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Design Review Board defers LaTelia School rooftop terrace over safety and accessibility concerns
Summary
The board voted to defer a proposed open 'sky terrace' at LaTelia School (5960 SW) after members raised issues about single egress, ADA compliance for a wheelchair lift versus full elevator, structural loading and life‑safety for an assembly area; the applicant will return with coordinated plans and second egress options.
The Design Review Board voted to defer a proposal for an open 'sky terrace' at LaTelia School after substantial board concern about accessibility, egress and structural safety.
Staff described the scope as an open, unroofed terrace built above an existing one‑story school building; the proposal includes stairs and a wheelchair lift to provide access and a translucent colored film applied to railings to create a rainbow effect. Architect Nathan Pritchett explained the design intent and said the terrace would be a floating substructure to avoid altering the existing roof framing.
Board members identified multiple issues that must be resolved before approval: reliance on a limited‑use wheelchair lift (not a full elevator) for public access, a single point of egress that may create an assembly‑type code issue, unclear structural calculations for additional live loads, and lack of coordinated ADA circulation and pathways from parking. The owner, LaTelia founder Simonecha Cittadini, described community uses and the project’s pedagogical goals — "we envision offering this space also for the children of the neighborhood." The board voted to defer and requested coordinated plans showing a second egress, full accessibility compliance or justification, structural engineering for the deck loads and clearer landscape integration to protect existing mature trees.
