Council Members Ydanis A. Rodriguez, Rafael Salamanca Jr., Ben Kallos and Mark Levine Image Credit: City Council

The additional bills should help the public and City administration react in the fight against Legionnaire’s disease. On March 28, 2019, the City Council approved Int. No 1158, 1149-B, 1164-A and 1166-A, a package of bills regarding the maintenance and inspection of cooling towers. The bills assist in the implementation and enforcement of Local Law 77 of 2015, which was enacted in response to an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease. The bills respectively address public information availability, electronic reminders for inspection and certification, annual reporting and future assessments of cooling towers.

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Top Image: Council Member Fernando Cabrera/Image Credit: Jeff Reed
Bottom Image: Council Member Ben Kallos/Image Credit: John McCarten

The four proposed bills would provide the community and elected officials with the tools to make informed decisions about developments in their neighborhoods. On September 26, 2019, the City Council’s Land Use and Governmental Operations Committees held a hearing on four proposed bills that will increase transparency regarding new developments in the City, specifically with the transfer of development rights and testimony at the Board of Standards and Appeals. The four bills are a response to the recent development of supertall out-of-context skyscrapers in the City and the lack of information provided to the community during the development process.

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The After-Hours Variance Map shows where after-hours construction is currently permitted throughout the city. Image Credit: DOB

New tool latest in series to promote construction and buildings transparency. On October 16, 2019, the Department of Buildings released a new interactive map that shows all construction sites across the city where permits have been issued to allow for construction work outside of normal business hours. (read more…)

Image Credit: NYC DOB.

Buildings refused to grant class A crane license after applicant failed to demonstrate that he possessed three years of experience under the direct supervision of a licensed machine operator. Leo Boccia applied to the Department of Buildings for a class A license to operate a hoisting machine. Boccia’s application included affidavits that showed he had been supervised from January 2011 to December 2014 by a class A license holder while completing class C2 set-ups. The affidavits also stated that Boccia was supervised by a class A license holder when he completed class A crane set-ups from October 2, 2014 to October 31, 2014. Buildings denied Boccia’s application and Boccia filed an article 78 petition asking the court to annul the determination of Buildings. (read more…)

Dana Ford Car Dealership in Staten Island. Image Credit: Google Maps.

During the demolition of a Staten Island building an employee was killed when the floor collapsed. Dana Ford, a car dealership in Staten Island, New York, contracted with Formica Construction, Inc. to build a new facility at 266 West Service Road, Staten Island, and demolish Dana Ford’s old facility. Buildings approved the construction plan, but Formica never obtained the necessary permit to commence the demolition. On the morning of November 28, 2014, four Formica employees entered the old facility around 7:30 a.m. The mezzanine floor of the building collapsed, crushing and killing Delfino Mendizabal, a Formica employee. (read more…)

Buildings Interactive Map with sites required to provide safety training shown as red dots. Image Credit: DOB.

The map is part of Department of Buildings’ effort to ensure that workers are aware of required Site Safety Training on large-scale projects. On June 27, 2019, the Department of Buildings announced the release of a new interactive map on its website, showing the location of City construction sites where workers and site supervisors must conduct safety training pursuant to Local Law 196 of 2017. The law requires training for workers at large-scale construction projects, such as major alterations or new building projects. The map allows workers and supervisors to search the address of their worksite to see if their worksite requires safety training. (read more…)