of Pawtucket welcomes consolidated
code.
A long-anticipated consolidation of Rhode Island fire and building codes could soon encourage developers to take on more redevelopment projects in the state.
The two codes, which had many differences, were put together by a 16-person drafting committee – whose members also had many differences.
After two years of work, the committee has come up with a single user-friendly code, which should be in place by May 1 of this year.
The consolidation of the two codes reduces the discrepancies between the building code and fire code, and makes it easier, cheaper and timelier for building owners to bring their buildings up to code.
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George S. Farrell, the committee’s chairman and a representative from the Rhode Island Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review, estimated the committee spent over a hundred hours working on the draft.
“It seemed like there was always enough time to do it over and never enough time to do it right,” he said. “We just wanted to get it right on the first time.”
The committee, created by the General Assembly, included members from varying fields such as architecture, historical preservation, fire safety and construction.
The code, which is roughly 60 pages, was initially drafted so older buildings could be designed for re-use without some of the unnecessary restrictions that apply to new buildings.
Virginia Hesse, principal historic architect for the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, said that because there were so many different interests involved in rehabilitating the code that everybody made compromises, but there was no compromise on safety.
“There were two sides,” she said. “One side seemed intent on stimulating re-use, while the other group felt that it could not be done while maintaining safety.”
“These two polarized groups finally came together with a finished product that everybody feels good about,” she said. “If it works out that it’s a useful business tool to stimulate redevelopment, then we’ve all won.”
Rep. Mable M. Anderson, a Pawtucket Democrat, monitored the legislation for the new code.
“The new code has to be developer-friendly yet consumer safe,” she said. “It can’t be just one or the other.
“The state code has certainly not been developer-friendly in the recent past,” she continued. “It’s been so expensive to even think of converting these mills to anything that we needed a different code that reflects more of the situation we have to deal with now, and we do have a housing shortage in Rhode Island. This isn’t going to solve that, but I think it will certainly help with mixed-use redevelopment.”
Morris Nathanson, a Pawtucket-based interior designer, is working on two mill projects that will definitely cost less in inspections and construction because of the rehabilitated code. He is also more likely to take jobs under the new code.
“Obviously it’s going to be a great service for the community,” he said. “The people in the community will be the major beneficiaries.”
Dan Baudouin, executive director of the Providence Foundation, is excited about the many implications of the project.
“It feels good because it makes a lot of sense,” he said. “It will result in a lot more historical preservation and urban and mill revitalization. It’s such a boon that it’s almost like a win-win-win situation.”
Scott Wolf, executive director of Grow Smart Rhode Island, said the next step before the code is implemented is education.
“This rehabilitation represents a lot of changes in the way that code enforcement is done and the way regulators will approach it,” he said. He pointed out that fire marshals, builders, building inspectors, building owners, architects and engineers are all going to have to become familiar with this code.
Coffey doesn’t think this will be too much of a problem because most of the fire department officials and building officials have kept an eye on the process.
Stephen Durkee, a principal with Providence architecture firm Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels, agreed that the education process would be easy, and possibly even exciting.
“It’s an organic thing where we’re going to learn more every year,” he said. “It’s a new creature.”
