SP-001: Fire Safety Requirements After the Deutsche Bank Fire

Years after the 2007 Deutsche Bank fire it is unclear about what caused the deaths of two firefighters. Evidence points to a missing 42-foot section of standpipe in the building’s basement which prevented the firefighters from quickly getting water on the blaze. Other evidence suggestions that an artificially created smoke chamber. Furthermore, even though New York City was never indicted, city agencies failed to make regular inspections on the building. In the wake of the trial, the tragic deaths of firefighters: Robert Beddia and Joseph Graffagnino prompted numerous changes in the building code.  http://nyti.ms/ohUq42

Although necessary to insure the safety of FDNY, the new code changes present new challenges to building owners, developers and architects. Although the changes include more than sprinkler and standpipe requirements, I will start with sprinklers in an effort to demystify some of the new requirements. I have posted an unofficial list of sprinkler requirements that should be incorporated into a filing set and prepared as part of the application to the Buildings Department. It is best to review with an consulting architect before preparing the drawings.

Typical Department of Buildings Sprinkler Requirements

1. Provide Sprinkler Systems in the List of Special / Progress Inspections. This is the same special inspection list that will generally contain: Firestop, Draftstop & Fireblock Systems, Energy and Final.
2. Provide sprinkler riser diagram calling out area of work.
3. Show Siamese connection - indicate street name, and height above sidewalk, water source, inspector’s test connections and floor control valve on the riser diagram
4. Provide head count of sprinklers being worked on floor plan and riser diagram (On your demo plan state the number of heads being demolished and on the floor plan and riser state the number of heads being installed as new.)
5. Provide sprinkler head schedule which must include:
   •         Finish/Type
   •         Area
   •         Density
   •         Temperature rating
   •         K factor
   •         UL/MEA
   •         Manufacturer
6. Provide typical detail of sprinkler piping is passing through fire rated construction.
7. Account for all existing sprinklers – show the location of the heads and piping on your demo plan 10.   In title block, fire protection must be indicated as SP.
8. All symbols on floor plan must be represented in legend
9. All devises shown on floor plan must be consistent with those shown on the riser
10. All floor numbers (1st, 2nd Floor) must be shown in drawing list, floor plan, title block and riser diagram
11. Sprinkler should be listed as an applications filed separately.

DOB-002: Refiling Approved Work

At the time of occupancy, renovated hotels may present several unforeseen problems to the developer. Owner requirements may dictate that occupancy is to occur in phases. The solution is to break up the filed building set and allow inspections and close-out to happen in stages. How the set is disassembled is key and how it is refiled is crucial. First rule is the fire alarm set. It must be filed together showing all floors and one single riser diagram. The Department of Buildings does not allow for partial fire alarms. The system must be approved, installed and inspected as a whole. Other trades are more flexible, but there are caveats. One common mistake is to file partial drawings that do not show terminations to building services. This may include gas and sewer. Although the architect may only be filing the upper floors only, the riser diagram must show how the piping is routed through other spaces not in scope. Another caveat: if a mechanical duct work or piping is routed through a space not in scope, the work should be indicated as such. Electrical is filed with BEC and is not part of the Department of Buildings filing.
We are currently breaking out the rooms and corridors portion of a Battery Park City hotel in order to allow for the guest rooms to be occupied in phases. This may require a potential self certification to expedite the process. The decision has not yet been made. Whether the work is filed as a self-certification or as a plan review, the division process will remain the same.

PA-001: Public Assembly Permits

Public Assembly Permits can be a difficult to obtain. The process requires anywhere from 6 weeks to 12 months depending on the complexity of the project, the building examiner and the experience of the architect. If the owner has committed to an occupancy of over 74 people for a specific space, then a thorough PA drawing set needs to be produced and submitted. Below is a partial, unofficial list of the some of the most salient requirements to be included in a PA filing set. Asterisks denote references to 1968 code. I have not provide 2008 analogs:

1. Place of Assembly Notes
2. Table 8‐1: Capacity Table*
3. Emergency Lighting Notes
4. Show Safe Area Notes
5. Ventilation Notes
6. Sprinkler Notes
7. Fire Alarm Notes
8. Applicable Codes
9. Occupancy Groups
10. Construction Classification
11. List of Applications Filed Separately

• Fire Alarm #

• Sprinkler #

12. List of Progress Inspections

• Public Assembly Emergency Lighting

13. Complete Plot Plan
14. Legend, Key Notes, Fire Ratings, etc
15. Place of Assembly sign:
“OCCUPANCY BY MORE THAN _____ PERSONS IS DANGEROUS AND
UNLAWFUL.
 Certificate of Operation No______ Commissioner, (where applicable) Dept. of Buildings, City of New York”
16. Travel Distance Calculations
17. Show primary and secondary travel distances on plans from most remote point (one point only)
18. Travel distance to comply with 27‐533*
19. Provide Capacity Sign on plan
20. Provide Emergency Lighting on plan
21. Provide exit signs on plan
22. Occupant load analysis
23. Show egress analysis from floor
24. Show egress analysis from space
25. Show where exits lead to outdoors
26. Show location of standee areas for standee layouts and on such layouts show unobstructed
egress path with at least 3’ of clearance. Show dimensions on drawings. Standee areas to
comply with 27‐531*
27. Aisle widths to comply with 27‐532*. Show dimensions of aisle – should have a clearance of 36”
minimum
28. Show dimension of clearances between seats ‐ 24” minimum
29. Show dimensions of doors
30. Show all doors & door swing
31. Show exits to street at first floor
32. Atrium Floor plan should show street floor lobby and exit to street
33. On each layout please show provide the net area of the space and the number of persons to be
accommodated per Table 6‐2*
34. Corridors and Exit Passageways to comply with Table 8‐1*
35. Label each exit stair and show fire rating
36. Show separation between kitchen and dining
37. Show 2hr rating around kitchen areas and each opening must have a dropped arch and sprinkler
head.
38. Show 2hr rating at shafts
39. Comply with Table 16‐5*
40. Comply with handicap requirements
41. Show calculation of minimum required toilet fixtures. Number of fixtures must comply with
parity law (twice as many fixtures for women than men--Local Law).
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/potty-parity-in-nyc/
42. Exit openings to comply with 27‐534*
43. Safe Areas to comply with 27‐535*
44. State 2008 Occupancy Groups: Group A – Assembly (see attached)
45. You are permitted one main layout and 2 additional Alternate Layouts

• If using alternate layouts you must also label your drawings as such Alternate Layout 1: Cocktail etc

DOB-001: Adding Apartment Square Footage

Friends recently asked me about enclosing their balcony in order to add square footage to their Upper West Side coop apartment. This is a problematic proposition for two reasons: 1. Changing the building's square footage needs to be recorded with the DOB (Dept. of Buildings) as a schedule "A" change 2. The co-op board needs to consent to the added square footage, initiate the DOB filing and pay the DOB fees. The better strategy is to purchase the apartment next door and combine the two apartments into one. This action does not require a schedule "A" change of occupancy as per TPPN (Technical Policy and Procedure Notice) #3/97, but will mean a higher mortgage and increased maintenance fees.