With the city continuously adding new requirements for sidewalk sheds, Mayor Eric Adams’ “Get Sheds Down” program appears to lack effectiveness. As of September 28, landlords are now obligated to conduct yearly “parapet observations” under the newly established regulations by the Department of Buildings. According to Local Law 126, enacted in 2021, property owners are required to hire private inspectors to assess parapets for potential hazards. If any dangers are identified, landlords must install “public protection” while the necessary corrective measures are implemented. In simple terms, this means more sidewalk sheds will be erected. Interestingly, this new rule surpasses the well-known Local Law 11, which demands inspections every five years for all buildings exceeding six stories. The annual parapet checks now apply to all buildings facing public streets, regardless of their height. Consequently, the implementation of yearly “parapet observations” will inevitably lead to an increase in sidewalk sheds. This directly contradicts Mayor Eric Adams’ objective of reducing their presence through the “Get Sheds Down” initiative. Benjamin Krall, the CEO and founder of Urban Umbrellas, a supplier of aesthetically pleasing white sidewalk sheds with flared tops, acknowledges the importance of the new rule in ensuring pedestrian safety. Nevertheless, he emphasizes that it will hinder the mayor’s program, resulting in a greater installation of sidewalk scaffolding across a substantially larger number of buildings. Consequently, residents of New York City should anticipate a rise in construction activities impacting their buildings as a whole.
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