Just make sure they do not put any advertising signs in the window and you should be OK.
Just make sure they do not put any advertising signs in the window and you should be OK.
Are these bay windows or is there something else about them that may have suggested to the inspector that they were designed to show something off?
Strictly speaking, the code definition does not restrict "show windows" to retail or other store operations. And some inspectors (and their AHJs) consider all of the windows of a fast food restaurant to be show windows because they put temporary signs in them for specials, etc. (Not that any of these ever require power, of course.)
There is at least some implication that it is intended to apply only to first floor windows that face a street or parking lot, but it is not explicit.
Likewise.
Possibly the inspector is just too embarrassed to get back to you?
It would be interesting to see whether the zoning only allows professional offices or whether a retail store could move in there someday.
In that case I suspect that you are going to lose on this one. <sigh>. No strip mall space keeps the same occupant more than 10 years. (Although the overhead in configuring for a dental clinic does add some presumption of stability.) It is not in fact an office building, as your thread title suggested, just an office occupancy that you are configuring.
Now hear this - we must strictly enforce needing show window outlets - especially on the upper floors of high rise buildings. Never know when someone will be looking at 100'th floor windows (probably with a telescope, unless they just happen to be on 100'th floor across the street) and we can't miss having any advertising, or "showcasing" for those individuals:happyyes:Just make sure they do not put any advertising signs in the window and you should be OK.
Are these bay windows or is there something else about them that may have suggested to the inspector that they were designed to show something off?
Strictly speaking, the code definition does not restrict "show windows" to retail or other store operations. And some inspectors (and their AHJs) consider all of the windows of a fast food restaurant to be show windows because they put temporary signs in them for specials, etc. (Not that any of these ever require power, of course.)
There is at least some implication that it is intended to apply only to first floor windows that face a street or parking lot, but it is not explicit.
I would say it is a health care facility, that probably does have some office space also, there could be limited "retail" products sold there, but retail is not the primary function of the business.
What if we had a retail tenant in the space? In that case maybe we should we wire the place to art 517 just in case the next tenant is a dental clinic:slaphead:
I like that kind of in depth analysis!
Converting back to retail space some hypothetical day will be a big enough job that adding the show window outlets at that time would probably be small change.
I said that to him and he said their might not to enough changes to require an inspection...(need a bang head smilie, so I'm importing one from one of my boating sites)
Ah, but that "open" sign is neither merchandise nor advertising. It is just an informational sign which does not make the window in question a show window.
In which case they would appreciate having the outlet for the Christmas lights, but it would not be required by code.
How is a "open" sign not advertising? You're advertising that you are open. Look you guys can try to justify it anyway you want, you know why those receptacles are there and you know that they get used all the time.
I might be sold on the open sign being advertising that you are open. I still don't know that show window outlets are required on such an occupancy. Such places seem to be less likely to have such signs in the windows than retail or food service places for one thing. Often they have less windows than some of those other places.
