Issue: Vertical accessibility to all levels of a historic hotel.
Analysis: The applicant is requesting a waiver from providing vertical accessibility to all three levels of what is currently two separate buildings that will be joined and provided with a rooftop addition. Both buildings are listed on the historic register and the alteration will result in having 34 available guest rooms in the project while maintaining its historic significance. According to the applicant, financial consideration is not the issue, but rather technical infeasibility. The age and construction of the building will not support the loads that would be imposed by the inclusion of a mechanical lift/elevator to all floors. Furthermore, raising the walkway on the first floor to eliminate a step into the guest rooms would impact the historic character of the structure and allow for water intrusion.
Project Progress:
The project is in plan review.
Items to be Waived:
Vertical accessibility to all levels, as required by Section 553.509, Florida Statutes.
553.509: Vertical accessibility - Nothing in sections 553.501-553.513 or the guidelines shall be construed to relieve the owner of any building, structure or facility governed by those sections from the duty to provide vertical accessibility to all levels above and below the occupiable grade level, regardless of whether the guidelines require an elevator to be installed in such building, structure or facility, except for:
(1) Elevator pits, elevator penthouses, mechanical rooms, piping or equipment catwalks and automobile lubrication and maintenance pits and platforms;
(2) Unoccupiable spaces, such as rooms, enclosed spaces and storage spaces that are not designed for human occupancy, for public accommodations or for work areas; and
(3) Occupiable spaces and rooms that are not open to the public and that house no more than five persons, including, but not limited to equipment control rooms and projection booths.
Waiver Criteria: There is no specific guidance for a waiver of this requirement in the code. The Commission’s current rule, authorized in Section 553.512, Florida Statutes, provides criteria for granting waivers and allows consideration of unnecessary or extreme hardship to the applicant if the specific requirements were imposed.