By Frank Fortino Last month, the New York City Council approved a rezoning plan designed to help East Midtown upgrade its outdated office space. The deal—four years in the making—marks the first time that the City Planning Commission has offered a way for developers to demolish and rebuild an overbuilt building… View more
By Mario Aurioso In case you missed it, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has added a new requirement for its online inspection system, DOB NOW: Inspections. All licensed professionals, including licensed master plumbers (LMPs), must upload a completed DPL-1 form when requesting inspections and submitting inspection results. The… View more
By Robert Proffitt, R.A. Perhaps you’ve heard that the Department of Buildings (DOB) recently decided to crack down on rooftop terraces not permitted as of right. The rumors are true. The NYC DOB roof deck rules are without a doubt changing. Moving forward, only residential properties may use rooftops as amenity… View more
By Penny Laughlin Effective April 7, 2017, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) added a new section to the Rules of the City of New York (RCNY), which governs sign hanging. The amendment permits licensed sign hangers (Master Sign Hangers and Special Sign Hangers) to file applications for signs… View more
By Penny Laughlin The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has added a new requirement for projects involving earthwork, or excavation, as of May 1, 2017. If you’ve done any excavation in the five boroughs, then you already know that the DOB requires contractors with earthwork permits to notify the… View more
By Frank Fortino This month we’re taking a closer look at the options and requirements of Affordable New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s replacement for the 421a tax abatement. The affordable New York housing program applies to eligible projects containing six or more units built during the following time frame: Construction commencement… View more
By Frank Fortino As the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) begins the challenge of revising the construction codes, the agency continues to develop and improve DOB NOW. Notably, as with the code revisions, DOB is now working with industry representatives to make the online filing process more effective. Here… View more