# What type of place do you think this staircase could be based in? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 26, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234 "2013-12-26T22:25:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![compositejoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/compositejoe/32/7232_2.png) [@compositejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/compositejoe)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/1 "2013-12-26T22:25:28Z")
What type of place, for example a hospital or a school etc do you think the staircase in this picture: [https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/q71/s720x720/1530553\_1433739103522087\_1912775876\_n.jpg](https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/q71/s720x720/1530553_1433739103522087_1912775876_n.jpg) could be based in? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/2 "2013-12-26T22:55:12Z")
An older one! You’d never get such a wheel-chair unfriendly arrangement approved today. Looks like a public office building, like a courthouse or city hall. Could easily be a school or hospital. I’d guess it’s a back exit, only intended to be used as an emergency exit, or perhaps a passageway to a storage area. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/3 "2013-12-26T22:59:16Z")
Looks like a churchy thing to me. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/4 "2013-12-26T23:03:17Z")
> [@sinjin](#): > > Looks like a churchy thing to me. Yup. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/5 "2013-12-26T23:08:11Z")
There is a spot that looks almost exactly like that in the university where my father teaches. It’s part of a very old building that has undergone some remodeling to meet current standards, but is not completely updated. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/6 "2013-12-26T23:14:05Z")
I was going to guess an elementary school. It seems odd that (even if it’s old) there’s no railings and the handles are mounted very high. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/7 "2013-12-26T23:39:32Z")
I see “high school gymnasium”. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/8 "2013-12-27T01:55:23Z")
My guess is church basement or elementary school. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/9 "2013-12-27T12:05:03Z")
My first thought was “church.” ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/10 "2013-12-27T12:30:07Z")
Some form of auditorium seen from the outside: you can see the ceiling angle down. And, per fire code, doors must open out not in. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/11 "2013-12-27T13:59:12Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Some form of auditorium seen from the outside: you can see the ceiling angle down. And, per fire code, doors must open out not in. Yeah, I also thing that. The surrounding architecture screams “side door” that is not mainly used by a lot of people, and the small number of steps suggests it leads to an auditorium stage or similar raised floor area (like church podium or whatever). ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/12 "2013-12-30T17:17:42Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > There is a spot that looks almost exactly like that in the university where my father teaches. It’s part of a very old building that has undergone some remodeling to meet current standards, but is not completely updated. Similar to this, we had some stairs like this at our university, in places where newer building adjoined older buildings, and were connected by doors. I guess it was easier to put in a few stairs than to make sure the new floors were level with the older ones. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/13 "2013-12-30T17:22:46Z")
It could be in several types of places but my first thought was a church as well. I have seen a number of churches that have stairs and doors like that. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/14 "2013-12-31T23:03:35Z")
> [@compositejoe](#): > > What type of place, for example a hospital or a school etc do you think the staircase in this picture: [https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/q71/s720x720/1530553\_1433739103522087\_1912775876\_n.jpg](https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/q71/s720x720/1530553_1433739103522087_1912775876_n.jpg) could be based in? Ok, but now my question is, “why are you asking?” Do you already know what type of place it is, and want to see what we guess? Do you have a bet with somebody about what type of place it is, and you’re using the Dope to determine the winner? Did you take the picture? If so, you already know what type of place it is. Did someone else take the picture? If so, why don’t they know the type of place? etc., etc. J. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/15 "2013-12-31T23:38:32Z")
It looks a lot like the side door to one of the oldest dorms on the campus of the university I went to. That building reminded me of an elementary school at the time, so I guess it looks like that too. ---
**Author:** ![Cerealbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Cerealbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerealbox)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/16 "2013-12-31T23:40:48Z")
Floor looks like a school or other institution. The doors aren’t reinforced or anything so it’s not a mental institution or prison. Trim along the floor and lack of exposed cinder block is too nice for a school. So I’d say it’s a church. Is there a correct answer to this? Why are you asking? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/17 "2014-01-01T01:18:39Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > Ok, but now my question is, “why are you asking?” > > Do you already know what type of place it is, and want to see what we guess? > Do you have a bet with somebody about what type of place it is, and you’re using the Dope to determine the winner? > > Did you take the picture? If so, you already know what type of place it is. > Did someone else take the picture? If so, why don’t they know the type of place? > > etc., etc. > > J. It is a mildly interesting topic of conversation. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/18 "2014-01-01T01:43:22Z")
That is the House Left door to the auditorium at Henry Barnhard Elementary in Enfield, CT. What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/19 "2014-01-01T01:52:12Z")
ACLU building Will we get an answer soon? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234/20 "2014-01-01T02:22:59Z")
Is it the same place as the last [What type of place do you think this could be?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=708030) thread? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-place-do-you-think-this-staircase-could-be-based-in/677234.md?page=2)