02/24/2011

   What does one do, when one is at the lower end of the commercial construction 'food chain' when architects are having a hard time staying in business? An architect generally doesn't need a consultant to design apartments and shopping centers. One updates one's website. One diversifies. My diversification is toward the graphic arts. Trolling craigslist. Investing money into software and computers and dealing with Windows 7...

   To be honest, I don't like Windows 7 very much. I didn't think XP Pro was broken; although I never tried 64-bit computing. I've had to upgrade all of my old programs, some of which date back to W98.

   3-D is on the horizon. I don't know how long it will take to get to the horizon. The way the year is starting, it may take a very long time...

09/02/2010

   I've been "threatening" to start this blog for years, in that there has been an inactive link to "Brick Wall Blog" on my Code pages for years. I couldn't decide what to write about. My lack of writing doesn't stem from a lack of words to use, it's mostly stemmed from the desire to not say bad things about the Building Code or those who enforce the Code. There's enough negativity in the world as it is.

   "If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them." Ecclesiastes 5:8

   I rediscovered this passage from the Older Testament shortly after I started working for the Bureau of Buildings in Portland, and realized that it explained a lot about government. It was my reading of an article in the Oregonian this week that inspired the creation of this blog.

   A client came to me a few years ago, wanting me to review the plans for the remodel of a commercial building in one of Oregon's smaller communities. The permit had been issued, and I was reluctant to review the plans. I don't like 'forensic plan review,' I'm well aware of many errors that I made while working as a Plans Examiner--it happens. I rode in my client's car for a couple of hours, and visited a County building department, where we were allowed to look at the plans.

   What first caught my eye was a glaring error regarding the exit doors for this building [Exiting 101], and the prominent architect's stamp right next to the error. At that point I decided that I couldn't NOT look at the plans. My review of the plans led to a 20-page document detailing violation of the County's Planning, Transportation and Building Code requirements, including ADA violations in this 3-story motel/restaurant structure. I know the Plans Examiner who did the review; he's highly respected in the Code enforcement community. My only explanation is that he was told, by someone with more clout, to approve the plans. From the Oregonian article:

"...the neighbors fought the expansion in numerous county procedures and took the case all the way to the State Land Use Board of Appeals, eventually losing on almost all major points."

   The Oregonian article fails to mention that none of the various appeal boards addressed any of the various Code violations; all of their decisions were strictly "political."

"We don't want to hurt the [business]," said [the association president]. "They are a good local business. To go out and hurt the [business] is cutting off our nose to spite our face."

   In this instance, hurting the business would be enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Building Code, the County Planning and Transportation Codes. But the building is usable, and the 'damage' is already done, so let's just forget about all the violations...we need to keep business running...

   I've seen so many instances of incorrectly-built buildings since I've been on this side "of the counter," mostly due to the fact that the inspectors don't walk around with plans in their hands, so as to realize the system doesn't work. In the construction industry, it's critical that the job superintendents have some knowledge of the Building Code, and that they are able to read construction documents. Inspectors will catch things that don't look right, but they generally don't have time to walk around with construction documents in their hands.

   On the lighter side..

   I sat next to Vern, in the Permit Center, for about 9 years. He'd worked for the Bureau for nearly 30 years, and had his own way of doing things. One day he answered the phone, and the man on the other end said, "I don't think I can build that wall in an hour." Vern replied, "That's okay; you can make a two hour wall, if you want."