July 1st marks the beginning of a new era for The New York City Zoning Resolution (ZR), which will be undergoing a Use Group overhaul. Make sure to read up on the changes before filing any applications—it’s easy to get confused!

Facade inspections and regulations may soon undergo major changes, after the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) announced the introduction of a comprehensive review of the current Facade and Inspection Safety program in May.

The New York City Council began its public review of “The City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” proposal this April, following the approval of its predecessors, Carbon Neutrality and Economic Opportunity. The plan addresses a lack of affordable housing in NYC and promises to streamline residential conversions, increase density, and allow for taller buildings, among a host of other zoning changes.

The second installment of Mayor Adam’s plan to update zoning, “City of Yes for Economic Opportunity,” is officially in motion as of March 6, 2024. Prepare for major changes, and read on for the breakdown.

There’s no more need to talk about green infrastructure in the future tense — under the new plan for combating climate change in New York City, the future of sustainability starts now.

On a list of cities most vulnerable to seismic activity, New York City ranks low. Though, if the recent 4.8-magnitude earthquake in New Jersey is any indication, this city has become too comfortable on stable ground.

Beginning June 3, 2024, all DOB NOW users must also have an NYC.ID account. Read on for more details!

This March, the Department of Buildings (DOB) nearly doubled the amount of staff members dedicated to enforcing Local Law 97 (LL 97), a landmark carbon emissions law, increasing the number of personnel from 11 to 21. The change responds to recent criticism about the lack of resources dedicated to addressing climate change in New York City, and indicates a renewed effort to upholding the law as increasingly stricter emission benchmarks loom in 2025.

When Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl escaped Central Park Zoo, he became a symbol of urban wildlife and a minor celebrity for New York City residents. More than a few miles away from his natural habitat, many feared the exotic owl wouldn’t be able to survive in the city for long. Sadly these fears were validated when, following a year of freedom, Flaco died after colliding with a skyscraper.

Outsource Consultants, Inc., expediting, building code, and zoning experts in New York City for 30 years and counting, is proud to join Project Management Advisors (PMA), real estate advisors with projects across the nation, in an art supplies fundraiser for Lavelle School for the Blind. The event, titled Palette & Purpose, will run from April 2nd to May 16th. Outsource, PMA, and the Lavelle School would love your consideration to support the students by purchasing art supplies through the students’ Amazon wishlist. A huge source of inspiration for this event is the remembrance of Joshua Rubin from PMA, who cared deeply about the school and its students.

The new natural gas detector requirement is nothing to fear. While it may seem like just another mandate on the laundry list of fire safety requirements, it’s also cheap, easy to install, and bound to save lives.

Almost 9,000 construction sheds decorate the streets of New York City, but this number might soon be drastically reduced.

Outdoor dining is here to stay, with some caveats.

The Department of Buildings (DOB) will require new special inspection requirements for parking structures this year.

Outsource Consultants and Outsource Special Inspections (OSI) are excited to announce our participation in the New York Build 2024 Expo, scheduled to be held this February 13-14. We’ll be joining over 35,000 other attendees to celebrate the construction and design industry at the much-anticipated networking event.

On January 1st, New York City launched a major milestone for green energy.

Another year of special inspections approaches! If you haven’t kept up with all the changes made within the past year, or if you’re looking for a memory refresh, this article is for you.

Post-pandemic, New York is not the same city it once was.

The introduction of hybrid and remote work options has rendered some offices obsolete, resulting in empty commercial buildings across NYC and other major cities. To remedy this issue, city officials have proposed plans under the “City of Yes” initiative to convert offices in Midtown South into residential buildings. In one fell swoop, these proposals could address the city’s housing crisis, help reduce carbon emissions, and fill empty offices — however, the process would be complicated by zoning and building code issues.

Did you receive a fee recently that was larger than expected? A new update to the 2022 Construction Code by the Department of Buildings (DOB) has introduced increased fees for certain reports and applications.

New York City may allow developers to build casinos in 2024—under certain conditions.

According to a November 27th press release, the City Planning Commission (CPC) has just begun the public review process for a zoning text amendment allowing gaming facilities in NYC. Facilities would have to be licensed by the New York State Gaming Commission, and could only be located in certain commercial or manufacturing districts. Furthermore, only up to three casinos could be approved for development. These restrictions indicate an effort to mitigate the potential backlash from local communities, which have significant power in the application process.

Millions of New Yorkers and television-watchers anticipate NYC’s annual Thanksgiving parade, but festivities around the holidays can pose a nuisance for construction. If your construction project requires a permit approval from the Department of Transportation (DOT) for interfering with public transportation, it may be affected.

If you received an elevator inspection violation from the Department of Buildings (DOB) this October, it could be because you forgot to report a corrected defect in the past 5 years of inspections.

Rats are an anticipated nuisance of city living, but recent sanitation laws might keep them off the streets for good.

