Just stumbled across this crazy tidbit today and thought you guys might find it amusing. Apparently, there's this skyscraper—I think it's in New York—that technically violates sunlight access rules. Like, it's so tall and skinny that at certain times of day it casts a shadow that stretches way beyond the allowed limits. But here's the kicker: they got away with it because the design was approved before the new rules were enforced... talk about sneaking in under the wire, huh?
Reminded me of my old apartment building too, which had stairways so narrow they probably weren't legal by modern standards, but somehow still passed inspection. Moving furniture was an absolute nightmare, lemme tell ya.
Makes me wonder what other weird or outdated construction quirks are out there that people just sort of shrug off because they're grandfathered in or whatever. Bet some of you have spotted even crazier examples in your neighborhoods...
Reminds me of a friend's old house—built in the 1920s, I think. The basement stairs were so steep and narrow, you'd swear they were built for elves or something. Every time I went down there, I felt like I was risking my life. But somehow, it passed every inspection because it was "original construction." Makes you wonder how many of these grandfathered quirks are actually safe versus just conveniently overlooked...
"Every time I went down there, I felt like I was risking my life. But somehow, it passed every inspection because it was 'original construction.'"
Had a similar situation once with an old apartment building we were redeveloping. The fire escapes were these ancient, narrow metal ladders bolted onto the brickwork—technically compliant because they'd been grandfathered in from decades ago. But honestly, climbing down those things in an emergency would've been terrifying. Sometimes code compliance doesn't automatically mean practical safety...
Sometimes code compliance doesn't automatically mean practical safety...
Had a similar run-in with an older house renovation—staircase was steep enough to practically qualify as a ladder, but inspectors shrugged it off because it was original. Makes you wonder, does "grandfathered in" always mean it's actually safe...?
Title: Re: Strangest things you've seen buildings get away with
The point about older staircases is quite accurate. I've encountered several renovation projects where original features were preserved despite clearly not meeting current safety standards. Typically, inspectors prioritize historical preservation or zoning precedents over modern code compliance, provided the structure isn't actively dangerous. It's a delicate balance between maintaining architectural integrity and ensuring practical safety, and sometimes it does lead to questionable outcomes from a usability standpoint.
