About

adaca_cover_13Ashdown Architecture is a full service architectural firm with significant expertise addressing access compliance issues in buildings and facilities throughout California.  We are thoroughly familiar with the federal and state requirements for access compliance and have been certified by the California Division State Architect as a Certified Access Specialist (CASp).

12 Responses to About

  1. Sang says:

    Hi can you give me a ballpark figure of how much a CASp inspection would cost? This would be for a small family owned restaurant in the inner Richmond, that is about 2000 square feet.

    • admin says:

      It’s difficult to say without seeing the property. If you’ll give me a call, I’ll be happy to stop by, at no charge, and give you an estimate.

  2. Brad Watson says:

    Can you tell me the minimum door width clearance and aisle way width clearance in state buildings?

    • Dwight Ashdown says:

      It depends on what the door is for. Typically the clear door width is 32″ – when the door is open 90 degrees.
      If it’s an exit door, the door needs to be 36″
      Not sure what you’re looking for when you say “aisle way” width. Do you mean corridor?

  3. Dan Parks says:

    I am at a hotel in southern California (I am told the property is on private property) and I arrived to park in Handicapped parking to find this.

    3 Handicapped parking spots – blocked off with stantions. After waiting in front of it for 5 minutes (with our Placard visible) Finally go around to learn that ONLY VALET can park there. When I argue the issue I am told because it’s private property they can do anything they want with the handicapped spots. That seem’s incorrect to me but… when I questioned them further – the reason for the stantions is that general public come in and park there without Handicap signs – so they just block it from everyone. CAN THEY DO THIS>

    • Dwight Ashdown says:

      I’m obviously not there, and don’t know the specifics as to what is “public” vs. what’s “private” at this location, but from your description, it doesn’t sound correct to me.

  4. tony says:

    I am a manager in a restaurant in San Pedro, California. We are not a big chain restaurant and only have two Single person restrooms (men & women). The women’s restroom has sufficient room for wheelchair access, the men’s unfortunately does not. The restaurant where like this when we started the business. Are we required by law to make changes to these restrooms.

    • Dwight Ashdown says:

      I can’t really comment without seeing the restaurant & have a better understanding of your operations. Having said that, I can say that, generally, for a small operation, you would not be required to make both restrooms fully accessible. You would be required to make, improvements that are “readily achievable.” I strongly encourage you to have a CASp inspector do an inspection and provide you with a report, which will give you guidance in what needs to be corrected.

  5. Al Casas says:

    We have been instructed by LA City DOD that our meeting room is not ADA compliant. They won’t tell us why. They haven’t given us written notice and they simply say because it isn’t. We have asked them for a written notice several times over 4-6 months.
    We had a meeting with them asked for a list. They said we would have one in a week. 8 weeks later nothing. We want them listing the issues and they have refused, saying that they haven’t written anything down yet. Don’t they have to explain the issues and not just command us to stop using the room. We are willing to fix any issues but they won’t tell us what they are.

  6. Glenn Martin says:

    I have a rounding question. I manage a commercial building where the slope of the existing landing of the primary entrance is 2.4%. During a recent remodel, the city building dep’t. required us to remove and replace the landing, due to it being “too steep.” The required slope reduction was less than 1/2″ over the 72″ wide landing. Is there any rounding allowed for minor compliance issues such as this? It seems to me that Para 1.4 of the CBC 11b would allow this “excessive” slope to remain. Am I missing something? Thanks.

    • Dwight Ashdown says:

      I’m an architect and Certified Access Specialist, and as such, I don’t have the authority to overrule your Building Department. You and I may think that .4% is not that big of a deal, but the code is written to allow up to 2%, and there’s really no allowance for anything that exceeds that.

Leave a Reply to Dwight Ashdown Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.