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This help desk is a free resource intended for discussion purposes only. Neither BOMA, its chapters, affiliates, or Extreme Measures Inc.® are responsible for the information, comments or opinions expressed herein. For complete information, refer to the official publications of the standards themselves.

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Corridors and a Single Tenant

Brent Harris
Mills Plaza Properties, LP
December 17, 2009

We are working with a tenant that is occupying a full floor. To the best of my knowledge, so long as all areas of the floor have access to both rated stairwells, then a common corridor in not required. In addition, there is a card access system in place which only allows the elevator to open on that particular floor to access card carrying people. Therefore, the tenant could literally get off the elevator directly into their space without any corridors. The tenant however, has requested that a corridor be put in for their own security purposes. Since the corridor is not required by Code, is it usable space or would it be considered floor common? Either way they pick it up, however, if their requirement calls for 'X' number of usable square feet, we think that corridor is actually usable space since it is not a code requirement but merely are tenant specific requirement. Please advise.

Adam Fingret
Extreme Measures Inc.
December 17, 2009

Brent,

BOMA is not specific on this issue. However, Office Area is defined on page 2 of the Standard as "the area where a tenant normally houses personnel and/or furniture..."

You should consider this language in forming your decision.

In our opinion, if the corridor is being constructed with a view towards a future multi-tenancy, and if the corridor is being constructed so that it could function as a proper floor circulation corridor (ie. fulfills code requirements), we would suggest you deem this space Floor Common Area.

If on the other hand, the corridor is strictly a tenant improvement and is constructed of light-duty partition walls, you should consider the space as part of the Tenant Usable Area.

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