All historic properties providing access to the public are subject to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), but there are some exceptions.
Historic properties are defined as being listed on, or being eligible to be listed on, the National Register of Historic Places, or designated as historic properties under state or local law. Owners of such buildings must conserve the historic nature of the building and provide accessibility to those who need it.
The National Parks Service’s Preservation Brief 32 introduces and provides guidance on how to integrate accessibility within a historic property. The brief outlines key steps including the completion of an accessibility assessment to identify items that do not comply with the ADA Standards and an evaluation of options to correct non-compliant items while being sensitive to the building’s historic character.
If it is not technically infeasible to meet current ADA Standards without threatening or destroying the historic significance of a building, an owner or representative must consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer. Exceptions may be made for accessible routes, entrances, and toilet facilities under certain circumstances.
Related Stories
| May 17, 2012
New standard for Structural Insulated Panels under development
ASTM International and NTA, Inc. are developing a new standard for Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) that would create a path for U.S. manufacturers to meet the requirements of the Canadian building code.
| May 17, 2012
Webinar: ‘What Energy Codes and Standards Are Adopted Where and by Whom’
A June 12 webinar by the Construction Specifications Institute will outline what energy codes and standards have been adopted in each of the states for commercial buildings, and what is anticipated to be adopted in the future.
| May 17, 2012
California Governor orders new green standards on state buildings
California Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order recently that calls for all new or renovated state buildings of more than 10,000 sf to achieve LEED Silver or higher and incorporate clean, onsite power generation.
| May 17, 2012
New Zealand stadium roof collapse blamed on snow, construction defects
Heavy snowfall, construction defects, and design problems contributed to the collapse of the Stadium Southland roof in New Zealand in September 2010, a report has found.
| May 17, 2012
OSHA launches fall prevention campaign
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently launched an educational campaign to prevent deadly falls in the construction industry.
| May 15, 2012
Suffolk selected for Rosenwald Elementary modernization project
The 314-student station elementary school will undergo extensive modernization.
| May 10, 2012
Chapter 6 Energy Codes + Reconstructed Buildings: 2012 and Beyond
Our experts analyze the next generation of energy and green building codes and how they impact reconstruction.
| May 10, 2012
Resilience should be considered a sustainability factor
Since a sustainable building is one you don't have to rebuild, some building sustainability experts believe adding points for "resilience" to storms and earthquakes to the LEED sustainability rating tool makes sense.
