Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
This section sets forth a comprehensive tabulation of
items which may be questionable for PIDA financing, together with conditions
for or limitations of eligibility used by PIDA in its project review. For ease
of tabulations, items are arranged according to the 16-division grouping of the
Construction Specification Institute (CSI) format for building specifications,
commonly referred to as the Uniform Construction Index.
(1)
General requirements.
PIDA will examine unit costs and cost per square foot of building for each
project. To establish a uniform standard, "unit cost" refers to unit
acquisition cost or unit construction cost, and does not include items such as
land, site work, interest, and the like. PIDA will require additional
justification if the unit cost appears excessive.
(2)
Site work.
(i)
Site utilities. Offsite
utilities are generally not eligible. Requests for inclusion of offsite utility
costs are subject to special review.
(ii)
Railroad work. Offsite
rail sidings are not generally eligible.
(3)
Concrete. There are no
requirements in this category.
(4)
Masonry. There are no requirements in this category.
(5)
Thermal and moisture
protection. Roofing bond or warranty, or lack thereof, will affect the
term of a PIDA mortgage.
(6)
Doors and windows. There are no requirements in this
category.
(7)
Finishes. There are no requirements in this
category.
(8)
Specialties.
(i)
Identifying devices. Directories, bulletin boards and
directional signs are eligible. Commemorative plaques and identification signs
will be questioned.
(ii)
Lockers. Lockers are not eligible.
(iii)
Scales. Scales are not
eligible.
(iv)
Storage
shelving and racks. Storage shelving is generally not eligible.
Incidental shelving in utility rooms, janitor's closets, and the like is
eligible. Combination storage rack-structural frame systems, if an integral and
nonremovable part of the structure and necessary for a particular building to
function may be included.
(9)
Equipment. As a general
rule, "equipment" as it relates to the owner's or tenant's particular operation
is an ineligible item, and will be excluded from the project for PIDA loan
purposes. Certain types of equipment, however, may be "built in" and be
necessary for a particular building to function, and may therefore be included.
Portable equipment is ineligible.
(i)
Built-in maintenance equipment. It would be possible to
justify a powered window-washing system in a multistory research and
development facility.
(ii)
Food service equipment. Kitchenette units, residential type
kitchen appliances and bar units are ineligible.
(iii)
Pollution control
equipment.
(A) Pollution control
equipment related to a manufacturing process, even if required by a Federal,
Commonwealth or local regulatory agency is ineligible.
(B) Pollution control equipment related to
the operation and maintenance of a building which is required by a Federal,
Commonwealth or local regulatory agency will be eligible.
(iv)
Laboratory equipment.
Built-in casework, counters and the like may be eligible in a research
facility.
(v)
Parking
equipment. Depending upon the location, parking control equipment may
be a desirable, if not required, feature of off-street parking areas, and thus
will be eligible.
(vi)
Waste handling equipment. Built-in rubbish chutes and waste
compactors are eligible. Packaged or built-in incinerators are
eligible.
(vii)
Loading
dock equipment. Dock levelers or platforms, seals and bumpers are
eligible.
(viii)
Material
storage silos. Material storage silos are eligible. Mechanical
material conveying systems are ineligible. See paragraphs (11)(v) and
(12).
(10)
Furnishings. Unless otherwise specifically permitted,
furnishings, furniture and accessories are ineligible.
(i)
Cabinet and storage.
Incidental built-in storage shelving is eligible.
(ii)
Rugs and mats. Loose
rugs indicate a finished floor underneath, and are therefore ineligible.
Recessed entry mats are eligible.
(iii)
Seating. Bolted-down
auditorium type seating is eligible in a research and development
facility.
(11)
Special construction.
(i)
Air-supported structures. The life of these structures in
relation to the term of the PIDA mortgage is questionable, and, although their
eligibility will be determined on a case by case basis their use is
discouraged.
(ii)
Special
purpose rooms.
(A) Hot and cold rooms
are eligible.
(B) Laboratories with
pressurization or climate control, or both, are eligible.
(iii)
Incinerators.
Incinerators are eligible.
(iv)
Insulated rooms. Walk-in coolers and freezers, as well as the
necessary chilling equipment, are an acceptable part of a food-processing or
storage facility.
(v)
Prefabricated buildings.
(A)
Preengineered metal buildings are eligible. The gauge of roof and sidewall
panels, as well as the durability of finish coatings, will affect the term of a
PIDA mortgage.
(B) Prefabricated
refrigerated buildings are eligible to the extent that they are a necessary
part of the owner/tenant's operation.
