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Private Internal Stair

Scott Bulmer
Bulmer Homes
March 11, 2010

A second floor office suite has its own grade level entrance from the public sidewalk and private interior stair that services that unit alone. Is the area of that stair included as rentable?
Thank you, Scott

Adam Fingret
Extreme Measures Inc.
March 11, 2010

Though a little murky, it is the intention of the Standard that a stair constructed to meet the access/egress requirements of a building be deemed Major Vertical Penetrations.

A private stair generally means that the stair was built for the private use of a tenant (often by the tenant) and usually where Usable/Rentable Area existed before.

The best example is a multi-story tenant who cuts a hole in the slab to install a private or "monumental" stair between floors. The idea is that the landlord should not lose this space from Rentable Area because of a tenant improvement.

Scott Bulmer
Bulmer Homes
March 11, 2010

Adam - thanks so much for your response. In this case the stair is part of the original two story building (circa 1945). It is basically a straight run (walls on both sides) where the bottom landing has an exterior storefront door to the public realm.

Adam Fingret
Extreme Measures Inc.
March 11, 2010

Definitely a Major Vertical Penetration.

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