Attachment 1.

Petition to Council from Mr. Michael Brader-Araje

 

From: Michael Brader-Araje [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2008 12:13 PM
To: Kevin Foy
Subject: FW: 109 E Franklin

 

Dear Kevin,

 

Please be advised that I would like to petition the Chapel Hill town council for a variance to the ordinance that, as currently written, requires me to install a sprinkler system at 109-111 East Franklin Street.  Please see the note below from my architect outlining the current situation.  We feel strongly that a sprinkler system is not warranted given all the extra precautionary and safety measures that have already been taken. I greatly appreciate the council’s consideration on this…please let me know what else I can or should be providing so the council can make an informed decision…

 

All the best,

 

Michael Brader-Araje

 

 

From: Teressa F. Merck [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2008 4:35 PM
To: Clint Gregory; Brian Pittman; Michael Brader-Araje
Cc: Marc E. Christopher
Subject: RE: 109 E Franklin

 

Explanation of plans review process progress and sprinkler requirements based on a Town Ordinance section 7-56.

 

Summary of progression of events:

 

The permit submission for the building on 109-111 East Franklin Street was turned into the Town of Chapel Hill on Tuesday August 26th at 9am to the Fire Department.  Prior to submission Phillips had several discussions with Bobby Pettiford and Maggie Bowers, senior plans reviewers, regarding the submittal format (i.e. three individual sets or one set.)  For ease of inspections and to assist the client with permit cost, all were in agreement that submitting one set of plans for the 3 tenant “vanilla box” spaces would work best, anticipating that this convenience would have no adverse implications on the review process. Debbie Squires with the Town of Chapel Hill assisted Phillips Architecture in setting up suite numbers for the 3 tenant spaces.

 

Upon submission of the plans, Fire Marshal Matt Lawrence informed me there was an issue and to come back and meet with Assistant Fire Marshal Doug Kelly.     They informed me that even though we are implementing life safety measures above and beyond the requirements of the NCSBC we would need to add a sprinkler to the building based on Chapel Hill’s ordinance section 7-56 which states that buildings over 6,000sf which are either renovated at a cost greater than the 50% value or which are damaged and rebuilt at a cost greater than the 50% of value. The current tax record states the building is worth $688,000 and the renovations to the building are over the 50% of the value of the building.  Though I followed up with Kelly the following week asking if we could submit any documents on the value of the building in question, he and Matt Lawrence stated they stand behind their decision and would not change it.  We would need to add the sprinkler or submit to Town Council for a variance.

 

Listed below are pertinent information that Town Council would need to help them understand the investment in the building and where the costs and codes are associated to the building.

 

Our approach to permitting this project was to utilize the NC Rehab Code.  The explanation of the Rehab code is as follows:

 

The rehab code is typically used on older building that do not fully meet current code.  The benefit is that renovation projects such as this one can be undertaken as long as they do not compromise existing life safety elements and provide new work in accordance with current code. 

 

Life Safety and Public Safety elements incorporated into this alteration:

 

Summary of project not required by code:

 

  1. The fa硤e face lift was not required by code but was an investment the owner wanted to take to give back to the Town of Chapel Hill .  Also, the building fac was seemingly unsafe in the fact the fa硤e was rotting and basically falling apart at the street.  The entire fa硤e was structurally evaluated by an engineer at the expense for the building owner to ensure the existing components were sound and the new fa硤e would bring back the character the building once had in time as well as be structurally safe for the community that walks along Franklin Street each day.

 

  1. The owner took  into account that the space on the first level was too large for the street and is demising the space into 2 tenant spaces.  The owner incurred added cost in repairing the back exit with new ADA compliant hardware and new metal doors at each location.  Both doors exist are without any railing or compliant steps.  The owner is providing new ADA compliant steps with ADA compliant railing for the life safety of the tenants in these new smaller tenant spaces. 

