Mayor and DOB Announce Overhaul of Sidewalk Construction Shed Rules

Sidewalk sheds stay up for an average of over 500 days, but some stay up for several years. On July 24, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo announced “Get Sheds Down,” an overhaul of the rules relating to sidewalk construction sheds (scaffolding). While the sheds are required for construction, facade inspections, and repairs, existing laws often enable property owners to leave up the construction sheds for a long time, and <Read More>


Landmarks Calendars Former Segregated School Building in Chelsea

On February 14, 2023, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to calendar the former Colored School No. 4 as an individual landmark. The former school, located at 128 West 17th Street in Chelsea, Manhattan, is the only surviving school building that exclusively served African American students in Manhattan in the second half of the 19th century. The building serves as a significant reminder of racially segregated education in New York City, and the accomplishments of notable <Read More>


DOB Launches Winter Construction Safety Campaign

The campaign follows four tragic fatalities on construction sites between November and December 2022. On December 28, 2022, Department of Buildings Acting Commissioner Kazimir Vilenchik announced the launch of a new winter construction safety campaign. The safety campaign aims to highlight potential dangers for serious injuries and fatalities on work sites. The campaign follows a series of four tragic instances of worker fatalities on sites in November and December.