# Accessible routes in a multi-story tenant space



## mark handler (Jan 14, 2019)

Accessible routes in a multi-story tenant space
http://www.abadiaccess.com/ramps/accessible-routes-in-a-multi-story-tenant-space/
*The accessible route for people with disabilities must be located so it coincides with the route that everyone else will be taking.*
This is the basic tenet of the ADA is for equal access.  The scoping lets us know:

206.3 Location. Accessible routes shall coincide with or be located in the same area as general circulation paths. Where circulation paths are interior, required accessible routes shall also be interior

In other words, *if a route is through the front door, and the front door is not accessible, we are not allowed to make someone in a wheelchair go to the back door to enter the building.*
Accessible route in a multi-tenant space
The second part of the statement tells us that if the general route is on the interior, the accessible route must also be on the interior.  This means that if we have a two-story space with an interior stair, the accessible route should also be on the interior of the space.    The ADA has a requirement when providing a new stair in a space:
206.2.3.1 Stairs and Escalators in Existing Buildings. In alterations and additions, where an escalator or stair is provided where none existed previously and major structural modifications are necessary for the installation, an accessible route shall be provided between the levels served by the escalator or stair unless exempted by 206.2.3 Exceptions 1 through 7.

This means that if you have two levels that were not connected together at the time of new construction, but they will be connecting by adding a stair as part of an alteration, then an accessible route connecting the two floors (and located in the same area) will have to be provided.
So If there is an office building with a tenant that would like to lease two floors and connect them with an internal stair, they would be required to also provide an elevator or a ramp connecting the stories.  If the building already had an elevator in the core, this would not be able to be used since the elevator is outside the tenant space.  The new elevator would have to be located within the tenant space.
The exception mentioned in the last sentence of the standard describes some buildings that are not required to connect the floors together even if there is a new stair provided.


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## ADAguy (Jan 14, 2019)

Have you all "got that" ?

It "depends"


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## mark handler (Jan 14, 2019)

ADAguy said:


> Have you all "got that" ?
> 
> It "depends"


?


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## mtlogcabin (Jan 14, 2019)

mark handler said:


> So If there is an office building with a tenant that would like to lease two floors and connect them with an internal stair, they would be required to also provide an elevator or a ramp connecting the stories. If the building already had an elevator in the core, this would not be able to be used since the elevator is outside the tenant space. The new elevator would have to be located within the tenant space.



So I would have to install a new elevator serving the 9th and 10th floor tenant spaces even though they have rented the entire 2 floors including the elevator lobbies?


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## steveray (Jan 14, 2019)

2018 IEBC would agree with this...

*305.8.4 Stairways and escalators in existing buildings.*
Where an escalator or stairway is added where none
existed previously and major structural modifications are
necessary for installation, an accessible route shall be provided
between the levels served by the escalator or stairways
in accordance with Section 1104.4 of the
International Building Code.

But MT does raise a good question....


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## mark handler (Jan 14, 2019)

mtlogcabin said:


> So I would have to install a new elevator serving the 9th and 10th floor tenant spaces even though they have rented the entire 2 floors including the elevator lobbies?


A 9th and 10th floor tenant spaces will always have elevators.... they can lock out unwanted elevator users.
But even two or three story buildings:

Who is to say they will stay?
Who is to say a guest, customer, employee does not get the meeting room on the upper floor?


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## mtlogcabin (Jan 14, 2019)

Who is to say they stay? Who is to say the next tenant uses both floors?
Who is to say a guest, customer, employee does not get the meeting room on the upper floor? They simply head to the reception area/lobby and take the elevator up one floor to the next reception area/lobby. The accessible route is in the building.

So the 10 story bank building with banking on the first floor and offices on the top floor and the intermediate floors rented to other businesses will need an elevator exclusively serving the banks two floors that are interconnected by a stair that serves the purpose of connecting the 1st floor bank lobby to the 10th floor bank offices. Many exit stairs open directly outside to serve the purpose of an exit and onto the main floor of a building to be used as an access stair


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