New Orleans Mixed-Use Plan Review: 81 Issues Found

Summary: The plans designate a '30'X48' AREA OF REFUGE, TYP.' on the stairwell landings. The stairways are dimensioned as a '52' METAL STAIR'. Because the graphical layout shows the stair enclosure is a uniform width without any landing enlargements, placing a 30'-wide Area of Refuge on the 52'-wide landing leaves only 22' of clear width (52' - 30' =...

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Summary: The building section for Stair 1 specifies an intermediate landing height of 6'-10 1/2' from the 1st Floor. At the labeled riser height of 6 7/8', this height requires exactly 12 risers, meaning there are 11 treads in the flight. The horizontal run for this flight is dimensioned as 9'-11 1/2' (119.5'). Fitting 11 treads into a 119.5' run...

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Summary: The detail titled 'WET FLOOD PROOF DESIGN' and 'WET FLOOD PROOFING DESIGN' contains text that explicitly references dry floodproofing: 'ALL ELEMENTS OF THE DRY FLOODPROOFING TO BE DESIGNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ASCE 24.' Furthermore, all nine measures listed (watertight doors/windows, impermeable panels, sealants to reduce water seepage, backflow...

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Summary: The 'WET FLOOD PROOFING DESIGN' detail provides a cross-section of the exterior wall assembly and explicitly lists the material layers, including a 'BRICK MASONRY UNIT' veneer and 'EXTERIOR SHEATHING'. However, it entirely omits the required water-resistive barrier (WRB) between the sheathing and the exterior brick veneer.

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Summary: The architectural floor plans (STAIR 2 and STAIR_3) and Keynote N-40 specify a 30'x48' Area of Refuge located directly on the stair landings. The drawings explicitly dimension the total width of these landings as 3'-8' (44 inches). Placing a 30-inch wide designated wheelchair refuge area within a 44-inch wide landing physically overlaps the...

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Summary: Detail EP-4.1 is titled 'TYPE: EXTERIOR - WD STUD & BRICK FACADE (2 HOUR RATED)' and references UL U349. However, the construction detail specifies '6' METAL STUDS @ 16' O.C.' and 'OPEN CELL SPRAY FOAM,' while the UL U349 reference shown on the same drawing clearly depicts a wood-framed assembly with '2x4 STUDS AT 24' O.C. 2x6 STUDS AT 24'...

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Summary: On sheet A3.1, Elevation 6 (EXTERIOR ELEVATION - FELCITY ST), door 105-I is annotated as 'SOLID DOUBLE 2 PANEL WOOD W/OPEN TRANSOM' with a vertical dimension of 10'-5 3/8'. On sheet A5.1, the Door Schedule lists door 105-1 as Type J1 with dimensions 10'-0' × 8'-0' and description 'EXTERIOR DBL. GATE'. The Door Types detail on A5.1 defines Type...

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Summary: Sheet A1.1 mandates that all slabs on grade must be at least 36 inches above the highest point of the curb to meet flood prevention conditions. However, the Hastings Pl. Elevation on Sheet A3.3 establishes the 1st Floor level at 0'-6'. This creates a clear 30-inch discrepancy between the required code minimum slab elevation and the...

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Summary: The drawing designates a 650 SF roof deck as 'PRIVATE USE ONLY' and classifies it under 'BUSINESS' occupancy (Room 402) in the Room Schedule. The Roof Plan shows the deck designed as an occupied space with guardrails (N-18), wood fencing (N-10), and A/C condensers (N-16). However, the State Fire Marshal (SFM) Plan Review Report explicitly...

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Summary: The 3rd Floor Reflected Ceiling Plan shows assembly designation RC-1.1 (UL P201) rated at 1 hour on the diagonal (northwest) exterior wall of the building. The stair enclosure STAIR_3 (303) is located at the corner where the diagonal exterior wall meets the east (right straight) wall, and the diagonal wall appears to form part of the upper...

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Summary: The Life Safety specification explicitly requires that the fire alarm notification be provided by both audible and visual means in accordance with NFPA 72 for accessibility compliance. However, the Reflected Ceiling Plan and Electrical Legend only specify a 'SMOKE & CO2 DETECTOR UNIT (HARDWIRED)'. There are no visual notification appliances...

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Summary: The specification for 'WET FLOOD PROOFING DESIGN' requires that elements be designed to ASCE 24 standards, specifically stating that doors and windows must be 'SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO BE WATERTIGHT WHEN CLOSED WITHOUT FLOOD SHIELDS'. However, Detail 2 'DOOR DETAILS - STOREFRONT' specifies a standard storefront door with an 'INTEGRAL DOOR SWEEP'...

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Summary: Detail 3 'ADA THRESHOLD REQUIREMENTS' shows a maximum threshold height of 3/4' on the exterior side, handled with a 1:2 beveled slope. Per ADA Section 303.3, beveled changes in level are limited to between 1/4' high minimum and 1/2' high maximum. Per Advisory 303.3, the combined change in level shall in no case exceed 1/2', and changes...

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Summary: General Note 4 on the drawing states 'NOSINGS SHALL HAVE A CURVATURE OR BEVEL OF NOT LESS THAN 1/16 INCH BUT NOT MORE THAN 9/16 INCH FROM THE FOREMOST PROJECTION OF THE TREAD.' ADA Section 504.5 requires 'The radius of curvature at the leading edge of the tread shall be 1/2 inch (13 mm) maximum.' The drawing's permitted maximum of 9/16 inch...

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Summary: The commercial mounting heights elevation specifies the accessible rod and shelf to be mounted at 4'-6' (54 inches) above the finished floor. However, ADA Section 603.4 explicitly requires shelves to be located at a maximum height of 48 inches above the finish floor.

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