Regarded as the best vantage point in Santa Barbara, the County Courthouse tower observation deck offers panoramic views of the surrounding city, mountains and the Pacific Ocean and draws an estimated 2, 00,000 visitors each year. This popular attraction which also houses an elevator will be closed to the public from March 15, 2015, says a recent report. The aim is to make it more accessible. Work is all set to begin to make the observation deck and elevator compliant with the requirements of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.
800-758-5438
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Presently, the observation deck is only accessible by the elevator that opens to a flight of stairs that must be climbed to reach the deck, making it inaccessible to some visitors. In fact, many visitors who use wheelchairs or have difficulty climbing staircases cannot get to reach the tower observation deck as this would mean exiting the lift at the fourth floor and walking up the 12 steps of the narrow service stairwell.
Historic buildings and structures have several structural and architectural constraints when it comes to ADA accessibility. However, these buildings draw thousands of visitors who appreciate architectural views and designs.
The Santa Barbara County Courthouse project, expected to be complete in summer 2015, would include elevator modernization and hall call buttons, replacement of old machinery equipment, and extension of the rails and addition of doors and a landing to the observation deck. When complete, the renovated complex will allow visitors to enjoy a birds-eye view of the beautiful locality.
The elevator structure is original to the courthouse, which was reconstructed in 1926 following extensive damage during the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake. The lift car and mechanical parts were updated in 1990s.
