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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Quality of life improvements (sidewalk sheds, facade inspections)
3:03:12
ยท
96 sec
Commissioner Oddo details the Department of Buildings' initiatives to improve quality of life for New Yorkers, focusing on addressing issues with sidewalk sheds and facade inspections. He outlines several strategies and ongoing projects in this area.
- Working with architecture and engineering firms to redesign sidewalk sheds and study Local Law 11 (facade inspection program)
- Released guidance on using netting instead of sidewalk sheds and installing art on sidewalk sheds
- Collaborating with the council to develop more enforcement tools for holding building owners accountable
- Performing regular inspections and taking legal action against non-compliant building owners
- Expect to conclude work with consulting firms by summer and update the committee
James "Jimmy" S. Oddo
3:03:12
Improving quality of life.
3:03:14
We are taking significant steps to improve quality of life for New Yorkers and to improve building safety by taking a multi faceted approach to removing sidewalk sheds more quickly while reimagining the sidewalk sheds that are needed to protect the public and in connection with construction work.
3:03:33
This builds upon the work of the department to address long standing sidewalk sheds including performing regular inspections and taking legal action to hold building owners accountable for maintaining their buildings.
3:03:44
The additional resources allocated to the department in the current fiscal year are supporting our efforts in this area.
3:03:50
We are working closely with three architecture and engineering firms to deliver on two major initiatives which includes redesigning sidewalk sheds to make them less obtrusive and more aesthetically pleasing and to study local law 11 which requires buildings greater than six stories in height to have their facades inspected periodically to determine whether any changes to the program are needed.
3:04:15
We expect to conclude our work with these firms this summer and look forward to updating the committee on this work.
3:04:21
We have also released guidance to the construction industry regarding the use of netting in lieu of sidewalk sheds and rules regarding the installation of art on sidewalk sheds.
3:04:32
We are also working closely with the council to give the department more enforcement tools, hopefully bills will be passed tomorrow, to hold building owners accountable when they put up sidewalk sheds and do not take action to repair their building facades in order to remove such sidewalk sheds.