AN ENTRY ACCESSIBILITY PLAN was required by the City as a prerequisite for doing renovations. Happily, ours has now taken shape. On October 23, our architect presented the draft plan to a civil engineer on the disability access team at the Department of Building & Safety (LADBS). She said that the concept seemed workable, given our needs and constraints. That not only clears the way for the planned restroom renovations, but also sets the course for significant accessibility improvements.
Below the jump, this post lays out our plan.…
The plan is a compromise, due to the severe constraints posed by our historic building. From an accessibility standpoint, it does not meet even the somewhat relaxed goals of the state historic building code. Yet it represents a huge improvement from the current state of affairs.
The plan has two components. When combined, they add up to a workable arrangement. They are: a stairlift for the front stairwell; and a ramp arrangement in the sanctuary’s northeast corridor. The board provisionally approved this approach in February, when it authorized the engagement of an architect to “optimize entry accessibility” to our sanctuary.
1. Stairlift in the front stairwell
This is the quickest and easiest way to enable access to our sanctuary from Main Street, for most of the people who find stairs challenging.
This accessibility device connects the pedestrian entrance on Main Street with both the lobby level and the lower level. Anyone who has difficulty with stairs yet is able to transfer into a chair (and weighs less than 400 lbs) can sit down, fasten a seat belt, and press a switch to get whisked away to their destination. Hence it can provide substantial benefit to many people, for relatively modest cost.
Meanwhile, other people who use the stairs can pass by the stairlift’s user without mutual interference. Similarly, when the lift itself is not in use, people climbing the stairs can easily occupy both sides (and both handrails) of the stairwell. In other words, this type of lift avoids creating a bottleneck in the stairwell.
In non-residential settings in L.A., a stairlift requires two LADBS permits: one from the building (disability access) section, and another from the mechanical (elevator safety) section. After we presented the stairlift to City officials as an integral part of our plan, we were told that because Mishkon had received permits in 2007–2008 to install an inclined platform lift in the same stairwell, we do not need new permits now. Rather, we need to ask for a revision of our existing mechanical permit, which is still in force.
In the eyes of the City, the stairlift replaces the inclined platform lift that was approved in 2007–2008. Therefore it must traverse the full span of the previous lift.
STATUS: Next week, the board will be given an opportunity to make its implicit approval more explicit. • The B&G Committee is about to submit a report to the Director of Operations, recommending the purchase of a particular make and model, to be installed by a particular vendor. (Installation takes 1 day.) • Prior to installation, some electrical work is needed. • The City must approve the stairlift as a “replacement” under the existing mechanical permit; Michael Shulman is ready to work on that task. • The Fundraising Committee is preparing to solicit donations to supplement the seed money available in the Capital Improvements Fund. • Proposed target date for initial operation is Erev Pesaḥ (April 1).
2. ADA-compliant ramp at the southeast corridor
This is how people in wheelchairs (who cannot transfer to a chair) will be able to access our sanctuary, entering via the Hampton Drive gate.
The path of travel from the gate into the sanctuary meets the ADA requirements for a gradual slope, safety, and stability.
Meanwhile, by removing the existing steps both up and down, the ramp eases the safe movement of all people and goods between the play yard and the sanctuary.
The City has a formal permitting process for ramps. Our architect’s proposal will be reviewed by the Office of Historic Resources as well as by the safety and accessibility offices of LADBS. Our architect will champion the application on our behalf.
STATUS: Our architectural firm has identified the best location for a ramp that meets ADA requirements. They have laid out its basic configuration. Most recently, they (along with the structural engineers) are preparing the application to the City for a building permit to install the ramp, while also gathering ballpark cost information. They expect to finish those efforts by December 1. • Probably at its December meeting, the board will be asked to approve the construction, pending approval of the application. • Construction is expected to begin by May, with completion by Rosh Hashanah.
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