New York City Department of Buildings
10/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/25/2024 07:23
Buildings News: October 25, 2024
Sidewalk Sheds at City-Owned Buildings
When it comes to getting construction sidewalk sheds down, the city is leading by example. In recent months we have been working to remove some of the longest standing sheds in front of city-owned buildings.
In late August, DOB Commissioner Jimmy Oddo joined staff from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) and other administration officials, to celebrate the removal of the sidewalk shed in front of the OCME Manhattan Forensic Pathology and Family Services Center at 520 First Avenue that had been at the site for 15 years. It had served the notorious distinction as the oldest continuously standing city-owned shed anywhere in the five boroughs.
Earlier this month, half of another long-standing sidewalk shed was taken down from the front of a city-owned building, this one located at 253 Broadway, right across the street from City Hall. The other half is scheduled to come down in December.
Through our "Get Sheds Down" initiative, DOB is working closely with our sister agencies to prioritize facade repair projects, so that these sheds can safely come down as soon as possible. This initiative has helped aid in the removal of 16 long-standing sheds in front of city-owned buildings and we're still just getting started.
Local Law 97 Updates
Local Law 97 (LL97) deadlines are fast approaching! We are in the first compliance year (2024) and the first compliance reports are due on May 1, 2025. It is important to know which pathway your buildings must follow - check the Covered Buildings List on the DOB's Sustainability webpage. Check out our webpage for information guides, templates, FAQs, and additional information. The Department encourages building owners to contact NYC Accelerator to get free help. Questions can be submitted to the department by emailing [email protected].
Earlier this month, over 350 New Yorkers attended the NYC Accelerator Service Provider Expo and Symposium, hosted by our partners at the Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) and NYC Accelerator. The free event offered a presentation by the Department on LL97, and helped connect property owners with sustainability professionals as part of the city's efforts to provide support to stakeholders as they work to comply with LL97.
On Wednesday, November 7th, DOB will be holding an online public hearing for our third major proposed LL97 rules package. The proposed rules include the creation of a new affordable housing offset fund (the GreenHOUSE fund), which provides a compliance pathway for building owners who are working towards carbon emissions reduction goals, while reducing emissions in affordable housing right here in New York City. The GreenHOUSE fund ensures that all health, climate, and economic benefits are local!
Check out our New Proposed Rules in The City Record
Read our Press Release About the New GreenHOUSE Fund
Read our Press Release About New Federal Grant Money
Expansion of DOB NOW: Licensing
This month, DOB is launching new functionality in DOB NOW: Licensing. Starting on Wednesday, October 16th, the following license types are available on the DOB NOW: Licensing portal:
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Construction Superintendents
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Site Safety Managers
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Site Safety Coordinators
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Hoist Machine Operators
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Lift Directors
License applications, renewal submissions, card re-issuance requests and changes to information will be processed through DOB NOW: Licensing and are no longer available in DOB NOW: BIS Options.
Find Out More About DOB NOW: Licensing
Read Our Service Notice for Site Safety Professionals
Read Our Service Notice for Hoist Machine Operators
Read Our Service Notice For Lift Directors
Introducing the Worker Wallet
Working in construction means having the right training for the job, and that also means a lot of training ID cards. New York City regulations require workers in specialized roles, like scaffold installers and workers who use rigging equipment, to carry multiple qualification ID cards on them while on the work site, which serves as proof of training in these specialized jobs.
In order to make it easier for industry members to prove they are qualified for these jobs, DOB is introducing the new Worker Wallet, a single card that will replace all existing non-SST training cards required for scaffold work, riggers, mast climbers, and gas piping inspectors.
Modeled after our highly popular Site Safety Training (SST) cards, the Worker Wallet card will feature a uniform design and NFC chip that can be scanned using a smart phone app, quickly providing details of all specialized qualifications a worker has.
Not only with this new card provide greater convenience for workers, who no longer will need to carry around multiple ID cards, but it will also help combat fraud thanks to the NFC chip validation technology.
The first Worker Wallet cards will be issued by DOB-approved training providers in November. By July 1, 2025, the Worker Wallet will be the only card accepted on New York City jobsites for the following qualifications:
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Mast Climber User/Operator and Refresher
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Climber/Tower Crane Rigger
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Rigging Supervisor
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Rigging Worker
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Supported Scaffold User
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Supported Scaffold Installer & Remover
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Suspended Scaffold User
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Suspended Scaffold Supervisor
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Periodic Gas Piping Inspector
Find Out More Information About Training on our Website
Parking Structure Violations
The owners of parking structures in New York City are legally required to submit periodic inspection reports to the Department of Buildings on the condition of these buildings. This requirement is a critical public safety requirement, meant to catch unsafe structural conditions before a collapse occurs.
Earlier this month, DOB issued 2263 Class 1 violations to the owners of parking structures located across the city, for their failure to submit required Initial Observation Reports, that were due to the Department on August 1st, 2024.
We have created a new map that shows the exact location of all of the parking structures in the city that still haven't submitted their required observation report.
DOB takes these requirements seriously, and additional enforcement actions will be issued to property owners that fail to comply.
Check out our Map to Find Garages With Missing Reports
Find out More About Parking Structure Inspections
Parapet Observation Reports
Property owners in the city with building parapets fronting the public right-of-way are required to complete an observation report of the parapets on their building every year. Detached 1- and 2-family homes, and buildings with a barrier or fence preventing access to the exterior wall are exempt from these requirements.
This annual observation entails a simple visual inspection of the building's parapets, and can be performed by anyone who is qualified to identify parapet damage, including construction professionals, handymen, building superintendents, and even the property owners themselves. The inspections can be performed from a roof, and don't require any special equipment. The annual reports, recording the results of this simple inspection, don't need to be filed with DOB, however they must be kept by the property owners for the next six years.
