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| New York Times | November 30, 2011 |
Coming Soon to the Sidewalks: A New Look for Scaffolding
On December 7, 2011, Mayor Bloomberg and Buildings Commissioner LiMandri unveiled the first installation of the urbanSHED International Design Competition winning design, Urban Umbrella, at 100 Broadway in Lower Manhattan. Designed by Young-Hwan Choi and Andrés Cortés, R.A. and Sarrah Khan, P.E. of the Agencie Group, Urban Umbrella is a much needed improvement to the City’s landscape. The new design, the first major overhaul of the sidewalk shed in more than 50 years opens up the sidewalk, is made almost completely of recycled materials and uses LED lighting panels with a lifespan of 11 years. The Urban Umbrella installation announcement was also picked up by the New York Post, DNAinfo, amNew York, Village Voice, NBC4, Ch. 11, WNYC and Curbed.
Bronx Students Learn Elevator, Escalator Safety
The Department's Elevators Unit kicked-off the agency's 8th annual National Elevator Escalator Safety Week by teaching a class on elevator and escalator safety to over 200 students at PS 9 in the Bornx. During the class, students learned tips like remember to tie your shoe laces, don't lean on elevator doors and the Department's safety slogan, "Ring, Relax, Wait," which reminds children to stay clam during the event of an emergency and wait for help to arrive.
| Real Estate Weekly | November 11, 2010 |
Department Leads Elevator Escalator Safety Week.
In November 2010, the Department of Buildings taught more than 3,000 first, second and third graders elevator and escalator safety tips as part of National Elevator Escalator Safety Week. NY1 also covered the Elevator Escalator Safety Week kick-off which was held at P.S. 124 in Chinatown.
| Daily News | November 10, 2011 |
NYC Official Pledges Crackdown on Illegally Converted Apartments
On November 10, 2011, Department volunteers distributed flyers at a subway station in Woodside, Queens to educte New Yorkers about the dangers living in illegal apartments can pose. During the month of November, volunteers distributed over 10,000 flyers in 11 different languages at subway stations across the City's five boroughs.
Bloomberg Predicts New Buildings Department Initiative Will Completely Digitize Permits Process
NY1 reported that Mayor Bloomberg and Building Commissioner LiMandri have opened a new state-of-the-art review center called the NYC Development Hub to help streamline and accelerate the plan exam review process. At the new development center located in Lower Manhattan, plans are digitally submitted and reviewed by multiple City agencies at once in a virtual environment. The NYC Development Hub announcement was also picked up by Crain’s New York Business, DNAinfo, the Real Deal and WNYC.City Cracks Down on Illegal Apartments
CBS2 reported that the Department has been going undercover posing as potential tenants to find and crackdown on illegally converted apartments advertised on Craigslist and similar website. The Department added the new enforcement tool to its arsenal in the spring of 2010 to help it target illegal apartments and those who create them.
| Crain's New York Business | September 1, 2011 |
City Taps New Construction-Streamlining Czar
Commissioner Robert LiMandri appointed architect Fred S. Mosher, Jr. to the Department’s newly created Deputy Commissioner of Building Development position to focus on streamlining the City’s construction approval process. In the position, Deputy Commissioner Mosher will oversee the Department’s entire plan-exam review and permit issuing processes. The announcement of Mosher’s appointment was also picked up by the Real Deal and Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
| New York Post | August 1, 2011 |
Construction Death Plunge
Construction-related accidents in New York City continued to decline in the first half of 2011, falling to 56 from 94 in the first half of 2010. Injuries also decreased for the same time period from 96 in 2010 to 59 in 2011. The Department of Buildings attributed the continued decline to increased safety awareness. Winning Scaffold Design Provides Lift Above, Movement Below
Commissioner LiMandri unveiled a prototype of the urbanSHED International Design Competition winner, Urban Umbrella, to a group of construction and real estate stakeholders at an art studio in Brooklyn. Designed by Young-Hwan Choi and Andrés Cortés, R.A. and Sarrah Khan, P.E. of the Agencie Group, the sleek new Urban Umbrella design is made almost entirely of recycled materials and opens up and brings light to the sidewalk. The unveiling of the urbanSHED winning design prototype was also picked up by amNew York and Architects Newspaper. Beating the Heat
One way to beat the City’s summer heat is to prepare in advance and coat your home or building’s roof white as part of the Department of Buildings’ NYC °Cool Roofs Program. The Program encourages building owners to paint their roofs with a white reflective sealant that repeals the sun’s rays, reducing the amount of energy needed to cool a building, a building’s electric costs as well as the City’s carbon footprint. During its inaugural season in 2010, the program helped to coat over 1 million square-feet of rooftop space in the City.
