The true story of how I almost died @ Cosentino's

[smh]

Note: The title was a slight exaggeration. What follows is factual.

Today I walked up to Cosentino's. I browsed for a few minutes, cooling off from the decent walk up from the River Market. I made my purchases. I left into the parking garage stairwell and thought, "I don't have anything going on, and I've been meaning to check out the rooftop park. Today's the day!"

I ascended the stairs inquisitively, panting a generous amount by the time I reached the sixth floor landing. I had arrived. And out onto the roof I went, taking in the great views of the city. The park is nice and well-maintained, for those of you haven't been. There are restrooms and everything. Great spot for a lunch.

As I rounded the brick pathway from the Jones stairwell towards the northeast stairwell that would take me to Walnut Street, I noticed a middle stairwell smack in the middle of the roof, along 12th Street, between Main and Walnut. In large letters it beckoned: EXIT. "12th Street, yes, this is exactly where I'm headed!," I thought to myself. Having seen enough of the park I pushed open the door and descended the stairwell to the ground level. There, again, was a door conspicuously marked "EXIT". Happy to have reached the bottom of this particularly sweltering stairwell (it was mostly glass after all!), I opened the door and stepped outside. However, this was no ordinary exit. No, no, this particular exit led into a loading area near the corner of 12th & Walnut; behind Zaina's. And this particular loading area was fenced-off from the street; most likely in an attempt to keep pedestrians "out". However, it inadvertently was keeping this pedestrian "in". "Oh well," I thought to myself, "I suppose I'll just have to go back up and head down the Walnut Street stairwell." "Inconvenient," I thought, but nevertheless I cheerfully headed back inside and up the stairs.

I headed back to the top of the stairwell, whose temperature rose considerably with each ascended level. Thankfully, the sixth floor was reached quickly. "Back to the fresh air," I thought to myself as I reached to pull the door. Locked. "What's that," I thought. "I must be mistaken." Again, I pulled the door handle. Locked. "Couldn't be." I descended the stairs. Outside I found the loading area just as I had first found it. Fenced. The first panicked thought flashed across my mind: I could be this guy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_bMhNI_TY8).

I re-entered the stairwell and thinking quickly swallowed my pride and phoned my girlfriend. She answered. I explained. She said, "What?" I explained again. She looked up the number to Cosentino's. She wished me well and we said what could have been our last goodbyes.

I dialed. I spoke to the manager. He chuckled. He came to the rooftop. I waved to him through the glass from across the park. I was sweating profusely. My lettuce was wilting, a task my dignity had already completed. He walked over, in no particular hurry. He easily pushed open the door, checking to make sure it really was locked from the other side. He let out a nervous laugh, "They should probably put a sign or something up here, huh?" Yes, they should. Or something.

Fin.

[mean]

Just get a Sharpie and write "Not An" over "Exit".

[LenexatoKCMO]

Did you look around under the stairs to see how many skeletal remains of Jones Pool kids were laying around after they had drunkenly stumbled into the Stair of No Return?

[loftguy]

"Wel-come...to the stair well Cal-i-fornia............."

[KCPowercat]

wow....that is a good example of fire codes doing absolutely nothing.

[smh]

wow....that is a good example of fire codes doing absolutely nothing.

I thought the same thing! Though, I did get "out" of the building. I just couldn't get more than 6 feet away from it.

[KCPowercat]

It's probably actually against fire code...

[smh]

I thought about calling KC Parks to let them know about the situation, but then I wrote the thrilling narrative above instead. Perhaps I'll give them a call in the morning.

[KCPowercat]

It is a good story...sounds like some sht that would happen to me exploring new stuff.

[mlind]

You should call the fire marshal to report it. 

Something similar happened in a 28 story building where I worked.  There was a power failure and everyone had to walk down.  One stairwell had no lights/windows and when people got to the bottom, the exit door was locked.  It was finally opened and the fire marshal and building management were flooded with complaints. 

One employee brought up the fact that his grandmother had survived the famous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_S ... ctory_fire

[trailerkid]

Have you called/emailed Standard Parking or Cordish to make them aware of this problem? I thought the park has nothing to do with Cosentino's other than it being vertically oriented toward their store.