Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 92, no. 2371]: August 23, 1913

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REAL ESTATE AND NEW YORK, AUGUST 23, 1913 THE JOINT COMMITTEE'S CODE AMENDMENTS I Opposed to Restricting Wood Trim to Buildings Under 100 Feet High—Would Limit I I Hollow Block Walls to Forty-Two Feet of Height—A Chance For All Good Materials. | THE Joint Committee on City De¬ partments has transmitted to Chair¬ man /f. W. Herbst of the Committee on Buildings of the Board of .\ldermen its recommendations for changes in the proposed l)uilding code. This commit¬ tee consists 'of delegates representing New York Chapter of the .■\nierican In¬ stitute of Architects, the Building Trades Employers' .\ssociation, thc .American Institute of Consulting Engineers, Brooklyn Chapter of the .\merican In¬ stitute of .Architects and the New York Society of Architects, New York Board of Fire Lhiderwriters and the National Board of Fire Underwriters, with twen¬ ty-four members in all, who have been making a study of the code. George B. Ford is the chairman. .\s the result of the series of meetings which the Joint Committee has just com¬ pleted, it expresses appreciation of the work done by the Aldermanic commit¬ tee and states that in a general way it favors the Amended Code, subject to certain modifications. One of the most important recom¬ mendations made in the report is tliat the code should contain a statement at the outset that the provisions are to apply to buildings hereafter erected and not to existing buildings unless specifi¬ cally mentioned. In at least one in¬ stance in the existing code a doubt as to whether the provision referred to exist¬ ing buildings, or to those wdiich may hereafter be erected, has been the cause of prolonged litigation. In the proposed code there is a similar doubtful provi¬ sion. The Joint Committee also recom¬ mends the insertion of a statement to the effect that where there is a change of occupancy, alterations to existing buildings need conform to the .Amended Code for the altered or added parts only. In reference to the proposed further restriction of the use of wood trim in thc construction of buildings, the Joint Committee takes a stand with the as¬ sociations which have already entered objections thereto. It agrees with the representatives of the Allied Rea! Es¬ tate Interests that self-closing doors on elevator enclosures are dangerous, and it reaffirms its former opinion that more liberal concessions should be made in favor of gypsum blocks. Definition of a Fireproof Door. 1 he amended code defines a fireproof door as one constructed of incombusti¬ ble material. This would in eflfect de¬ stroy the kalamein industry in this city. The Joint Committee recommends a sub¬ stitute definition, as follows: ".\ fireproof door is a door which when completed is non-combustible and fire-resisting as approved liy the ofticial or ofificials whose approval is required by any law or or¬ dinance." From a number of tests that have been made the Joint Committee is con¬ vinced that even in the greatest crowds it is impossible to get more than one hundred pounds per square foot on stairs or landings. Hence it is recom¬ mended that thc reequirement in section 18, paragraph 3, be reduced from one hundred and fifty to one hundred pounds per square foot as the measure of the strength of stairs, platforms and land¬ ings in buildings less than thirty-si.x feet six inches high. Paragraph 4 of this samc section vir¬ tually prohibits the construction of un¬ enclosed stairs in any building other than dwellings unless constructed of in¬ combustible material. As a substitute the Joint Committee proposes the fol¬ lowing paragraph: "Not more than two stories in any building shall be con¬ nected by an open well or stairway en¬ closed by approved fireproof partitions, other than those provided for in the other paragraphs of this section." For the reason tliat in hotels, public build¬ ings, department stores, etc., it is often desirable from the standpoint of effect and usefulness to have a monumental stairway between two floors, the dan¬ ger from such a stair is not considered great enough to compensate for its ab¬ sence, from a practical or architectural standpoint. Fireproof Doors and Windows. The Joint Committee has recommend¬ ed the addition of two entirely new paragraphs to section 25, as follows: ".All windows and doors in public cor¬ ridors in liuildings more than one hun¬ dred feet in height shall be of approved fireproof material — or doors, sashes, jambs and bucks shall be protected with metal—and openings glazed with wire- glass, with panes not more than sixteen inches wide. "All exterior windows more than one hundred feet above the curb, except as otherwise required in section 25, shall have frames and sashes of incombustible material, or wood protected with metal, and the upper half of each window shall be glazed with wire glass in panes not exceeding sixteen inches in width." These requirements the committee be¬ lieves to be essential for the reason that the Fire Department cannot fight fires from the outside more than ninety or one hundred feet above the curb. A mush¬ rooming out of fires on upper floors is a common occurrence. This provision will largely prevent the difficulty. It is absolutely e.-;sential that corridors above one hundred feet from the ground be completely non-combustible, in the opin¬ ion of the committee. The difficulty of constructing bay, or¬ iel and show windows without a backing of wood, except at prohibitive cost in most cases, prompts the Joint Commit¬ tee to object to section 31.in thc Amend¬ ed Code, which requires bay, oriel and show windows to be constructed entirely of incombustible material. The committee would prohibit shingle roofs outside as well as inside the fire limits. Particulajly urged is a new provision that any floor beam in a Building of Class E be capable of sustaining a live load, at its center, of at least four thou¬ sand pounds, because of the difficulty of preventing tenants from placing excep¬ tional loads, such as safes, or heavy files in tbe middle of a floor area. Hollow Building Blocks. Under the Amended Code hollow building blocks of hard-burned terra¬ cotta or of concrete may be used for en closure, curtain, bearing or non-bearing walls of buildings when not exceeding fifty-two feet in height or four stories The Joint Committee favors reducmg the height to forty-two feet and advises that no make of hollow building block should be used in fireproof buildings un¬ til* they have successfully withstood a two-hour fire test as specified for par¬ titions by the American Society for Testing Materials. It has been predicted by no less an authority than the Super¬ intendent of Buildings in the Bronx, Mr Henderson, that permission to use hol¬ low blocks for bearing walls would give rise to a higher rate of private house construction in the suburbs. Hollow blocks may also be used for the founda¬ tion walls of buildings of a certain height under the .Amended Code. Fire Walls. The Herbst code provides in section 96 that fire walls shall be built of con¬ crete at least twelve inches thick laid in Portland cement. The Joint Committee advises that such walls be laid in brick or any eqt"iivalent material and thickness as may be approved by the Superintend¬ ent of Buildings. The Herbst code pro¬ vides that fire division partitions may lie constructed of only brick terra cotta blocks, or concrete; the Joint Commit¬ tee advises instead that partitions maj be built of brick eight inches thick, ter¬ ra cotta blocks, concrete blocks or solid gypsum, or metal lath and plaster if solid and three inches thick. There should not be more than forty per cent, of openings in any such partition, in any one story, says the Joint Committee, and all such openings should be protect¬ ed by approved self-closing fire doors normally kept closed, or fixed fireproof shades with wire glass. In a note the committee expresses the view that solid gypsum blocks four indies thick stand thc test in case of fire as well, for the purpose of the fire division, as terra cotta or concrete blocks. The members of the commit¬ tee are also convinced that fixed fire-