| Queens Gazette | July 20, 2011 |
Sign-Up for Free Deck and Porch Inspections
In June 2011, the Department launched its annual No-Penalty Deck and Porch Inspection Program, encouraging home owners to inspect these structures before using them in the summer and take advantage of the Department’s free inspection program by calling 311 if they have any concerns about their structures.
| New York Times | July 11, 2011 |
Solar Panels Still Rare, Despite Glow of $7 Power BillsIn it's weekly "Appraisal" column, the New York Times reported that there is a growing trend of solar panel installations throughout New York City . Buildings Commissioner LiMandri discussed the uptick with Times reporter Diane Cardwell.
| News 12 Brooklyn | June 28, 2011 |
Coney Island Rides Get Clean Bill of Health
DOB Inspectors provided a look into how the City monitors amusement park rides and ensures that owners and operators are taking steps to maintain them safely. Inspectors noted that rides are generally safe and parents and children should follow safety precautions to minimize risk. | Downtown Express | June 22, 2011 |
DOB Molds the Next Generation of Architects and Engineers
A visit to the Department’s Manhattan headquarters as part of the Junior Architects and Engineers program was featured in the June 22 issue of Downtown Express. Approximately 30 students toured the facility, met with Senior DOB officials, reviewed building plans for the new high-rise residential tower at 8 Spruce Street and then toured completed parts of the building. Department of Buildings’ Scaffold Safety Team Featured
NBC News reporter Andrew Siff joined Buildings Inspector Joseph Cobian for a behind-the-scenes look at ongoing renovations at the Jacob Javits Center. Cobian, who is part of the Department’s Scaffold Safety Team, highlighted aspects of the site’s elaborate scaffolding equipment and the Department’s role in ensuring work is performed safely. DOB Teaches Kids About Architects & Engineers
NY1 reported that Commissioner Robert Limandri and Queens Borough Commissioner Ira Gluckman kicked-off the Department’s new educational program for elementary students, Junior Architects and Engineers, by teaching a class to fifth graders at PS 31 on Staten Island about what it means to be an architect or engineer. The new program aims to give elementary students in New York City a better understanding of the construction industry and encourage students to start thinking about careers in the construction field. If you are interested in having the Department visit your school or your child’s school, send an email to JrArchitectEngineer@
buildings.nyc.gov. Quick Response (QR) Codes to be Added to All NYC Construction Permits
Commissioner LiMandri and Deputy Mayor Goldsmith appeared on NY1’s “Inside City Hall” program to discuss the City’s new Quick Response (QR) Codes program. The piece highlights how the Department is using technology and placing QR codes on all NYC construction permits to allow New Yorkers to scan the codes with their smartphones and gain instant access to information about construction sites and buildings. The QR Codes announcement, which Mayor Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Goldsmith and Commissioner LiMandri unveiled on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, was also picked up by Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press, the New York Observer, the Real Deal, WCBS, Fox5, WNYC and DNAinfo. | The New York Times | January 30, 2011 |
| CBS: MoneyWatch.com | January 30, 2011 |
Rental Red Flags: 10 Signs You Don't Want That Apartment
CBS MoneyWatch featured Commissioner LiMandri’s 10 tips for renters on the homepage, which were issued following the Department’s city-wide undercover investigation into illegal conversions in apartments posted on Craigslist.
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