HOW Parapet INSPECTIONS & Reports will likely affect nYC

The largest implications of of the new parapet inspections and reports is in the additional cost to building owners, and potential to enhance building safety across New York City. This is especially true for buildings which do not currently fall under "FISP" designation, or under 7 stories in height. 

Street-facing parapets and their regular inspections and reports, mandated by this law, can identify structural vulnerabilities and hazardous conditions to the public below, which previously haven't been targeted by any laws directly for buildings under 7 stories. The law aims to minimize the likelihood of incidents due to defects of the existing parapets, safeguarding the general public as well as the tenants of the building. 

Although parapet inspections can be performed by a range of qualified people, thoughtful building owners and managers will likely lean on licensed architects and engineers to perform these inspections. Not only will they have the assurance that industry professionals will be inspecting their parapets in a thorough manner, but the additional layer of professional liability architects and engineers like Masonry Inspection hold help further limit building owner liability.

The implementation of this law could carry a heavy cost. Over the medium to long-term, Local Law 126 may exert an influence in the real estate market in New York City. Building owners face yet another cost in having their parapets inspected annually. In addition, if there are defects identified at the parapets, buildings will have to perform necessary repairs. 

These costs could include permits, filing and professional fees for design and repair drawings & specifications, scaffolding necessary to access the repair areas, and/or sidewalk sheds and other protection means, as well as the actual labor and material cost of the repairs. 

One of the largest unknowns currently is how the DOB will enforce this new law in 2024 and beyond. The DOB may specifically send inspectors/representatives throughout the city to observe the conditions of parapets, and dole out violations for any buildings which have defects. Alternatively, they could forego the inspection and just visit buildings and want to review the reports. This likelihood could increase if the DOB is already slotted to go to the building for any other reason. 

If missing, the city may issue violations and penalties to the building, and even force protections such as sidewalk sheds to be installed immediately, at the building's cost. Properties deemed non-compliant with parapet safety standards could experience a depreciation in value, deterring potential buyers, investors, and renters. Small scale property owners could be affected the most, which is why we aim to provide high quality and thorough inspections and reporting for a reasonable fee. 

The report is currently not required to be submitted. Instead, it must be kept on file and produced at the building department's request, for a period of 6 years. The law may be further amended in the future to require submission of the reports, as is relatively common for other city local laws, and the DOB may even request submission of past reports. The future additions and amendments of this law are uncertain, but given that the city generally errs on the side of caution and public safety, we expect the law to only get more stringent over time.

Local Law 126 represents further commitment by the city to building and public safety. However, all parties, including building owners/managers, engineers, and regulatory agencies must work together to effectively contribute to the public safety of New York City. Professionals should not take this law lightly and perform a "drive by" inspection, the city should not view this as another source of revenue by issuing violations, and owners should not ignore the law until they are hit with violations or the law evolves. Like it or not, parapets are now large visible targets, and their health has just joined the list of high building priorities, and will likely remain on that list indefinitely. 

FISP Requirements:

https://www.nyc.gov/site/buildings/safety/facade-inspection-safety-program-fisp-filing-instructions.page

https://www.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/rules/1_RCNY_103-04.pdf