Commercial Property Owners Need To Consider Accessibility When Making Alterations
Being an old city we have many old buildings that aren’t yet wheelchair accessible. When a business opens up they need to be aware of the ADA, especially when spending money remodeling.
The building on the SW corner of Jefferson Ave & Winnebago St has had many establishments over the years, including quite a few since the 1990 passage of the ADA. Most changes over the years have been relatively minor. According to city records the previous owner owned the property from December 1977 to July 2007. In 2008 the current owner added a new patio out front, mostly in the public right-of-way. This was the perfect opportunity to make the first floor of this 1890 building wheelchair accessible.
![The 2008 patio at Jefferson Ave Bistro](http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/3701sjefferson1.jpg)
![Looks very nice!](http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/3701sjefferson2.jpg)
![But it has steps up from the sidewalk.](http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/3701sjefferson3.jpg)
![This door is unlocked and also used as an entrance, the step makes it impossible to enter](http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/3701sjefferson4.jpg)
![My footrest ran right into the step up](http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/3701sjefferson5.jpg)
![I didn't find a building permit for the patio online, perhaps it was built without prior approval. This occupancy permit mentions patio expansion](http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/3701sjefferson6.png)
When the patio was built the owner could’ve easily modified the sidewalk to provide access to the side door. It would’ve been a relatively minor add on to the patio project. To do it now will be far more costly.
— Steve Patterson
What’s inside the building? If there are steps there, then this discussion is sort of pointless.
I mentioned the name, Jefferson Ave Bistro