Which construction type is best described as 'Main Street U.S.A.', with masonry bearing walls that run perpendicular to the street and non-load bearing walls parallel to the street, often featuring a cockloft that is several feet high and unlivable?

Which construction type is best described as 'Main Street U.S.A.', with masonry bearing walls that run perpendicular to the street and non-load bearing walls parallel to the street, often featuring a cockloft that is several feet high and unlivable?

• A. Type II - Non-Combustible
• B. Type III - Ordinary Construction
• C. Type IV - Heavy Timber
• D. Type V - Wood Frame Construction

Answer: (B)

Think about ordinary construction: the structural load is carried by exterior masonry bearing walls, which typically run perpendicular to the street, while interior walls are non-load bearing and often run parallel to the street. The presence of a cockloft—an uninhabitable vertical attic space above the top floor that can be several feet high—is a hallmark of older masonry storefronts built in this style. This combination—masonry exterior bearing walls with wood interior framing and a cockloft—is characteristic of Ordinary Construction. The other types involve all noncombustible or entirely wood framing or heavy timber, which don’t match the described layout and attic space.

Think about ordinary construction: the structural load is carried by exterior masonry bearing walls, which typically run perpendicular to the street, while interior walls are non-load bearing and often run parallel to the street. The presence of a cockloft—an uninhabitable vertical attic space above the top floor that can be several feet high—is a hallmark of older masonry storefronts built in this style. This combination—masonry exterior bearing walls with wood interior framing and a cockloft—is characteristic of Ordinary Construction. The other types involve all noncombustible or entirely wood framing or heavy timber, which don’t match the described layout and attic space.