Appeal 35078

City of Portland Title 24.85.040 Change of Occupancy or Use

Multiple occupancy changes to a single building may be made under this section without triggering a seismic upgrade provided the cumulative changes do not result in the addition of more than 149 occupants with respect to the legal building occupancy as of October 1, 2004.

This appeal proposes that this building be permitted to add up to 10 percent more occupants with respect to the legal building occupancy as of October 1, 2004, before the seismic upgrade requirements mandated by section 24.85.040
are applicable.

The Woolworth Building is an existing office building that is part of the Park Square development in Portland, OR and consists of 6 stories of office with parking at ground level and 1 mezzanine level. This is an existing building constructed 1981. The full building is protected with an automatic fire sprinkler system and a voice annunciated fire alarm system. This appeal proposes that this building be permitted to add up to 10 percent more occupants with respect to the legal building occupancy as of October 1, 2024, before the seismic upgrade requirements mandated by section 24.85.040 are applicable.

The 149-occupant load trigger is unfairly burdensome on large buildings. The cost to seismically retrofit a this building is out of proportion to the relatively small addition of occupants when the limit is 149.