 

  1. Fire Alarm:  The building has a freight elevator in which the owner decided to keep it for convenience of the second floor deliveries etc.  Rehab code does not require a fire alarm if you do not keep the freight elevator.  Since the owner would like to keep this feature we needed to add a fire alarm panel to capture the elevator.  It is not required to do the rest of the building.  Since we are adding the panel for the elevator, the decision was made to cover the rest of the building as well though this is not a requirement of the code.  Again additional cost but additional life/safety addressed.

 

  1. Structural steel in the floor/ceiling assembly:  Though not required by code the building owner had a structural engineer evaluate the entire building to address any life/safety concerns of the building.  In his report of the building he brought to the building owner’s attention structural improvements that could be implemented.  He suggested we add steel girders to the floor/ceiling to reinforce the floor on the second level.  Though this is not required at all by code and is not something the owner would ever be forced to repair the owner decided to add this cost to the project for the sake of the tenants and life, safety and welfare of all who enter this building.  Again, cost not associated to anything other than life/safety in mind.

 

  1. The owner had all new operable windows installed in the building to add to the ability for the tenants to open a window overlooking the street.  The ironwork on the windows were removed, restored and reinstalled to keep the tenants safe from falling out the operable windows as well as giving them the option of opening a window for connection to the street.

 

  1. Within the plans additional lighting at each exit door beyond the minimum required by code was incorporated as the owner has installed security cameras for additional safety in the alleyway.

 

 

Additional Costs and their associations on the interior of the existing building:

 

  1. The owner by demising the building has broken down the square footages to a more appropriate tenant size for Franklin Street.  In demising the building we have divided all tenant spaces with a 2 hour fire rated construction (walls and the floor/ceiling).
  2. The owner has also added a 1 hour rating at the stair and added (2) area of rescues on the second floor with the emergency call button at these places.  These areas of rescue are within a fire rating exit passage that is not in the building currently.
  3. With the new fire alarm system, there is added smoke detectors, pull stations, and the emergency call buttons.  All cost associated with the fire alarm system are not required by code if we eliminated the freight elevator.  Again, 100% of cost was incurred with life safety in mind.

 

 

Historical Value of the building:

 

The owner’s intention for this project was to revitalize Franklin Street with a building of class and sophistication.  He wanted to invest in a building to draw others to do the same to bring the street to a new level.  When looking at the total project it would have made more sense to tear down the building and start again but to keep the spirit of the street alive the owner decided to bring the building back to where it once was. 

 

Cost associated with the investment in historical value:

 

  1. The owner has invested in the interior of the building by repairing the existing brick walls.  They once were covered in a thick sheet of plaster, had the plaster chipped away to reveal the brick as it once was.  After the removal of the plaster the brick walls were sand blasted and is planned to be sealed show the beauty the brick masonry walls once had.  This process has reveal a painted area that shows the logo of a business that once was on Franklin Street.  A large cost but revealed a true gem for the Town of Chapel Hill’s history.
  2. The owner had the fa硤e completely revitalized to get the community interested in bring the old character back to the buildings on Franklin Street.
  3. The owner has taken great care in the selection of the paint colors for the fa硤e renovation to tie the building not to just itself but to integrate the colors to compliment its neighbors giving the entire streetscape consideration.
  4. The owner has agreed to reinstall a historical clock donated to the Town is 1999 by Mr. Jackson of Wentworth and Sloan Jewelers in front of 109-111 East Franklin Street.  The owner sees value in the clock and has agreed to install the clock in front of its building for the town.  This is another gesture by the owner to show clearly his efforts to support the downtown area.

 

In conclusion,  we could permit the 3 spaces separately to avoid this sprinkler requirement and for the reassessment of the Orange County tax website to catch up the actual value of the building.  I can’t see this being a benefit to Chapel Hill to leave a building vacant for a long period of time where we could be forward thinking and add new life the streetscape of Franklin Street.      

 

Teressa F. Merck

NCIDQ ? Certificate No. 24427, LEED ? AP, Associate AIA
Associate

 

 

 

Phillips

 

 

 

Architecture, PA