By Brian Redlein Taking a break from the Summer Energy Code Update Watch, On June 28th City Council Enacted Local Law 79 of 2016. This law mandates that all single occupant toilet rooms be gender neutral – even existing ones. Owners of existing toilets have until January 2017 to install gender… View more
By Penny Laughlin Finally, the first wave of virtual filings on the DOB’s new filing platform is imminent. DOBNOW is in pilot phase with a small group of users, and is set to roll out early summer. The first stage of the rollout is focused on Plumbing and Sprinkler work. These… View more
By Bruno Caligara We often receive questions on when a permit for roof replacement is required. The answer is, sometimes, and it all depends on the scope of replacement. As per 1 RCNY 101-14 Chapter 100, work that may or may not require a permit, ROOFS are as follows: REQUIRES A … View more
By Mario Aurioso The Department of Buildings has created a dedicated Inspection Request process for property owners and contractors participating in the City’s Universal Pre-K program. Contractors need to register for the new DOB NOW: Inspections system. (This was previously Inspection Ready, and registrations will carry over.) Contractors can sign on… View more
By Wayne Sheppard Developers looking to go bigger with their projects have a path forward. Always eager for infrastructure upgrades, the City has proven to be amenable to a trade – allowing higher structures in exchange for improving or adding new entrances to adjacent subway stops. The MTA has a habit… View more
By Andrew J. Pisani The phones in our pockets have more advanced technology than NASA’s mainframe computers that sent people to the moon. Same goes for major institutions around the world, and our very own DOB. In fact, at the heart of the DOB’s tech infrastructure is an outdated mainframe computer… View more
By Frank Fortino It’s safe to say our industry is constantly evolving. Code, materials, intelligence, laws and best practices continually change. From time to time, issues and problems flare up, and the DOB looks for patterns. When there’s a cluster, it’s usually time to address the issue. One such issue involves… View more