Eliminating the requirement for two staircases in multi-story residential buildings lets developers use smaller lots and more flexible designs to create denser housing.
Months after Austin legalized single-staircase buildings up to five stories tall, the city’s first three-story, single-stair building acquired its permits.
According to an announcement by McKinney York Architects, who designed the project, in Building Design + Construction, “The simple concept of this six-unit apartment complex celebrates an open central stair that forms an inviting entry and divides the building into two discrete volumes. Limited to a 4,400-sf lot, the project prioritizes sustainability and efficiency by taking advantage of existing infrastructure already serving the central city.”
Single-staircase construction for residential buildings has been outlawed in some U.S. cities due to safety concerns, many of which are rendered obsolete by modern building materials and fire prevention mechanisms. Now, some cities and states are rolling back restrictions on single-stair buildings to make room for more flexible and dense housing developments.
FULL STORY: First three-story, single-stair project permitted in Austin, Texas
Even Edmonton Wants Single Staircase Buildings
Canada's second most affordable major city joins those angling to nix the requirement for two staircases in multi-family buildings.
Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks
Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.
Single-Stair Reform Gains Strength
The movement to legalize single-stair multi-story buildings is gathering momentum, with the typology offering a more efficient, flexible, and healthy way to build housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
Berkeley Approves ‘Middle Housing’ Ordinance
The city that invented single-family zoning is finally reckoning with its history of exclusion.
SEPTA Budget Slashes Service by 45 Percent
The Philadelphia-area transit agency is legally tasked with maintaining a balanced budget. Officials hope the state will come to the rescue with additional funding.
Connecticut Governor Vetoes Housing Bill
Gov. Lamont reversed his view on a controversial affordable housing bill that would have required municipalities to zone for set amounts of affordable housing to receive state funding.
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