Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-20
HoLIlNSHEAD N. TAYLOR
On Revising tba Building Code

THE building code of the City of Phila-
L delphia Is in need of considerable re.
vision, says Hollinshead N. Taylor. chair
man of the Industrial Committee of the
Chamber of Commerce and director of that
organization.
"While the building code of Philadelphla
Is not much more severe than those OF most
of the other large cities" said Mr.. Iayior;
"still it contains some rather antiquated
provisions, and il Is these which we wouia
like to see changed. There can be>no douot
that it has acted in an unfavorable manner
in the case of some industries which we are
considering locating In this city. even to the
point Of causing some of them either to locate
outside the city limits or to go to altogether
different localities.
"Some of these building laws tend to
raise the cost of building construction In the
city unnecessarily and some of the others
are objected to by probably majority OF
those interested in the building construction
industry. Therefore reasonable revision
of them would have a generally favorable
action upon the building programs In the
city at large and would encourage the cree
tion of more structures.
The Area Limits
"For example, the area Of buildings with
undivided floor space is limited to 20, 600 feet
in first class buildings. 10000 feet IN Sec
Onu CLASS DullulukS, 0OOu lcVL AOI
buildings having two inch plank floors and
5000 feet for third. .class buildings OF ordi-
nary construction, with no limit on area
for one story buildings working In nom
combustible materials.
'"These provisions require reconsider.
alton. and certainly the matter Of one-story
buildings, which the Building Bureau now
interprsts 80 that one story building used
for working non -combustible materials,
which covers the bulk of manufacturing in
the City OF Philadelphia, is restricted to
1000 second class and 1900 and 5000
third class. 1t is very doubtful whether this
was the intention of the law when it was
drafted. and it is also questionable whether
the proportionate areas referred to for the
various classes of building construction
correspond to the relative fire hazard of
these classes Of construction.
"The Philadelphia code, differing from
that OF many other cities, allows no credit
! on floor areas or on classes OF construction.
| etc, arising {, ON the Improved fire hazard
due to automatic. sprinkler systems. 1t is
altogether likely that third class building
cauipped with sprnklers for combustible
| contents Is quite as good from this stand
point as n first class building which is not
| equipped with these devices.
The "sandwiched" Building
..Another matter which needs readjust
ment is that no consideration as to type of
construction OF sILe - GIVEN IoT tHe location
Of a building. so that the same limits apply
| IN n building sandwiched In between two ad :
| iacent factories as to n building with three
| dstinct street frontages. This is particu-
iarly unwisc when applying to buildings
standing free In large factory sites. as is
the case of so many modern factories.
| ..The Philadelphia building laws do not
| allow temporary construction of any sort.
and all buildings must be constructed in
fnlI accordance with the code. Temporary
| nnrts of buildings, intended for use for i,
| limited time, might reasonably be constructed
under bonding system.
1.-The party wall is another thing which
might vel, b. modified to some extent. Tbc
Building Department interprcts the building
code on party walls to mean that under me-
| consideration can first class structure bo
built to the party line, but must be kent
M least six and ne-half inches away n
hermit the adjoining owner TO build an o,j =.
fashioned party wall. Now, on n twcnty. .
foot lot. keeping away six and Il half inchn.
| on each side means a loss of more thnn :
| ner cent OF the ground area. The code sbnr,,
| he 70 modified ns to permit each owner y.
build to his own line.
| Dependent Upon improvements
! 'An injustice Is also pructiced by the citv
authorities, including the Building bureau
in refusing to grant building permits M mr.
adjacent to intended city imDrovcmeptt -, .
which may not at that time have been fully
determined upon. Thus, In the case ~ H.
flI'arkwsy, which was delayed In CONSTRUCTION