Every year, DOB responds to dozens of parapet collapses across the city. These incidents are preventable with proper preventative maintenance. These new annual observations provide property owners with an important new tool to help spot unsafe conditions and intervene before serious damage occurs.
Find Out More About This New Requirement
Temporary Equipment as Art Canvas
In collaboration with the NYC Department of Cultural affairs, we launched the City Canvas program, which creates opportunities for artists and building owners to install public artwork on temporary construction sheds, fences, and scaffolding.
And you have plenty of options! Property owners can choose either to commission site-specific artwork to beautify their protective structures, or to select from an amazing suite of pre-approved artworks that make the process even easier.
Thanks to legislation recently passed by the City Council, the City Canvas program now allows artists to paint their work directly onto the sheds and fences. This change further streamlines the installation of artwork to improve the look of these temporary structures, so that while they are in place they are adding to our vibrant city streetscapes.
Learn More About City Council Intro 0956
Construction Advisory For Excavation Work
The Department of Buildings has issued a construction advisory to the industry about proper excavation procedures during construction operations.
A cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a car! That is approximately 3,000 lbs. A relatively smaller landslide at an excavation site can have fatal consequences.
Contractors and industry professionals need to ensure that all required safeguards are implemented to ensure their sites are safe for workers and the public.
Service Updates
Lift Director License Type to Launch in DOB NOW: Licensing Beginning October 16, 2024
Site Safety License Types to Launch in DOB NOW: Licensing
Civil Penalties for Failure to File Retaining Wall Report
Follow-up #1: Hoisting Machine Operator License Types to Launch in DOB NOW: Licensing
New Certification & License Requirements for the Operation of a Fixed (non-rotating) Telehandler
Proper Attachment of Suspended Loads
Extension of Expiration Date of Limited Gas Work Qualifications Issued before January 1, 2020
Next Day Review Program Launches 90-Day Pilot in Manhattan
All Department Service Updates
Hearings + Rules
1 RCNY 101-03 Amendment of Rules Relating to Homeowner Resolution Program (Fees Payable to the Department of Buildings)
Public Hearing: 10/30/24 @ 11:00 a.m.
1 RCNY 101-03 Proposed Amendment of Schedule of Fees to Include Fees Associated with Filing of Emission Reports (Fees Payable to the Department of Buildings)Public Hearing: 11/07/24 @ 11:00 a.m.
1 RCNY 102-04Waiver of Certain Civil Penalties with respect to Small Businesses (Civil Penalties for Work Without a Permit and for Violation of Stop Work Orders)
Promulgated Effective Date 10/26/24
1 RCNY 102-06 Amendment of Rules Relating to Homeowner Resolution Program (Homeowner Resolution Program)
Public Hearing: 10/30/24 @ 11:00 a.m.
1 RCNY 103-01 Waiver of Certain Civil Penalties with respect to Small Businesses (Low Pressure Boiler Inspection and Filing Requirements, Penalties and Waivers)
Promulgated Effective Date 10/26/24
1 RCNY 103-05 Waiver of Certain Civil Penalties with respect to Small Businesses (High-pressure Boiler Inspection and Filing Requirements, Penalties and Waivers)
Promulgated Effective Date 10/26/24
1 RCNY 103-07 Proposed Amendment of Penalty Provisions Rules Relating to Failure to File Energy Efficiency Report (Energy Audits and Retro-Commissioning of Base Building Systems)
Public Hearing: 11/07/24 @ 11:00 a.m.
1 RCNY 103-12 Proposed Filing Requirements for Application to Adjust Emission Limits (Requirements for Filing Applications for an Adjustment of Annual Greenhouse Gas Emission Limits for Not-for-Profit Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities)
Public Hearing: 11/07/24 @ 11:00 a.m.
1 RCNY 103-14 Proposed Calculation of Emission Limits for Buildings (Requirements for Reporting Annual Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions for Covered Buildings)
Public Hearing: 11/07/24 @ 11:00 a.m.
1 RCNY 3301-04 Rules relating to Duties and Inspections performed by Licensed Construction Superintendents
Public Hearing: 10/22/24 @ 11:00 a.m.
Buildings Bulletins
Local Laws
Upcoming Events
Every week, DOB holds online and in-person events for industry professionals and members of the public.
On Friday, November 1st, DOB's Administrative Enforcement Unit (AEU) will be hosting two virtual Q&A events that are open to the public, to help New Yorkers get answers on how to resolve open summonses.
Sign Up For the AEU Q&A Session for Property Owners and Small Business Owners
Sign Up For the AEU Q&A Session for Industry Professionals and Filing Representatives
See Our Schedule for All Upcoming Events
Small Businesses
Small business owners and entrepreneurs in New York City can receive one-on-one guidance and helpful consultations for their projects by reaching out to DOB's Small Business Team (SBT).
Whether opening a new place of business or renovating an existing one, SBT gives the City's small business owners and entrepreneurs the dedicated support they need. The first step for your small business is filling out a SBT support request form on our website.
Stop Work Orders
DOB will issue a Stop Work Order at a work site if it is necessary to protect public safety.
Avoid any unnecessary project delays, by taking the necessary steps to keep your work sites in a safe condition.
Top Ten Reasons For Stop Work Orders
Learn More About Stop Work Orders
Enforcement Bulletins
DOB publishes monthly bulletins detailing the agency's efforts to sanction and deter bad actors in the construction industry. You can find this information posted on the Enforcement Action Bulletin page of our website.
Additional Disciplinary Actions & Voluntary Surrenders
Weather Advisories
When severe weather strikes, it pays to be in the know.
The Department of Buildings emails out weather advisories when NYC is expected to face high wind events and other types of severe weather.