Commission denies several Smith College accessibility variance requests for Lamont House; approves narrow elevator-door variance

The Northampton Disabilities Commission voted on five variance requests from Smith College for accessibility elements in its Lamont House renovation and construction, denying four and approving one. The commission also asked the college to propose creative fixes for a public toilet grab-bar that conflicts with a window.

Smith College had requested five variances tied to a larger renovation that includes geothermal upgrades and interior renovations. The college told the commission the work triggers accessibility upgrades under applicable accessibility rules (the application cites MAAB), and asked relief in five areas: narrow doorways, handrails on three interior staircases, elevator door width on upper floors, adding accessible bathroom stalls on the second through fourth floors, and a grab-bar located under a window in a public restroom.

After discussion about function, historic fabric, cost and everyday access needs, the commission approved the college's request not to widen a set of interior doors by 1 inch where 31-inch doors would otherwise be 32 inches (item 1), denied a request to omit installing a compliant inner handrail on three staircases (item 2), approved a variance for elevator doors on upper floors that are half an inch narrower than guideline width (item 3), denied the request to omit accessible toilet and shower stalls on upper floors (item 4), and denied the grab-bar placement as proposed while asking the college to return with a creative solution (item 5).

Commission members said some requests were reasonable given functional access to the First Floor, where the college will provide accessible rooms and an accessible public restroom, but others raised safety and equity concerns. Members repeatedly noted that accessibility needs vary'not every person who uses accessible features will live on the First Floor'and that stairs and bathrooms on upper floors can matter to visitors, partners and students who may not be assigned a first-floor unit. For the stairs, members emphasized safety benefits of handrails on both sides and said historic decorative rails did not meet the required height specifications.

The commission recorded each motion and roll-call vote. The votes were unanimous in each case (5-0) and included explicit direction on the grab-bar case: the commission denied the proposed placement and asked Smith College to propose alternatives such as raising or repositioning the grab bar if legally permissible, installing a flip-down bar, or another design solution that preserves the window if blocking it is not allowed.

Commissioners agreed the applications had been studied by the college and its architects and noted Smith's Office on Disability had reviewed the plans; commissioners also asked staff to confirm whether any parts of the project had already started and to relay the commission's decisions back to college staff and architects.