Ag Barn Condition Survey - Montgomery Parks

MONTGOMERY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS

AGRICULTURAL BARN

at the Agricultural History Farm Park

CONDITION SURVEY

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION pg. 2
ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING ELEMENTS pg. 2
REQUIRED LIFE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS: pg. 4
PROBABLE COST OF REQUIRED IMPROVEMENTS pg.6
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OPTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS pg.6
CONCLUSION pg.7

APPENDIX A:
MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL/PLUMBING ENGINEER’S REPORT by Spectrum Engineering, Inc.

APPENDIX B:
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER’S REPORT by Skarda & Associates, Inc.

APPENDIX C:
PROBABLE COST ITEMIZED BREAKDOWN

APPENDIX D:

LIFE SAFETY PLAN (11x17)

FLOOR AND FRAMING PLANS (11x17)

BUILDING ELEVATIONS (11x17)

BUILDING SECTIONS (11x17)

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Agricultural History Farm Barn Condition Survey
Symmetry First Architects

November 11, 2011 Revised December 5, 2011

INTRODUCTION: The Montgomery County Department of Parks has made the Agricultural History Farm
Park in Derwood, Maryland available for rent as an event venue. Currently, renters have the use of the
House, outdoor areas for parking and tented receptions and bathroom facilities both in the House and
the Center. All events are catered, and no cooking, warming or cold storage facilities are provided at the
Park – these must all be brought to the site by the caterer. Restroom facilities are available in the main
house (within 500 feet of the barn), in the more remote conference center, and, for events, these are
frequently supplemented by portable toilets.

Kate McCullough of Symmetry First met with Ed Trey, Park Manager, at the project site and discussed the
condition of the property and the intended use of the Agricultural Barn. M-NCPPC-MC Facilities
Management Division provided ‘95% CD’ Barn Conversion Drawings, dated 05.01.01, which included new
beams, post and pier footings in the undercroft to support the barn floor, and a new mezzanine above
the barn floor. The undercroft work appears to have been executed, while the mezzanine was not.

In order to understand the scope of work that would be needed to obtain a Use and Occupancy Permit
for the Agricultural Barn so it could be used for indoor receptions, Symmetry First Architects and our
engineering consultants have surveyed the building to establish:

• existing condition of the building envelope and interior finishes
• allocation of existing interior space and means of egress
• existing condition of the barn’s electrical, fire alarm and sprinkler systems
• existing condition of the barn’s structure and envelope

The 2009 International Building Code and the 2009 NFPA Life Safety Code 101 were reviewed to establish
code criteria for the proposed use as a venue for wedding receptions and similar gatherings.

ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING ELEMENTS The Agricultural Barn was built c 1895.

Undercroft:

• Walls ¾ of the perimeter is stone, north wall is wood lap siding with ventilated

wood on upper ½ of wall.

• Ceiling Exposed rough beams supporting rough 2x10 wood planking.

• Floor Dirt

• Doors Five, approximately 3’-6” x7’-0” wood

• The clear height is 8’-0”+/- to underside of beams, 8’-8” +/- to underside of deck

Barn Floor:

• Walls Exposed wood lap siding

• Ceiling Exposed to underside of roof shingles

• Floor Rough 2x10 wood planking in center; 1x10 at both ends

• Doors Six 9’-8” x 13’-8” sliding wood doors

• The clear height is 20’-6” at perimeter, 35’-10” at center

• Windows – None. Ventilation is provided by 22 wood louvers on the Barn level, each 6.8 square feet,
with bird screening. On the lower level, there are 6 wood louvers in the end walls and wood slat
ventilation along the north side of the Undercroft.

• Gutters and Downspouts – The gutters and downspouts are in good condition. Downspouts should
be extended to direct rainwater farther away from the stone foundation walls.

• Insulation – None.

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Agricultural History Farm Barn Condition Survey
Symmetry First Architects

November 11, 2011 Revised December 5, 2011

Exterior Walls– The exterior walls are painted
wood lap siding in fair to good condition.

Roof – The roof is wood shake shingles on wood
slats, with visible daylight.

Doors – There are nine exterior wood doors in the At the south entrance side of the barn, there are
Undercroft, each approximately 3’-6” x 7’-0”. 4 sliding wood barn doors. Each panel is 13’-8” tall
by 9’-8” wide. The total opening is 13’- 8” tall by
38’ -0” wide

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Agricultural History Farm Barn Condition Survey
Symmetry First Architects

November 11, 2011 Revised December 5, 2011

REQUIRED LIFE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS: Based on our examination of the existing building and the
review of applicable codes, we list below our recommendations for the construction work required to
bring the building into code-compliant and usable condition for the proposed Assembly occupancy.

Architectural Life Safety Improvements
In accordance with the Life Safety Plan Drawing (See Appendix) the following items are required:

EXIT DOORS:

The IBC 2009 code requires 77” of egress, and that
the egress openings be 30’-2” apart from each
other. To comply with the code, and maintain the
historical integrity of the building we recommend
the sliding barn door be held open in a
configuration that complies with both regulations,
using the existing wood door stop system to
prohibit the doors from being closed while the
building is occupied.

