By Frank Fortino Over the years, many owners and tenants have come to us with questions on legally allowing tenant showers in office spaces. Such amenities seem to be in higher demand than ever, with more people biking to work or exercising to keep their health in check. Add in… View more
By Liliana Ovalles With New York City real estate at such a premium, it’s no surprise that developers are exploring automated parking garage systems as a way to save space. If you’re considering this option, be sure to plan for evaluation by the Office of Technical Certification and Research (OTCR). OTCR… View more
By Frank Fortino In the City That Never Sleeps, rent-regulation issues don’t stop, either. City Council member Ritchie Torres has introduced legislation calling for the Department of Buildings (DOB) and Department of Finance (DOF) to join forces in identifying false statements submitted by landlords. The bill stems from the findings of… View more
By Rose Perez The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) is continuing the migration to its new online self-service platform, DOB NOW. This month, limited alteration applications (LAAs) and emergency work notifications (EWNs) will transition to DOB NOW: Build. Both application types are used for plumbing work, fire suppression piping… View more
By Brian Lafferty On October 1, 2018, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) will launch a self-service system for scheduling plan examination appointments. The online portal will replace the current process of calling 311 to schedule an appointment via the Plan Examination Notification System (PENS). The new system will… View more
By Penny Laughlin The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) now requires registered design professionals to perform final inspections of certain work types that do not require a new or amended Certificate of Occupancy (CO). The change, explained in Buildings Bulletin 2018-008, also applies to work related to new buildings,… View more
By Frank Fortino On August 22, 2018, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) launched a real-time, interactive map showing all major construction projects in the five boroughs. The data-rich map represents the latest move to increase public transparency of New York City construction. User-Friendly Data “This real-time map puts… View more