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Prior Chicago Building Code
BUILDING CODE AND RELATED EXCERPTS OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF CHICAGO
DIVISION 1 - ADMINISTRATION
DIVISION 2 - DEFINITIONS
DIVISION 3 - USE AND OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATIONS
Subdivision 302 - Classification
Subdivision 303 - Assembly
Subdivision 304 - Business
Subdivision 306 - Factory
Subdivision 307 - High-Hazard
Subdivision 308 - Institutional
Subdivision 309 - Mercantile
Subdivision 310 - Residential
Subdivision 311 - Storage
Subdivision 312 - Utility and Miscellaneous
DIVISION 4 - SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON USE AND OCCUPANCY
DIVISION 5 - GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
DIVISION 6 - TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 7 - FIRE-RESISTANCE-RATED CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 8 - INTERIOR FINISHES (NA)
DIVISION 9 - FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS
DIVISION 10 - MEANS OF EGRESS
DIVISION 11 - ACCESSIBILITY
DIVISION 12 - INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION 13 - ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
DIVISION 14 - EXTERIOR WALLS (NA)
DIVISION 15 - ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES (NA)
DIVISION 16 - STRUCTURAL DESIGN
DIVISION 17 - STRUCTURAL TESTS AND SPECIAL INSPECTIONS
DIVISION 18 - SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
DIVISION 19 - CONCRETE
DIVISION 20 - ALUMINUM (NA)
DIVISION 21 - MASONRY
DIVISION 22 - STEEL
DIVISION 23 - WOOD
DIVISION 24 - GLASS AND GLAZING (NA)
DIVISION 25 - GYPSUM BOARD AND PLASTER (NA)
DIVISION 26 - PLASTIC (NA)
DIVISION 27 - ELECTRICAL
DIVISION 28 - MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
DIVISION 29 - PLUMBING SYSTEMS
DIVISION 30 - ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
DIVISION 31 - SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION (NA)
DIVISION 32 - ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
DIVISION 33 - SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 34 - EXISTING STRUCTURES
DIVISION 35 - REFERENCED STANDARDS

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13-56-290  Separation from public spaces below grade.
   (a)   The interior of any building which adjoins a subway or other public space below grade not open to the sky, shall be separated from subway or other public space by walls or floors of solid masonry or reinforced concrete, or equal with a fire-resistive rating of not less than four hours.
   (b)   Every opening through a wall, required by this section to be used as an exit, shall be protected by a labeled outswinging Class A fire door. Such doors shall be equipped with approved panic hardware and may be single or pairs. Every other opening through such wall, not required as an exit shall be protected with a Class A fire door.
   (c)   No wall used in a separation required by this section shall be located more than twenty feet back from the subway or other public space. Show windows and display spaces may be located on the public side of such separating wall, but there shall not be more than one door opening into each show window or display space.
   (d)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the entire space under any building or any portion of such space, or any passage through a building from being used as a right-of-way or switching space for railroads or public carriers; provided, however, that such spaces or passages shall not be designed or used as a public thoroughfare nor as a parking space for motor vehicles where such use is prohibited by other sections of this Code; and provided further, that such space is separated from the interior and adjacent parts of the building as required by this section for subways.
(Prior code § 48-12.6)
13-56-300  Occupancy content determination.
   When the requirements of this Code are related to the maximum number of persons occupying a space or building such occupancy content shall be determined as provided in Sections 13-56-310 and 13-56-320.
(Prior code § 48-13)
13-56-310  Assembly units and open air assembly units – Occupancy content.
   For assembly units and open air assembly units, the occupancy content shall be based on the capacity of the rooms or spaces used for assembly purposes and shall be determined as follows:
   (a)   In rooms or spaces with fixed seating, the occupancy content shall be the actual number of seats provided. When no divisions between seats are provided, fixed seating shall be computed at 18 inches per person.
   (b)   In rooms or spaces without fixed seating, the occupancy content shall be determined by the dividing of the net floor area (excluding the areas occupied by elevators, toilet rooms, stairways, other shaft enclosures, and by permanent fixtures such as bowling alleys, bars, cigar counters, exit facilities, entrance vestibules, lunch counters and serving spaces for same, etc.) by the floor area per person established in the following table:
Occupancy   Floor Area Per Person
   (1)   School classrooms (other than open plan schools) and recreation rooms   20 sq. ft.
   (2)   Open plan schools, school laboratories and shops   30 sq. ft.
   (3)   Museums, libraries and similar uses   20 sq. ft.
   (4)   Restaurants   15 sq. ft.
   (5)   Other assembly uses   6 sq. ft.
   (6)   Exhibition areas   20 sq. ft.
   (7)   Day care center – Class I   35 sq. ft.
(Prior code § 48-13.1)
13-56-320  Other occupancies – Occupancy contents.
   In occupancies, other than assembly units, the occupancy contents shall be determined by dividing the net floor area within the perimeter of the space or building not including elevators, stairways, or other shaft enclosures by the floor area per person established in the following table:
Table 13-56-320
Other Occupancies, Occupant Load – Floor Area Per Person
Occupancy
   Residential units   125
   Institutional units (See Ch. 53-7(a))   150
   Business units   100(a)
   Mercantile units
      First floor   30
      Basement sales floor   30
      Other floors   60
   Industrial units
      Power plants   400
      Other industrial units   100
   Storage units   300
Note:
   (a)   In a building in which one or more technology centers are located, occupancy of the entire floor and the capacity of fire stairs shall be determined in accordance with the “net floor area” defined in Section 13-56-320. For individual tenant spaces qualifying as technology centers, the occupant load shall be determined on the basis of the “special (technology center) net floor” area which, in addition to the exclusion listed in Section 13-56-320, also excludes stationary computer equipment and computer machinery.
(Prior code § 48-13.2; Amend Coun. J. 6-28-00, p. 36679, § 6)