At the ICSC conference in Vegas there's been a lot of discussion about the importance of retail properties complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Retail is essentially a public space and as such, accessibility issues are highly scrutinized and at risk of lawsuits if found not to be in compliance. To avoid legal implications, I'm seeing that retail investors are increasingly committing to thorough accessibility reviews that often go above and beyond standard ADA regulations.

Retail Accessibility requirements – what's different?

Accessibility requirements for retail properties are two-fold, concerning both external issues (such as building access and car parking) and the configuration of interior space to ensure that everyone has equal access to dressing rooms, sales counters etc. Importantly, compliance can be affected by a change of tenant: different business uses have different accessibility requirements, and modified shop fit-outs or entrances may bring about new concerns.