(Eaton) Lofts at 276

[ijmorlan]

A small elevator (similar to J&P) could have been installed to the left of the stairs. However, it looks like they are going to use that space for a take-out counter.

That also wouldn't have made the store accessible, there's still the single step up from King St.

They likely can't lower that front area, as the condo parking garage is underneath and that's probably its concrete roof. The only real option would be a substantial regrading of the sidewalk along King St.

The single step is not a reason not to be accessible. The sidewalk could be re-graded by that much, and should be anyway because single steps outdoors (or in) are a menace.

I saw an article in the paper Record (was visiting somebody who takes it) in which they claimed it wasn’t “possible” to retrofit any sort of elevator. I find that a bit hard to believe. In the entire building there is no corner where a lift could be installed, when they were gutting the entire floor? Especially given the comments here about the space next to the stairs at the entrance. Maybe they would have to re-think the location of their take-out counter a bit.

I just worry that the reaction to this will be eventually to make accessibility mandates more complete, but overdoing it so that old buildings, especially small ones, become almost impossible to use. Based on what I’ve seen, I think I’d be OK with saying that this place isn’t allowed to operate unless they fix their accessibility problem, but there are buildings where that would definitely be inappropriate.