ADA regulations

[misty]

Does anyone know when the cutoff date is that buildings of a certain age have to be compliant? I know that if they're so old, they aren't held responsible under the ADA, or I think I've heard that right. Anybody know the date?

[LisaJoy]

Misty -- as best I can figure out, there is no specific age cut-off; i.e., no one is "grandfathered" in. All public facilities are supposed to be made accessible as soon as "readily achievable." For any building renovation project, I think the law requires that up to 20% extra be designated for accessibility issues.

There are separate guidelines for historic structures -- for example, Colonial Williamsburg as to make its visitor center accessible, but they do not have to alter the historic character of the original buildings.

If you google "ADA compliance older buildings" you'll get a bunch of hits that will help.

[eng188]

I had thought that I heard 1970, but that may be wrong. A few years ago, I Greyhounded from Pittsburgh, to Ann Arbor, MI to attend a postseason gymnastics meet at Michigan, that Pitt was in. Michigan's basketball arena, which hosts gymnastics as well, lacked railings. I'm pretty sure it dates from before the 70's.

[dahliafaolan]

Yes, but sports facilities of any kind are notoriously bad for ADA issues. I remember going to LSU when I was in high school (somewhere in the early 2000's) to a science fair competition. It was being held in the brand new track and field building that had just been finished the year before. It had no accessible bathrooms.

I know anything that was built before 1920 is not required, but that's only because we have a historic building in the area that was built somewhere around 1918-ish that isn't required to fix itself up.