The door stop must comply with ADA height and
profile requirements to allow wheelchairs to cross
the threshold.

GUARDRAIL:

A 42” high guardrail must be installed at the sliding
door opening on the north wall to protect patrons
from falling.

STOREROOMS:

At the two existing storerooms on the Barn level,
the wall, ceiling and floor assemblies are required to
have a one-hour fire rating.

The storeroom doors must have a 45 minute fire-
rated door and frame assembly.

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Agricultural History Farm Barn Condition Survey
Symmetry First Architects

November 11, 2011 Revised December 5, 2011

All items stored above the storage rooms will need
to be removed.

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection Life Safety Improvements
For a complete description of existing conditions and recommendations, see the Mechanical, Electrical
and Plumbing Report by Spectrum Engineers, in Appendix A

The following items are required:
ƒ Exit Signs – Install exit signs at exits.
ƒ Interior Emergency Lighting – Install emergency lighting throughout barn with battery packs.
ƒ Exterior Emergency Egress Lighting – Install emergency egress lighting with battery packs.
ƒ Additional sprinkler heads – Add sprinkler heads in storage rooms
ƒ Properly spaced heat detectors – Provide all new heat detectors tied to fire alarm panel.
ƒ Fire Alarm System signaling sprinkler flow and heat detection, dialed into local fire services.

Structural Repairs
For a complete description of existing conditions and recommendations, see the Structural Report by
Skarda & Associates, in Appendix B.

The following items are required :

Roof Framing – (to meet 30lbs/sf live load)
ƒ Reinforce roof rafters with sistered 2x6s and connect to walls and roof beams with metal
connectors.
ƒ Install 2x8 collar tie between roof beams.
ƒ Reinforce roof beams with sistered LVL beams.

Barn Floor (Second Floor) Framing – (to meet 100lbs/sf live load)
ƒ Reinforce floor joists with LVL joists
ƒ Reinforce beams with (2) LVL beams

End Walls – (to meet wind and seismic requirements)
ƒ Install 4x4 let-in diagonal bracing and tie with metal straps.
ƒ Reinforce horizontal gits with 4x4 posts at mid-point between existing 8x8 columns.
ƒ Existing cable bracing should remain in place.

Interior Beam-and-Column Frames
ƒ Reinforce mortise and tenon joints at interior column frames with thru-bolts.

Foundation –
ƒ Verify 30” footing depth below grade.
ƒ Install metal connectors at all wood column bases.
ƒ Install 8” thick concrete wall at perimeter stone foundation walls, down to 30” below grade.

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Agricultural History Farm Barn Condition Survey
Symmetry First Architects

November 11, 2011 Revised December 5, 2011

PROBABLE COST OF REQUIRED IMPROVEMENTS
An itemized cost breakdown is provided in Appendix C.

For Life Safety improvements, the probable cost, including overhead, profit, general conditions,
performance and payment bond and a 5% contingency, is approximately $55,000.

For structural repairs, also including overhead, profit, general conditions, performance and payment
bond and a 5% contingency, the probable cost is approximately $77,000.

Probable costs for optional improvements noted in this report are as follows:

Roof Replacement $50,000

Accent Lighting/Add’l Receptacles $25,000

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OPTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS
Maintenance And Repairs We list below our recommendations for OPTIONAL construction work that
would improve deteriorated conditions, which, if left unchecked, will cause damage:

DRAINAGE AROUND THE FOUNDATION:

Extend downspouts to carry water away from
foundation walls.

Re-grade the drainage pattern at the east and
west end walls to direct water away from the
barn building.

ROOF:
The roof is wood shingles on wood slats. The
roof is not currently watertight. Replacement
of wood shingles is advisable.

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Agricultural History Farm Barn Condition Survey
Symmetry First Architects

November 11, 2011 Revised December 5, 2011

TRAP DOOR:

The trap door in the Barn floor that accesses the
Undercroft will need to be secured and locked
from the Undercroft side.

Flush hinges would be recommended.

Aesthetic Upgrades We list below our recommendations for OPTIONAL work that would enhance the
barn’s appearance.

ENHANCED INTERIOR LIGHTING: REMOVAL OF STORED ITEMS TO ANOTHER
LOCATION:
We understand that free-standing lightpoles
are often used to up-light the barn’s roof Period farm tools and equipment add to the
structure during events. ambience of the barn’s assembly space. Even the
goats have a certain charm. Any other stored
Permanent accent lighting could be installed items could be relocated to another storage site.
for this purpose.

Additional power receptacles could be
provided to reduce the use of extension
cords and to avoid overloading circuits.

CONCLUSION
The required upgrades, modifications and repairs described above will bring the barn into compliance
with current building and life safety codes.
The optional improvements described above will improve the barn’s durability and aesthetics.

Respectfully submitted,

Kate McCullough
Symmetry First Architects
November 11, 2011
Revised December 5, 2011

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Agricultural History Farm Barn Condition Survey
Symmetry First Architects

November 11, 2011 Revised December 5, 2011