Mayor Eric Adams’ attempt to address the excessive number of sidewalk scaffolding in the city is turning into a farce. It has been revealed that NYCHA, the city’s public housing authority, has more long-standing sheds than any private landlord, totaling 26 miles in length. But the issue of never-ending, city-owned scaffold eyesores does not stop at NYCHA sites alone. Even office buildings that are fully owned and managed by City Hall are plagued with the same problem. One such example is 2 Lafayette St., a century-old, 21-story property of 350,000 square feet. Scaffolding has surrounded this building from all four sides since 2017.
It is worth noting that the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), responsible for managing city property, oversees 2 Lafayette St. Despite its focus on real estate, it seems incapable of properly maintaining its own structures and promptly addressing safety concerns. The scaffolding has become a breeding ground for illegal activities, with vagrants using it as shelter and harassing passers-by. The Department of Buildings has records dating back to 2017 that prove the lack of progress in addressing this issue.
Furthermore, there are indications that the very sheds meant to protect pedestrians from falling debris may pose a danger themselves. A violation notice from the Department of Buildings cites “deteriorated mud sills in multiple locations throughout shed” and highlights non-compliance with code specifications. The DCAS claims that the sheds were erected to mitigate safety hazards, as required by Local Law 11. However, the lack of progress and failure to meet safety standards raises concerns.
In response to these concerns, a DCAS spokesperson stated that the building is scheduled for planned façade work, with the design phase set to commence within the next six weeks. However, the design process itself will take an estimated 18 months. As for the open DOB violations, the DCAS is said to be working with its contractor to assess and rectify the situation.
Given the slow progress and lack of visible development, it seems Mayor Adams has other issues to solve before tackling the sidewalk scaffolding problem.
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