(C) Prefabricated security control shelters
are eligible, inasmuch as they merely replace structures of conventional
construction.
(D) Storage silos,
insofar as they replace normal building areas that would otherwise be devoted
to storage use, are eligible. If they are portable or easily detachable,
however, they are ineligible.
(12)
Conveying systems.
(i)
Dumbwaiters. Dumbwaiters
are generally eligible.
(ii)
Elevators. Elevators are eligible.
(iii)
Hoists and cranes.
Hoists and cranes are not eligible. The crane-ways are eligible inasmuch as
they are part of the structural frame of the building.
(iv)
Lifts. A man-lift would
generally be eligible. Garage, platform and sidewalk-type lifts are not
eligible.
(v)
Material
handling systems. Unusual justifications would have to be provided for
material handling systems to be eligible. All components, with the exception of
floor pits and trenches, are classed as equipment and, therefore, not eligible.
Vacuum piping for the handling of bulk materials is not eligible.
(13)
Mechanical.
(i)
Pumps and compressors.
Air compressors and associated piping are considered equipment and, as such,
their cost excluded for PIDA loan purposes.
(ii)
Water supply and
treatment. Costs in connection with a domestic water system are
eligible. Costs in connection with a strictly process water system are not
eligible. A combination system is fully eligible if 25% or less is used for
process purposes. If over 25% is devoted to process, the eligible cost will be
determined by prorating the cost of the system in proportion to the
domestic/process ratio.
(iii)
Wastewater disposal and treatment.
(A) Sewage ejectors and lift stations, as
they relate to a sanitary sewage disposal system, are eligible.
(B) Industrial waste disposal systems are not
eligible. A combination system is fully eligible if 25% or less is used for
industrial waste disposal. If over 25%, the eligible cost will be determined by
prorating the cost in proportion to the sanitary/industrial waste
ratio.
(iv)
Water
coolers. Freestanding or loose water coolers are considered equipment,
and their cost will be ineligible. Built-in or permanent water coolers and
drinking fountains are eligible.
(v)
Fire protection. Items
of fire protection are eligible, with the exception of portable hand-held fire
extinguishers. These are equipment and, although required by the Department of
Labor and Industry, are ineligible for PIDA loan purposes.
(vi)
Boilers. Domestic heat
boilers are eligible. Strictly process heat boilers are not eligible. The
entire cost will be eligible if 25% or less of a combined system capacity is
used for process purposes. If over 25% of the system's capacity is used for
process purposes, the eligible cost will be determined by prorating the
boiler's cost in proportion to the domestic/process ratio.
(vii)
Refrigeration. See
paragraph (11)(ii) and (iv). Any required piping, as well as compressors,
condensers, chillers and evaporators necessary to utilize the required cold
storage areas are eligible.
(viii)
Commercial ice making equipment. Unless commercial ice making
equipment is a byproduct of room refrigeration equipment, it will be considered
equipment and is, therefore, not eligible.
(ix)
Packaged heating and
cooling.
(A) Room type, window or
thru-the-wall air conditioners are eligible in offices, are not an acceptable
means of cooling plant areas.
(B)
Computer air conditioning package units, separate and apart from central
building air conditioning systems, which are directly involved in the cooling
of computers and computer components on a year-round basis, are ineligible for
PIDA loan purposes.
(x)
Humidity control. Humidity control is generally an acceptable
addition to computer rooms, special purpose rooms and critical assembly
areas.
(xi)
Special
ductwork systems and equipment. Sawdust collection systems, including
ductwork, blower and collection hopper are considered industrial equipment and
are not eligible.
(14)
Electrical.
(i)
Conductors. Direct and final electrical hookups to
manufacturing machinery or process equipment should be part of the machinery
installation, and are ineligible.
(ii)
Computer power distribution
modules. Computer power distribution modules which offer total
flexibility in locating and relocating mainframe and peripheral computer
components will be excluded for PIDA loan purposes.
(iii)
Electrical service.
Costs attributable to special power requirements for manufacturing or process
equipment are ineligible.
(iv)
Uninterruptible power supply. Uninterruptible power supply
systems including diesel or gas driven generators, rectifiers, inverters, banks
of storage batteries, and the like, which are utilized for any purpose other
than to power emergency lights, security systems and fire detection and
protection systems, are ineligible for PDIA loan purposes.
(v)
Communications.
Communication devices and public address systems are not eligible.
Closed-circuit television and other types of security systems are considered
equipment and are ineligible.
This section cited in 12 Pa. Code §
73.6 (relating to licensed
professional requirement).
