold opens between the stair and corridors to provide the required enclosure of the stair and provide a retractable 2 hour fire curtain between the stair landing and the elevator lobby to provide the required separation. The roll down curtain also has slip through access for firefighting personnel to slip between the areas if necessary. See attached product cut sheet and floor plan for location of doors, curtain and configuration.

The existing stair shares the floor landing with the corridors and is open to the elevator lobby. The property is on the national historic register and the interior stair is noted as a contributing element in the listing.

The proposed design provides doors and opening protectives to provide equivalent fire protection for the egress route, separation between floors and maintain enclosure for the stair and elevator while maintaining the historic configuration of the contributing elements.

Table 601, Section 602.3

1. Table 601 Type IIIB requires a 0 hr primary structural frame, 2hr exterior bearing walls, 0 hr interior bearing walls, 0 hr floor construction & secondary members, 0 hr roof & secondary members.
2. Section 602.3 Type III construction requires exterior walls to be non-combustible and interior elements are any permitted by the code. Fire retardant wood framing complying with Section 2303.2 shall be permitted in within exterior wall assemblies of 2hr rating or less. Primary structural frames can be 0 hr fire rated and non-combustible materials.
3. The intent of type III-B construction is to protect surrounding and adjacent buildings and properties from the spreading of fire with a 2-hour fire rated non-combustible exterior wall. The remaining frames, walls, floors and roof can be of any approved combustible material.

We propose maintaining the existing wood framing at the 3rd and 4th floor lightwell exterior wall. We request the new wall assembly at the existing lightwell be filled with batt insulation and enclosed on both sides with non-combustible material. The load bearing walls for these two levels are exterior walls which under table 601 Type IIIB are required to have a 2 hr fire resistance.

The existing building is located at 509 SE Grand Ave. The building is a 4-story heavy timber wood framed building with the top two levels being wood framed bearing wall construction with a basement. The building fronts along Grand Ave and Stark Ave on its north side and a parking lot on its west side. The southern wall of the property currently is shared with an existing building built in the late 1880s. There currently is no rated party wall between these two buildings, so a new 2 hr rated fire wall is proposed from the basement to the top of parapet above the existing roof. The building is approx. 37,000 with approx. 8,000 gross sf per floor and a 90' x 100' footprint.

The existing building is a type IIIB building and is 4 stories above grade + 1 story basement below grade.

The building is fully sprinklered and the building is registered as a contributing resource in the East Grand Ave Historic District. The exterior is a masonry shell for levels 1-3 with a wood framed mansard roof (set back with dormer windows) perimeter wall at the 4th floor. An existing lightwell in the center of the building is proposed to be re-clad with metal shingles to resemble the existing material and new replacement windows. The primary structure for these these lightwell walls changes between the second floor and third floor. The third floor framing is heavy timber while the fourth floor is dimensional lumber. This results in the second floor lightwell wall left non load bearing but the third and fourth floor are exterior load bearing exterior walls.

The major improvements planned for the building include redevelopment of the existing temporary lodging areas on levels 2 through 4 and change the occupancy of the existing mercantile areas on the ground floor of the building to allow for a mix of uses including a lobby, café and restaurant. The building will undergo a seismic upgrade. One stair tower will be added within the building and the existing will be modified to be up to current egress code and exit directly to the exterior. There will be a new passenger elevator to meet current code, the new stair is being extended to the roof level, the sprinkler system will be up-graded and the fire alarm will be brought up to current code.

1. We are proposing this alternate because the existing building is a Historic Resource. One of the goals of this renovation is to maintain as many exterior elements as possible. Re-using the existing exterior load bearing framing at the 3rd and 4th level will assist in keeping its historic integrity and the associated rough openings for lightwell windows.
2. The proposed alternate assembly will provide equivalent protection as outlined below.
3. The new sheathing on each side of the proposed assembly and thermal insulation provided in the rehab will be composed of a fire retardant materials.
4. The building is fully sprinklered and is not being used to help increase area or height.

Table 601, Section 602.3

1. Table 601 Type IIIB requires a 0 hr primary structural frame, 2hr exterior bearing walls, 0 hr interior bearing walls, 0 hr floor construction & secondary members, 0 hr roof & secondary members.
2. Section 602.3 Type III construction requires exterior walls to be non-combustible and interior elements are any permitted by the code. Fire retardant wood framing complying with Section 2303.2 shall be permitted in within exterior wall assemblies of 2hr rating or less. Primary structural frames can be 0 hr fire rated and non-combustible materials.
3. The intent of type III-B construction is to protect surrounding and adjacent buildings and properties from the spreading of fire with a 2-hour fire rated non-combustible exterior wall. The remaining frames, walls, floors and roof can be of any approved combustible material.

We propose maintaining the existing wood framing at the 4th floor exterior wall. We request the renovated wall assembly at the existing mansard roof have ½” fire treated sheathing, batt insulation and 5/8” Type X Gypsum board. Both sides will have non-combustible material. The load bearing walls for the roof are interior walls per table 601 Type IIIB are not required to have any fire resistance. These load bearing walls are proposed to carry shear resistance for the roof and are proposed to have a 1 hr fire rated assembly. A new roof diaphragm will be tied into the vertical load bearing walls.

The existing building is located at 509 SE Grand Ave. The building is a 4-story heavy timber wood framed building with the top two levels being wood framed bearing wall construction with a basement. The building fronts along Grand Ave and Stark Ave on its north side and a parking lot on its west side. The southern wall of the property currently is shared with an existing building built in the late 1880s. There currently is no rated party wall between these two buildings, so a new 2 hr rated fire wall is proposed from the basement to the top of parapet above the existing roof. The building is approx. 37,000 with approx. 8,000 gross sf per floor and a 90' x 100' footprint.

The existing building is a type IIIB building and is 4 stories above grade + 1 story basement below grade.

The building is fully sprinklered and the building is registered as a contributing resource in the East Grand Ave Historic District. The exterior is a masonry shell for levels 1-3 with a wood framed mansard roof (set back with dormer windows) perimeter wall at the 4th floor.
The major improvements planned for the building include redevelopment of the existing temporary lodging areas on levels 2 through 4 and change the occupancy of the existing mercantile areas on the ground floor of the building to allow for a mix of uses including a lobby, café and restaurant. The building will undergo a seismic upgrade. One stair tower will be added within the building and the existing will be modified to be up to current egress code and exit directly to the exterior. There will be a new passenger elevator to meet current code, the new stair is being extended to the roof level, the sprinkler system will be up-graded and the fire alarm will be brought up to current code.

1. We are proposing this alternate because the existing building is a Historic Resource. One of the goals of this renovation is to maintain as many exterior elements as possible. Re-using the existing non-load bearing framing will assist in keeping its historic integrity and the associated dormer windows.
2. The proposed alternate assembly will provide equivalent protection as outlined below.
3. Though not required, the new sheathing on each side of the proposed assembly and thermal insulation provided in the rehabilitation will be composed of a fire-retardant materials.
4. The primary structural frame at the perimeter of the 4th floor is not considered an exterior load bearing wall. Per Table 602.3 does not require the exterior bearing wall 2 hr fire rating.
5. The building is fully sprinklered and is not being used to help increase area or height.
6. The secondary structural members inside level 2-4 for the temporary lodging unit areas are protected by a 1 hr assembly.
7. The dormer walls on the 4th floor are also non load bearing.