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Has Your Facade Been Inspected in the Past 5 Years?

By: Scott Henson

NYC Department of Buildings law requires that all big buildings (6 stories and higher) must have their facades professionally inspected every five years. This law was formerly known as Local Law 11 and was renamed as Facade Inspection Safety Program (FISP). The current filing window for Cycle 8 has closed as of February 2019. The upcoming five year Cycle 9 will begin in February 2020 and closes in February 2024.

Background on FISP

Originally named Local Law 10, the law was enacted in the early 1980s by then-Mayor Ed Koch after several people were tragically injured. The first person was a Barnard College student who was struck by a piece of falling terra cotta in 1979 and died on West 115th Street. In 1982, a 28-year-old lawyer was struck by a piece of falling masonry as she was walking in downtown Brooklyn. On her way to court that morning, she had returned to her office to retrieve her umbrella.

Local Law 10 was reformed in 1997 after several incidents of collapse and falling masonry throughout NYC. While there were no immediate fatalities, the collapses catapulted Local Law 10 requirements to the public’s attention. Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani called for the original law to be revised and renamed as the updated Local Law 11 in 1998.

Does My Building Need a Facade Inspection?

Any NYC building owner with a six-story or taller building must comply with the law. If you have not had your façade inspected by February 2019, your fines will start to add up. The fines begin at $250 per month for a late filing and can reach $1,000 per year for not filing at all.

Who Can Perform FISP in Compliance with NYC Law?

Scott Henson Architect specializes in exterior building inspections to ensure your building is in compliance with FISP. Our team of licensed architects has performed thousands of routine inspections and can help ensure that your building is ready to be inspected in upcoming Cycle 9. The exterior inspection requires a close, critical examination and must be completed by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI). Your professional inspector must be a NYS licensed engineer or architect. We can perform the inspection and report to the NYC Department of Buildings your building conditions determining that it falls into one of the three following categories: SAFE, UNSAFE or SWARMP.

  • SAFE buildings require no repairs.
  • UNSAFE buildings require immediate repairs within 30 days. Building owners are responsible for providing sidewalk shields or similar protections for the public.
  • SWARMP (Safe With A Repair and Maintenance Program) conditions vary by building, your FISP facade inspector can provide detailed information describing exactly what needs to be repaired.

Preserving New York City architecture is our passion at Scott Henson Architect. Keep up with the latest updates in NYC building regulations on our website. If you need to schedule your upcoming Cycle 9 FISP inspection, contact us and we’ll ensure your building is in compliance with NYC laws.

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