If you are a building owner, you may be required to post your Building Energy Efficient Rating Label by October 31st. The label, which displays your building’s energy efficiency rating in the past year, must be publicly displayed due to Local Law 95 of 2019, as a part of a larger effort to reduce carbon emissions in NYC.

On September 29th, Tropical Storm Ophelia brought New York City to its knees and left its inhabitants knee-deep in floodwater. What began as a “rainy week” quickly escalated into a State of Emergency that demonstrated, for a second time since Hurricane Ida in 2021, the ineffectiveness of NYC infrastructure in combating extreme weather events. Floodwater burst through the caulk of subway tiles, sewer drains clogged with swirling trash, and buses became boats. By the end of the day, the city had received as much rainfall as it usually would in two to three months, according to MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. Flooding due to extreme rainfall could be written off as uncommon, but events such as these will likely only increase in frequency as climate change effects escalate. If the September flooding taught us anything, it’s that this lesson will not be the last of its kind.

This month marks a notable change to the Department of Building’s filing system. Beginning October 30, Determination requests will be submitted in DOB NOW: Build, the DOB’s public online portal.

In 2019, Local Law 97 initiated a series of deadlines to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced by NYC buildings to net zero by 2050. As the first major benchmark looms this upcoming January, Mayor Eric Adams has recently proposed a comprehensive guideline for implementing the law. This guideline, titled, “Getting 97 Done,” introduced a two-year extension for building owners who fail to comply with the energy cap by Jan. 1, 2024. As long as building owners can prove a “good faith effort,” namely by demonstrating progress on decarbonization and sharing a plan of future compliance, the Department of Buildings (DOB) will be willing to waive penalties for building owners. “Getting 97 Done” also establishes a chance to earn credit for early electrification work in a building, which owners can apply towards their compliance efforts.

New York City is eternally under construction. This is a fact of city life that both benefits and burdens its residents. As buildings rise to greater heights, scaffolding, construction fences, and sidewalk sheds litter the streets below. The ugliness of construction is something that many urban residents have come to accept, but in the past few years, the City Canvas initiative has been working to create beauty in these unexpected places.

While most of the discussion surrounding Local Law 126 of 2021 has been regarding the new parking garage inspection requirements, the law also contains a new requirement for annual parapet inspections that’s worth taking note of.

In April of 2023, Tiffany & Co reopened the doors of its 5th Ave flagship store with a renewed vision for the brand's future. Since its star-studded launch party, the store has received widespread coverage for its innovative and extensive redesign. This transformation was the first of its kind since the building’s construction in 1940, and its new interiors pay tribute to Tiffany’s iconic history whilst re-imagining modern luxury.

Helping Drive Sustainability by Planting Trees When the First Permit is Achieved for Every Project

It’s been five years since Discovery, Inc., one of the world’s largest providers of informative entertainment, announced its plans to relocate its New York offices to 230 Park Avenue South. Today, that plan has finally come to fruition, with some of New York’s top design, consulting, and construction firms proud to have played a part.

The 2022 NYC Building Code went into effect on November 7, 2022. While we’ve covered a number of general updates the new code will bring, it’s worth a moment to focus on healthcare facilities in particular.

The NYC Department of Buildings has recently released further details on its parking garage inspection requirements.

Permitting rules may become stricter for certain projects in New York City in the near future, due to a proposed air quality reclassification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

New submission rules, construction superintendent limits, revoked training, and their potential impacts on your next project.

If you’re a contractor with active Department of Transportation permits in New York City, a couple of recently-announced DOT initiatives may impact your projects through at least the end of 2022.

How your Brooklyn filings will be affected and how you can take advantage.

On June 1, 2022, three citywide zoning amendments were announced that could remove limitations and encourage new building and alteration uses in neighborhoods which previously would have banned them.

Find out what types of projects could be affected.

It is now easier than ever for the public to weigh in on certain New Building and Alterations projects in NYC.

In March 2022, the NYC DOB released their second-annual Construction Safety Report, compiling site safety data from 2021 and comparing it against 2020 statistics.

In the interest of stormwater protection, certain construction projects will now have some extra paperwork to do.

As of January 1, 2022, office building owners who have not filed a sprinkler report, certifying that sprinklers were installed in the building where required under Local Law 26 of 2004, will be subject to civil penalties.

Learn about the new process for getting your MIH-flagged project approved.

Under Executive Order from February 4, 2022, Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) will be required for any federal government construction project of approx. $35 million or more, starting immediately.

As of December 31, 2021, the NYC Department of Buildings no longer accepts Energy Efficiency Reports (EER) from owners who owe penalties for prior violations.

New buildings will need alternative heating by as early as 2024. Learn more about the new law.

New York, NY – Since 2012, Outsource Special Inspections (OSI) has been a trusted source for special inspections in New York City. Led by a senior team of knowledgeable, highly qualified professional engineers, OSI performs NYC Department of Buildings-certified inspections across New York City every day, covering over 600 clients.

