Restaurant design Case Study

Multi-storied building calls for an extensive length of ventilation shaft running all the way up to the roof as compared to a typical single storied building at a strip mall location. It could cost up to $ 30,000 or more to build this chimney, and this why we always check to see if this is provided when we visit multi-storied buildings. It would not be a fair investment for the tenants to make, since the chimney will always stay with the building. Fortunately at this site, we see two cut outs on the top of the east wall, which indicate the locations of the possible shaft connections. The project management later informed us that the landlord will be providing the shaft according to the proposed design. With this problem solved, we moved on the next check point.

There are 21 inches height difference between the back door and the rest of the floor level. An ADA ramp will have to be provided as an access way from the back door to the kitchen. The ramp will have to have a minimum slope of 1:12, 1 inch in vertical height to 12 inches in horizontal length. In this case, a 21 feet long ramp will have to be built. A 21 feet long ramp translates to 63 sq ft of space. When multiplied by $3 per sq ft., it equals to $189 a month for rent for just the ramp itself. This ramp not only takes room away from the kitchen and the dining room, it is also creates a snake that extends the access way for anyone to get to the back door.

Toward the back of the space, a concrete hang over creates a 7’-6” high ceiling, which may not be ideal for a commercial kitchen. The building code requires the ceiling height to be minimal of 8’-0” even for a residential kitchen. Although only a portion of this kitchen has a 7’-6” high ceiling, there might be complications when negotiating with the city to make this part legal.