Accessibility Consulting Services for Businesses Background Each place of business that is open to the public is required to provide "full and equal enjoyment" of its goods and services to people with disabilities. Assumption It is our continuing experience that lawsuits are being filed against business owners who believe that their facilities are fully compliant with the ADA. We recommend a proactive approach. New Design Guidelines New ADA Accessibility Guidelines are working their way through the U.S. Department of Justice approval process. The changes are significant. In part, toilet rooms that are open to the public will be required to provide more wheelchair maneuvering space than mandated by present statute. How this will play out in an existing facility has yet to be determined. In the past, older businesses have not been "grandfathered" or otherwise excused from compliance with the ADA. Step One We perform access surveys of buisnesses, and prepare reports that identify latent barriers to access, explain the pertinent points of law and recommend alternate methods of achieving compliance. We look only at the portions of the facility used by the general public. (Contact) Step Two Your architect and facility management will use our access survey report as the basis of an ADA compliance plan. An effective plan will include design requirements, budget costs, priorities and a timetable. We remain on-call to your staff during this process. Some barriers can be eliminated immediately and at no cost; others may require a simple change in policy. Significant barriers can trigger major alterations. Having a compliance plan in place shows good-faith, and the elimination of barriers reduces exposure. Defense expert in an ADA lawsuit We provide expert witness services for businesses sued under federal civil rights law with regard to accessibility. We prepare an access survey report for the defense, addressing each allegation. We work with owners and their attorneys to keep the matter in a settlement conference instead of a courtroom. We stand by the defendant through the settlement process, and prepare rebuttal to frivolous and unfounded demands. We identify the minimum requirements of enforceable federal statute, and recommend the least costly methods of achieving compliance. We recommend settlement language that will help the defendant to maximize the tax deduction and tax credit that may be available for removal of barriers to access. Accessibility review of architectural plans For a new place of business or for renovations to an existing one, we provide plan review services for your architects, to ensure that the finished facility will be fully compliant with the requirements of state and federal accessibility law. We believe that it is much more sensible to identify problems early and on paper, rather than tear out non-compliant construction in the field. We also provide site inspections at key points during construction, to verify that things are being built as designed. Businesses we have worked with include Appliance Direct Alltel Wireless Boston Market Burlington Coat Factory Carmike Cinema Cinema 69 Commonwealth Building Discoveryland! Dollar General Frontier City Theme Park Half Price Books Lazy E Arena Leesport Farmer's Market Maine Street Truck Stop Manderbach Ford Mathis Brothers Furniture Modell's Sporting Goods One Stop Pep Boys Princeton Sports Safeway Sam's Club Star Super Market The Runner Etc. The Skate Zone True Value Hardware Wal-Mart West Lawn Printing A complete project list is provided in the Curriculum Vitae. Contact