- Emily Freeman
- Underhill Geomatics Ltd.
- January 30, 2013
If you have stairs, built for the private use of a tenant, that lead to a mezzanine that it being included in the rentable area, how are the stairs dealt with. Since they are not a major vertical penetration, I understand they are not excluded from the usable area, however are the stairs included in the usable are of both the main floor and the mezzanine.
A similar question, there is also an elevator in the middle of the mezzanine, is the area of the elevation included in the useable area of both floors?
Thanks
- David Fingret
- Extreme Measures Inc.
- February 20, 2013
Hi Emily,
The stairs should not be calculated at all. The floor where the stairs sit on is calculated as usable area (as if the stairs are not there) and the mezzanine is also simply calculated as if there are no stairs.
Same thing for the elevator. There would be no deduction from the floor or the mezzanine.
- Adam Fingret
- Extreme Measures Inc.
- February 20, 2013
Emily,
Generally, occupant improvements like the ones you describe are considered Occupant Voids (see Page 31 of the Standard). It sounds like your scenario most closely resembles Illustration A2.2 on page 42. Note that the Occupant Area does not exclude the stairs.
If your elevator is a Major Vertical Penetration, then is considered such on every floor where it occurs (and deducted from Occupant/Rentable Area). If the elevator is considered an Occupant Void, than it is ignored altogether, and included in Occupant Area.
I hope this helps,
- Emily Freeman
- Underhill Geomatics Ltd.
- February 20, 2013
Sorry, my question in response to the first expert response was:
What if the stairs or the elevator in on the edge of the mezzanine? Does the same rule apply?
Emily Freeman