Timing of facade inspection

It depends on the last digit of the property block number (block number that you use for looking up things on acris, not the street number)

Based on that digit number, buildings are grouped into 3 subcycles , which are subcycle A, B, or C

For Sub cycle A, it's digits 4,5,6,9

Sub B, is 0,7,8

Sub C is 1,2,3

So for example, if the building your looking at is block 653 lot 28, this is #3 , that means sub-cycle C

Buildings do get into situations were they are filing extensions for various reasons

Cycle 9 should be close to done for most, cycle 9 schedule is

Sub A
Reports must be filed between February 21, 2020 and February 21, 2022.

Sub B
Reports must be filed between February 21, 2021 and February 21, 2023.

Sub C
Reports must be filed between February 21, 2022 and February 21, 2024

Cycle 10 begins Feb 21, 2025 for cycle A and the time spread between the other subs should be exactly the same as Cycle 9

Thank you for that detailed report. I'm looking at a property whose block ends in a 3. According to Google it was under scaffolding in 2013 and 2019 so I'm thinking with a 5 year cycle 2024 is next.

According to your chart it appears that their report must be filed by 2/21/24 so perhaps in 2024 the work will have been completed.

Love me some google streetview maps that go back in time.
Unfortunately, it only gives you a specific moment in time without any substance.

If you notice, there is a 2 year window. So what does that mean exactly?
Lets use Sub C example

So starting Feb 21st, 2022, a building can engage an engineer to inspect and submit a report. There are 3 options for this report to end in.

1) SAFE (self explanatrory)

2) SWARMP ( safe with recommended repairs) - You can elect to not do the repairs during this cycle but they must be repaired during the next cycle. Its usually not a good idea to let these issues linger and most do the repairs during this same cycle.

3) UNSAFE (repairs must be made and put in safe condition within 90 days of report submitted to DOB)
So this is near impossible most of the time. There are a whole host of reasons why a building cant complete in time. Its not always because the owner is some slumlord and postponing as long as possible spending money on repairs. Our building had to do terra cotta replacements . I think there are like only 2 companies that supply these anymore. There was a backlog for 6 or 9 months for the units we needed. There is also an option for another material to replace. But if I recall there are issues with the mixing of 2 different materials. And there was a timing issue with that as well.
So you keep filing extensions.

Now sheds need to be up when the building is either marked UNSAFE, or effecting repairs to the building on UNSAFE or SWARMP items.

Now if you know your building is in "SAFE" (or SWARMP) condition, one can file a bit late, even a year late and be closed out before the 2 year window ends. But who really knows that.
So its a bad idea to file so late and risk monthly fines past the 2 year window. But the possibilty of that being the situation in some buildings does exist.
Ultimately, you'd like as much of those two years as possible to complete work ans receive SAFE signoff.

If I havent lost you yet, here is 2.0 assignment.

1)Go to website called DOBNOW (first hit on google search)

2)Type in the address of building....or block and lot, etc similar to using ACRIS

3)Scroll to the bottom and you'll see " SAFETY: Compliance Filings. click on that and there will be a small drop down menu. Click "facades"

Like most government sites, its not the easiest to navigate and understand right away. The more things you click, the more you find.

start with
4)"Technical Report (TR6)" click on that. You'll see a list of all past engineer initial FISP reports submitted. Click on the report you want to view

5) Scroll down to "FISP" and click on that. Now your reading the actual engineer report

You can play around with the rest...

Your welcome :)

Keep in mind that sidewalk sheds must go up right away following an UNSAFE report. So you might see 'scaffolding' on a building several months before work mobilization even begins.

And if the project takes longer than planned (based on issues like Truth mentions above), the scaffolding may even remain in place until close to when the next inspection cycle begins. So using visible scaffolding to try to figure out where a building happens to be in its LL cycle isn't a very reliable method.

truthskr10 That is great information, thank you. As a former commercial real estate guy I appreciate the detailed reports on the DOB NOW site.

Forgot to mention, the Google archived photos were pretty accurate as to the timing of the prior inspections. What a handy tool.

George, commercial is tough these days, its impossible to predict what portends for this market.

Im more than happy to offer insight to you and the forum on something Ive had reluctant experience in, going through 3 facade cycles as a board member in my building.

As you wrote;
"According to your chart it appears that their report must be filed by 2/21/24 so perhaps in 2024 the work will have been completed."

Do go and check for the last filed FISP report. There's a good chance its already there.
There's also a great chance if there is no shed up now now there isnt one coming with only 6 months left to file. At least not one coming for the next 4/5 years.

Thanks for the update. The last report was filed 2/14/2019. I'm away from the city now so I don't know if there is a shed in place. Google didn't show any at March, 2023.

If there is no report, its unlikely there is a shed up.
Thats not leaving a lot of time if there are problems. 6 months left and nobody is going to do much outdoor work if needed in DEC/JAN/FEB so 3 months left.

Maybe they wanted a little space between 2 cycles but its easy to speculate wrongly.

Truth, The information you provided above is very helpful. I have saved it for my future reference. Thank you.

All good 300, my pleasure

While some of these of programs are well meaning, they are not efficient and can be quite harmful.

Sometimes I think its a plot by all the big developers to bankrupt the older buildings into becoming new development space.

Everyone should also start paying attention to the new mandates for bulidngs 25,000 sq ft and bigger and their efficiency rating. Everyone's got a couple years until it costs them real money but the tab is going to be quite large for those who have to overhaul their systems and/or pay the fines for their low grades.

On the same DOBNOW site when you get to your building's page, at the top will be a Energy "Efficiency Rating (Local Law 33 of 2018)" and a "view" tab.
I think the ratings are A thru F like a report card. This program could very well end up more costly than the facades.

That energy efficient rating is a pretty cool tool. I hadn't noticed it. Thank you again.

Just noticed that the building I'm looking at, 400 CPW, has a notice of a partial stop work order at the top of the DOBNOW page. Wonder what that is for? Drilling around in the documents I found a "Active Tenant Protection Plans" filed in March that appears to reference work going on in the building. Hard to tell what it is because most of it seems boilerplate about Egress, Fire Safety, Lead & Asbestos, etc.

Yeah those could be anything, and its usually something small.

I dont think its related to anything facade.

They did file cycle 8 at the very end of the time slot.
May be doing the same for cycle 9 which means the answer to your shed question will have to wait for the FISP report, and that may be February as it was for the cycle 8.

My gut says a building that size with that many bricks,and all those balconies...... its gotta need something.