Stupid access tricks

Posted by Katja on 1 July 2008 | Permalink
Filed under accessibility
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We went to see our lawyer today. Apparently the landlord of his building decided to make the building accessible.

They built a nice ramp up the curb:
01-curbcut

Then they built a nice ramp from the sidewalk to the building doors:
02-ramp

Then they found out that an elevator inside the building was going to cost $60,000, so here’s what you get once you’re inside the door:
03-stairs

Game over!

It might have been slightly more cost-effective to check on the elevator cost first.

Comments

5 Responses to “Stupid access tricks”

  1. Peter Tan on July 2nd, 2008 0.09

    We experience the same kind of nonsense here in Malaysia.

  2. Blake on July 4th, 2008 17.15

    Wow. I have never seen this kind of stuff before. Is that enough to be in compliance with the law?

  3. Katja on July 4th, 2008 18.07

    In this particular case, the owner didn’t need to do anything to be compliant. Buildings built before the ADA (pre-1990) do not need to be retrofitted to provide access, unless the building is being “altered” (repairs do not count as alterations). This building was built in 1972.

    Additionally, two story buildings with less than 3,000 square feet of per story do not need an elevator or other vertical access unless they are shopping malls or the office of a health care provider. I don’t actually know what the square footage of this building is, but it’s only two stories (neither of which is accessible) and it’s not very large.

  4. Kay Olson on July 5th, 2008 2.08

    That is a lovely ramp, though.

  5. Daughter on July 8th, 2008 18.31

    I agree with Peter - what utter stuff and nonsense.