The amendment of Rule 104-03 in May of 2013 requires balcony inspections be inspected and identified by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI).  The QEWI must submit a supplemental report indicating balconies were inspected and report a status for the balconies in the Cycle 7 report.

Building owners who have yet to submit their Cycle 7 report will be required to include the new balcony supplemental.  Buildings with balconies that have already submitted their façade reports in Cycle 7 are required to file supplemental balcony reports ex post facto.  If there are no balconies on the building the supplemental report is not required.

All supplemental balcony reports must be submitted in letter format as a signed, sealed statement on letterhead to the DOB Façade Unit by February 1, 2015 (via USPS) or hand delivered to 280 Broadway, 4^th Floor in Lower Manhattan.

The balcony supplemental can be written by the QEWI who authored the initial FISP report, the QEWI who inspected the balconies, a DOB approved special inspector, or a DOB approved testing lab.  It’s at the QEWI’s discretion to dictate the extent of the inspections based on circumstances of the location.

Specific areas covered within the balcony report include terraces, walkways, corridors, fire escapes, roofs, enclosures, and setbacks related to exterior walls and appurtenances.

It’s possible the status of the balcony downgrades the overall building status.  If the downgrade is to “unsafe” a FISP3 form must be filed with the Façade Unit.  The Amended report will require the owner’s signature on the TR6 form.

The supplemental balcony report program is a no fee program.  There are no fees for submittals.  The only fees incurred arise from incomplete or non-submittal, which are subject to fees per Rule.

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