Check out Decoder’s highlights from the past year.

Why construction professionals should care about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, and what to do about it.

All about the new default cancellation request deadline and attending hearings during COVID.

Did the Zero Tolerance safety campaign get the outcome it wanted? What will it mean for the future?

As of September 14, 2021, the NYC Department of Buildings will not require fees for filing and permits for Hurricane Ida-related damage.

Be advised: As of September 7, 2021, all FDNY services must now be filed exclusively online.

New York City has been called the concrete jungle, but never before has the name been more apt, or more dangerous.

From redesigns to online license applications, here’s the latest on the NYC Buildings website.

In May 2021, the Open Streets program, which converted 83 miles of NYC roadways into pedestrian walkways to better accommodate pandemic outdoor dining, was made permanent for neighborhoods that chose to keep it.

The DOB recently announced a 5-month pilot program for designers to test new tools for a 100% performance-based approach to the current NYC energy code.

What to watch out for when enforcement begins August 16, 2021.

Common issues to avoid to stay in the NYC Open Restaurants program.

As of July 12, 2021, civil penalty payments and waive requests must go through DOB: NOW.

The New York State government recently announced that it has budgeted funding towards incentives for its Low Carbon Pathways for Multifamily Buildings program.

Learn what this means for NYC construction going forward.

Originally set to begin on June 30, 2020, DOB NOW permit applications will need an extra form in order to get approved. A DOB service notice released on June 28, 2020 revealed that enforcement will begin in August of 2021 with the official launch date and additional details to be announced.

On June 1, 2021, the NYC Department of Buildings announced a slew of unannounced site safety sweeps across the city.

As of late May 2021, a new bill introduced in the New York City Council could make a major impact on the city’s building and energy codes.

In Spring 2021, several zoning changes to improve transit accessibility and to lower barriers for small and independent health-focused businesses were proposed and put under public review.

How new construction safety laws may affect permits and approvals.

Apply for altered 2024-2029 greenhouse gas emissions limits on your large building before July 2021.

The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated existing trends in remote work, as well as the pivot away from big box and department stores, leaving many buildings and storefronts unused and empty. What can be done with these blank spaces?

NYC Climate Code Updates and Energy Benchmark Deadline

Certain violations after January 4, 2020 will hold up new permits for owners.

New pilot program starts March 19, 2021 for select inspections and areas.

Explore how this online dashboard tracks and resolves your critical building items.

Learn more on how to migrate Certificates of Occupancy from BIS.

Building owners beware – Outstanding façade issues from last inspection could result in a $2,000 fine.

There’s still time for your commercial building to install code-approved carbon monoxide detectors.

In order to accommodate delays from the pandemic, the deadline under Local Law 152 of 2016 for building owners in community districts 1, 3 and 10 (in any borough) to have their gas piping inspected has been extended from December 31, 2020 to June 30, 2021.

What you need to know about the new type of TCO

New mandates go into effect January 10, 2021.

Timeline changes, updated forms, and new standards for Registered Design Professionals go into effect on November 10.

Code considerations for making usable rooftop spaces in New York.

It’s more than plexiglass and 6 feet. Before you put up the partitions, check with the code.

Building owners must post energy efficiency ratings by October 31, 2020.

Museums are now open in NYC! See how these valuable cultural institutions are safeguarding patrons now and in the near future.

New law goes into effect January 1, 2021 – check your applicability!

Airports face hard times right now, but there’s an opportunity to improve design as well as safety.

Restaurants have been caught in something of a catch-22 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Hotels may be down right now, but they are not out.

LL114 of 2019 increases penalties for false PW1 statements on occupancy.

Getting acquainted with DOB’s new boiler violations portal.

How to Create Code-Compliant Temporary Outdoor Dining Seating Amid COVID-19 Crisis.

How to prep for and enforce the new normal.

What will construction look like when the stop order is lifted?

How to navigate filing for emergency staging and temporary hospital projects.

Navigating filing and construction in the midst of New York on PAUSE.

The new code will go into effect on May 12, 2020.

What you need to know when Local Laws 92 & 94 go into effect.

Select areas in Brooklyn may now be permitted to create lawful cellar apartments.

A refresher on gender neutral bathroom signs

A refresher on gender neutral bathroom signs

If you're experiencing longer wait times for fire alarm application review, this could be the reason why.

Here is what you need to know, in a nutshell.

Pursuant to Local Law 160 of 2017, the Department of Buildings will now be enforcing section 28-105.1.2.

Would it surprise you to know that many of New York City’s most iconic landmarks, have not been issued a final certificate of occupancy?

The Department of buildings has a long history of allowing Design Applicants or a designated Third-Party Inspectors the ability to conduct a final construction inspection on their projects.

The New York City Council introduces hundreds of new local laws each year. In 2013 Local Law 141 was enacted which solidified the adoption of an NYC modification of the 2009 International Building Code (IBC) as the new city Building Code.