T H O M A S D O U G L A S

A r c h it e c t s I n c 196 Pleasant Street Northampton, MA 01060

phone: 413.585.0641

To: Louis Hasbrouck Delivery: Fax:

Phone:
From: Tom Douglas Date: 12/23/10
Re: Paradise Tavern Pages: 1 floor plan
Urgent x For Please Please As
Review Comment Reply Requested

Paradise Tavern Review, One Bridge Street, Northampton, MA

Code: 7th addition MA Building code, CMR 780
Construction type: 5B
The building is fully sprinkled

Allowable height and area:

2 stories, 18,000 square feet (506.3 and 504.2) (facility meets minimum
requirements)

Maximum travel distance (A use, sprinkled): 250 feet (facility meets minimum
requirements)

Existing use: A2r Restaurant

Requested change (if code requirements are met): A2nc Night Club

Maximum occupancy calculated:

1. By existing seat count:

First floor: 86 seats existing
Basement floor: 20 seats existing
Total: 86 + 20 = 106 occupants
T H O M A S D O U G L A S
A r c h it e c t s I n c 196 Pleasant Street Northampton, MA 01060
phone: 413.585.0641

2. By area: Maximum Floor Area Allowances (1004.1.2)

First floor: 963 square feet
Basement floor: 381 square feet

• If occupancy is Assembly A2r without fixed seats, unconcentrated

tables and chairs:
First floor: 15 net s.f per person = 963/15 =64 occupants
Basement: With 1 means of egress, the occupancy is limited to 49
Total: 64 + 49 = 113

• If occupancy is Assembly A2nc without fixed seats,

First floor: standing space: 5 net s.f per person
= 890 s.f/5 net s.f. per person = 178 occupants + 2 DJ performers =
180
Basement: With 1 means of egress, the occupancy is limited to 49
(however, if furniture is stored here the occupancy would be further
reduced)
Total: 180 + 49 = 229

3. By egress capacity: Egress width per occupant served (1005.1)

First floor Egress width required, with sprinkler system:
.15 inches per occupant = 180 x .15 = 27 inches
• If the use is A2r, then egress width is a minimum of 36”
• If the use is A2nc, then the egress width is a minimum of 72”.
The main entrance/exit door shall be a pair of side hinged
swinging doors without a mullion equipped with panic hardware.
(1024.1.1)

Basement floor Egress width required, with sprinkler system:

.15 inches per occupant = 49 x .15 = 7.35 inches
• If the use is A2r, then egress width is a minimum of 36”
• If the use is A2nc, then the egress width is a minimum of 72”.

• From the basement, the path of egress is less than 72” and does not meet
the requirements for A2nc.

• On the first floor, the existing front main entrance/exit door is 60” nominal
width.
o This door meets the A2r requirements,
o This door does not meet the A2nc requirements

• On the first floor, the existing rear egress door next to the bar is 72”. (two
36” nominal width doors)
o This door meets the A2r and A2nc requirements.
T H O M A S D O U G L A S
A r c h it e c t s I n c 196 Pleasant Street Northampton, MA 01060
phone: 413.585.0641

4. By toilet fixture count:

Existing toilets: 2 women (1 basement, 1 first floor- handicapped
accessible), 1 men (first floor- handicapped accessible)

• Maximum allowable occupant count for existing toilet fixtures:

For A2r: 1/60 men = 1 fixture = maximum of 60 men
For A2r: 1/30 women = 2 fixtures = maximum of 60 women
Maximum occupancy for existing bathrooms: 120 occupants

• If the occupancy is based on existing seat counts for A2r:

106 occupants /2 = 53 occupants each sex

Required fixture count for occupancy of 106:

1/60 men = 53/60= 1 fixtures –meets requirements
1/30 women = 53/30= 1.76 fixtures–meets requirements

• If the occupancy is based on area calculation for A2r:

113 occupants on 1st floor + 49 occupants basement = 113 occupants/2 =
57 occupants each sex

Required fixture count for occupancy of 113:

1/60 men = 57/60= 1 fixtures –meets requirements
1/30 women = 57/30= 3.1 fixtures–meets requirements

• If the occupancy is based on area calculation for A2nc:

180 occupants on 1st floor + 49 occupants basement = 229 occupants/2 =
115 occupants each sex

Required fixture count for occupancy of 229:

1/50 men = 115/50= 2.3 fixtures – does not meet requirements
1/30 women = 115/30= 3.8 fixtures– does not meet requirements

5. Additional occupants not included in occupant count:

Employees:
2 bartenders
6 kitchen staff
5 wait staff
1 manager
Total: 16
T H O M A S D O U G L A S
A r c h it e c t s I n c 196 Pleasant Street Northampton, MA 01060
phone: 413.585.0641

6. Synopsis:
For existing A2r use and existing seat count (106): The facility meets the
minimum requirements.

For existing A2r use and area calculation for occupancy (113): The facility meets
the minimum requirements.

For proposed A2nc use and area calculation for occupancy (229): The facility
does not meet the minimum code requirements because of inadequate toilet
fixture counts and inadequate egress (front door) width.
The basement level has further limitations: The path of egress is less than 72”
and does not meet the minimum requirements for A2nc

Section 1024.2 allows an exception to the Main Entrance/Exit Door width by

stating that where multiple main exits are provided, exits shall be permitted to be
distributed around the perimeter of the building provided that the total width of
egress in not less than 100% of the required width. This means that if there were
one more 36”wide door near the front entry (within clear view of the occupants)
this additional egress width may satisfy the 12” wide deficit of the front main
entry/exit door. I believe the applicability of this exception should be at the
discretion of the building official.

End of Document