Hey all!
The biggest issue I've come across since moving from the Midwest to PA has been old buildings. Some just CANT be made accessible either to old bones, lack of funds for an entire addition to the building, historical protections, or geographical features.
What do you think some good ways to make these businesses accessible would be? How can a boutique on a hill become just as accessible as a strip mall, without breaking the bank?
Historic guidelines on accessible design more or less state that if an establishment cannot be made accessible either due to its historic significance, or is cost prohibitive, the equivalent experience must be provided in an accessible location. I had this experience when I visited Williamsburg and could not go upstairs in the Governor's mansion. I used a tablet and was able to scroll through pictures of the second floor.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the building itself, there are no easy answers. Personally, I think the establishment or area could provide assistive tech (whatever that may be) to make a place accessible, or local/state/federal governments should provide some sort of "historic accessibility grant" to incentivize accessibility improvements, thus lowering the overall cost "burden" on the part of the owner