COLLINS PARK HOTEL (LORD CHARLES AND GAMSHIRE BUILDINGS)

 

Issue:  Vertical accessibility to all levels of historic buildings.

 

Analysis:  The applicant is requesting a waiver from providing vertical accessibility to the front terrace and recessed lobbies of the Lord Charles and Gamshire Buildings.  The property consists of seven two and three story structures, all of which ate historic buildings built from 1939-1053.  They are Collins Park Hotel, Adams Hotel, Tyler Apartment Hotel, Lord Charles Apartments, Gamshire Apartments, Sun King Apartments #1 And Sun King Apartments #2. There are approximately 85,625 square feet of the existing properties being conserved and 57,250 square feet of new construction.  There will be a total of 305 hotel units with accessory uses throughout the complex including a restaurant and indoor bar, library and rooftop lounges.  Some portions of three buildings will be demolished to permit the new construction addition which is being designed in accordance with the style and architectural elements of the historic elements.  There currently is no cohesive way to walk between all structures and the applicant intends to connect them through a series of paths, ramps, lifts and elevators.  The project cost to renovate the seven historic buildings, rooftop additions and a 5 story ground floor addition will be $35,000,000.  Providing vertical accessibility to the front terraces and recessed lobbies of the Gamshire and Lord Charles is not disproportionate; however, altering these area will drastically impact the historic architecture of these structure destroying the historic layouts and character of these public spaces.

 

Project Progress:

 

The project is under design and in plan review.

 

Items to be Waived:

 

Vertical accessibility to all levels, as required by Section 553.509, Florida Statutes.

 

553.509: Vertical accessibility - Nothing in sections 553.501-553.513 or the guidelines shall be construed to relieve the owner of any building, structure or facility governed by those sections from the duty to provide vertical accessibility to all levels above and below the occupiable grade level, regardless of whether the guidelines require an elevator to be installed in such building, structure or facility, except for:

 

(1) Elevator pits, elevator penthouses, mechanical rooms, piping or equipment catwalks and automobile lubrication and maintenance pits and platforms;

(2) Unoccupiable spaces, such as rooms, enclosed spaces and storage spaces that are not designed for human occupancy, for public accommodations or for work areas; and

(3) Occupiable spaces and rooms that are not open to the public and that house no more than five persons, including, but not limited to equipment control rooms and projection booths.

 

Waiver Criteria:  There is no specific guidance for a waiver of this requirement in the code.  The Commission’s current rule, authorized in Section 553.512, Florida Statutes, provides criteria for granting waivers and allows consideration of unnecessary or extreme hardship to the applicant if the specific requirements were imposed.