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HomeMy WebLinkAboutB15-0208_Life Saftey Report_1434651720.pdf June 9, 2015 Mr. Tom Frye, Principal Pierce + Frye Architects 30 West Benchmark Road, #216 Avon, CO 81620 970.949.0899 tfrye@piercefrye.com RE: GORSUCH RESTAURANT ADDITION, 232 BRIDGE STREET, VAIL CO 81657 Dear Mr. Frye, Rondinelli Life Safety (RLS) has evaluated the above mentioned building in order to develop equivalencies for the areas and aspects of the building’s construction that do not meet the prescriptive IBC Code requirements. Shown below are our comments pertaining to the Fire Protection and Life Safety Features of this building relative to IBC compliance. Documents, Drawings, Codes and Standards Used For This Evaluation (References)  The 2012 International Fire Code  The 2012 International Building Code  The Architectural Plan Set of the building done by Pierce + Frye Architects dated 2/14/2014  The Architectural Plan Set for the Restaurant Addition done by SempleBrown Design dated 2/4/2015  RLS’s building walkthrough of 5/18/2015 with the Project Architect Summary of the Building Evaluation The below information is based on the above shown References. 1) This is a non-separated mixed use building with occupancy types of A-2, B and M. 2) The building is approximately 50% fire sprinklered. Based on previous agreements with the Vail Fire and Building Departments, the building will be 100% fire sprinklered within a (3) year period. See the attached area distribution for the current fire sprinklered areas. 3) The building’s construction type is classified as a Type 5-A with non-separated use and as such, Section 508.3 (IBC) applies. Based on this IBC Section, the A-2 Occupancy governs the allowable area per story, height and number of stories. 4) The IBC allowable area per story for an A-2 Occupancy is 11,500 square feet. The maximum existing area on any one story is 7,812 square feet so all floors are within the allowable area per story. 2 Mr. Tom Frye / Gorsuch Building 5) The IBC maximum number of allowable stories for an A-2 Occupancy is (2). An additional story would be allowed after the building is fully fire sprinklered. 6) This building has been classified as a (5) story however levels three, four and five are each only 350 square feet and used as offices only with no storage. As a B Occupancies, these levels are not required by the IFC to be fire sprinklered however are 100% fire sprinklered. 7) The IBC maximum allowable height for a Type 5-A Building is 50 feet. This building is 63 feet in height however the top 17 feet is an architectural feature only and not part of the building’s occupiable space. In addition, after the building is 100% fire sprinklered a height increase of 20% of the maximum allowable height can be added bringing the total allowable height to 60 feet. 8) A smoke detection system is installed throughout the building. 9) Egress looked to be in compliance with (IBC) Chapter 10. Proposed Restaurant Addition A 505 square foot (net) addition has been proposed for the west side of this building which will increase the size of the restaurant at Street level to 1,457 square feet. As shown in the Architectural Plan Sets, the wall on the west side of the building is planned to be built using hollow structural steel as the framework for operable glass doors. The concept for this addition is for the doors to be open as weather permits. Rondinelli Life Safety offers the comments below as consideration for the issuance of a permit for this addition. 1) With this restaurant addition, the allowable area per floor is not exceeded per the IBC. 2) The restaurant is not required to be fire sprinklered however will be. 3) IBC Section 705.8 allows unlimited unprotected openings in the first story above grade plane where the wall faces a street and has a fire separation distance of 15 feet. There is a fire separation distance of 12.5 feet in place. 4) IBC Table 705.8 limits the allowable area of openings in an exterior wall in a sprinklered building with a separation distance between 10 and 15 feet to 45%. 5) As a Type 5-A Building, exterior walls are required to be 1-hour fire-resistance rated. 6) This restaurant build-out includes the construction of a Kitchen in the Basement Level which will be built out in compliance with the applicable Building, Mechanical, Electrical and Fire Protection Codes and Standards. To compensate for line items 3), 4) and 5) above, Rondinelli Life Safety (RLS) proposes that a Dry Pilot Line Actuated Deluge System be installed along the length of the building’s west wall. The fire sprinklers for this system will be open (no release mechanism) and spaced between 6 feet and 8 feet on center. Each sprinkler will be designed to flow 3 gpm per lineal foot (NFPA 13 Section 11.3.3) so on a heat activated fire event, the west wall of this building becomes a water curtain. RLS believes that the installation of a deluge system will provide an equivalent level of fire protection to meet the IBC fire- resistance rating and opening protection requirements for this restaurant addition. With the construction of the Kitchen in compliance with the Codes and Standards shown in the “References” section above, the addition of a deluge system along the restaurant’s west exterior wall and fire sprinklers installed throughout the restaurant, it is RLS’s opinion that the fire protection and life safety of the building’s other occupancies, as a result of this restaurant addition, are unchanged.