# Covered Mall Buildings vs Mixed Occupancy Building



## nitramnaed (Jul 1, 2015)

Hi All,

2012 IBC.  I am working on an A2 restaurant in an covered mall building.  The issue here is on a preliminary basis I've been told by the official that I need to design under 507.3.1 Mixed occupancy buildings with Groups A1 and A2 for unlimited area.  I don't think I need to meet these more stringent requirements because we fall under section 402 Covered Mall Buildings for unlimited area.

Agreed?

Jeff


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## cda (Jul 1, 2015)

Thought there use to be something about A occupancy in a mall??

Maybe what floor they can be on??? Or per centage???

09 commentary

Covered or open mall buildings are considered to be special types of unlimited area buildings and are exempt from the area limitations of Table 503 when they are limited to not more than three stories above grade plane. It should be noted that the height limitations in feet, specified in Table 503 based on the type of construction classification, are applicable to covered or open mall buildings. The allowance of an unlimited area anchor building is based on the restriction of construction types to noncombustible (Types I and II), noncombustible/combustible (Type III) and heavy timber (Type IV), and the effectiveness of the automatic sprinkler system. When the anchor building is over three stories above grade plane, it must comply with the general provisions of Chapter 5, such as Sections 503, 504 and 506. The last sentence of the code text serves as a reminder that the construction of parking garages is regulated by the general provisions found in Section 406 and that they are not regulated by the covered mall building's type of construction. It also clarifies that the garage is not included in the unlimited area as stated in the first sentence of the code text.

402.7.2 Tenant separations. Each tenant space shall be separated from other tenant spaces by a fire partition complying with Section 709. A tenant separation wall is not required between any tenant space and the mall.

Covered mall buildings are essentially large unlimited area mixed-occupancy buildings. Rather than complying with Section 508.3 or 508.4, the building has a series of protections including the tenant separations specified in this section. In order to limit the spread of smoke, tenant separation walls are required to be fire partitions (see Section 709) having a fire-resistance rating of at least 1 hour and extending from the floor to the underside of the ceiling (see Figure 402.7.2). Extending tenant separations to the floor slab or roof deck above is not always practical or possible because of operation of the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. The effectiveness of the automatic sprinkler system is also a reason for not requiring tenant separations to extend above the ceiling, including attic spaces (see Section 709.4, Exception 4).

Again the open mall "building" provides a unique question regarding separation of tenant spaces. The open mall building may likely be a collection of separate structures treated as a one open mall "building." As such, the walls between the tenant spaces and the mall will be "interior walls" to the whole covered mall building complex, but they are also exterior walls as they separate interior from exterior environments. As part of a complex of buildings, the exterior walls of each individual tenant space facing the mall will not need to meet the wall and opening protection of Section 705, but need to comply with other exterior wall provisions of Chapter 14. The walls on the exterior face of the open mall "building" would be subject to the provisions of Section 705.

Figure 402.7.2 TENANT SPACE AND ANCHOR BUILDING SEPARATIONS


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## mtlogcabin (Jul 1, 2015)

I agree it is a mall and 507.3.1 is not applicable.

COVERED MALL BUILDING. A single building enclosing a number of tenants and occupants, such as retail stores, drinking and dining establishments, entertainment and amusement facilities, passenger transportation terminals, offices and other similar uses wherein two or more tenants have a main entrance into one or more malls. Anchor buildings shall not be considered as a part of the covered mall building. The term “covered mall building” shall include open mall buildings as defined below.

402.8.4 Arrangements of means of egress.

Assembly occupancies with an occupant load of 500 or more located within a covered mall building shall be so located such that their entrance will be immediately adjacent to a principal entrance to the mall and shall have not less than one-half of their required means of egress opening directly to the exterior of the covered mall building. Assembly occupancies located within the perimeter line of an open mall building shall be permitted to have their main exit open to the open mall.

Does this project fall under the definition of Anchor Building? If so there are separation requirements

ANCHOR BUILDING. An exterior perimeter building of a group other than H having direct access to a covered or open mall building but having required means of egress independent of the mall.

402.4.2.2 Anchor building separation.

An anchor building shall be separated from the covered or open mall building by fire walls complying with Section 706.

Exceptions:

1.	Anchor buildings of not more than three stories above grade plane that have an occupancy classification the same as that permitted for tenants of the mall building shall be separated by 2-hour fire-resistance-rated fire barriers complying with Section 707.

2.	The exterior walls of anchor buildings separated from an open mall building by an open mall shall comply with Table 602.


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## Francis Vineyard (Jul 1, 2015)

Does the building meet this too?

The minimum width of a mall [20 feet (6096 mm)] is based on the need to provide adequate access to exits or, for open malls, the point where people transition from within the open mall "building" to outside of the "building." Together with the automatic sprinkler system, the physical separation further reduces the need for a separation between tenant spaces and the mall.

 So that an aggregate clear width of 20 feet (6096 mm) is always provided in the mall, a minimum 10-foot (3048 mm) clear and unobstructed space is to be maintained to a height of 8 feet (2438 mm) in front of, adjacent to and parallel to the storefronts. The requirement applies to kiosks, vending machines, benches, small stands, merchandise displays and any other potential obstruction to egress (see Figure 402.5.1).


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## nitramnaed (Jul 1, 2015)

Our main entrance is actually to the exterior not the mall corridor.


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## RLGA (Jul 1, 2015)

See Section 402.4.1:  "The building area of any covered mall or open building, including anchor buildings, of Types I, II, III and IV construction *shall not be limited* provided the anchor buildings do not exceed three stories above grade plane."


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## Msradell (Jul 1, 2015)

I wonder if because your main entrance is to the exterior instead of to the mall they are considering it an Anchor instead of just a store in the mall? If you read the criteria listed above it fits.


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## RLGA (Jul 2, 2015)

Msradell said:
			
		

> I wonder if because your main entrance is to the exterior instead of to the mall they are considering it an Anchor instead of just a store in the mall? If you read the criteria listed above it fits.


There are many additional requirements for anchor buildings, including fire wall or fire barrier separation from the mall and a complete separate sprinkler system from the mall and tenant spaces, which I doubt this space has.  Many tenant spaces have separate entrances directly to the exterior in addition to those into the mall.

Even if it were an anchor, the area is still allowed to be unlimited.


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## cda (Jul 2, 2015)

Msradell said:
			
		

> I wonder if because your main entrance is to the exterior instead of to the mall they are considering it an Anchor instead of just a store in the mall? If you read the criteria listed above it fits.


Doesn't A require main exit to grade or exterior?


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## nitramnaed (Jul 2, 2015)

Thanks everyone.

It is not considered an anchor tenant and we have our own main entrance to the exterior.  There is a secondary exit/entrance to the mall interior.

The main issue here was if we needed to design to Mixed Occupancy 507.3.1 and I think there is general consensus that we fall under 402 Covered Mall Buildings.

In general this eliminates a separate area calculation, a 2-hr occupancy separation from "M" occupancy and the requirement that all our exits must be to the exterior.

Those were the main sticking points.

Happy 4th to all!


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