Upcoming Changes to New York City Construction Permits Pose Challenges for Contractors

Since they are unfamiliar with the process, small contractors in New York City are likely to face difficulties due to upcoming changes to the construction permit policies. According to the revised laws, a construction permit is now required for seven-story tall structures, lowering the minimum height requirement for obtaining a permit.

(Photo : Unsplash/Nik Shuliahin )

Upcoming Changes to New York City Construction Permits

The city's building code will be updated on December 11 to reduce the measurement for a large structure from ten floors to seven stories, equivalent to 75 feet. This modification will include thousands of additional projects. Accordingly, a site safety coordinator and an approved site safety plan will be necessary for every big new build, complete demolition, or interior demolition that involves mechanical equipment and is seven floors or above. They can only acquire a permit and start building on the projects if those standards are met.

As per Peter Amato, president of Site Safety, a New York City-based construction safety consulting company, smaller contractors might have to be informed of how challenging it is to obtain clearances because of the latest changes to the code. This category includes all local or state agencies, including the Department of Design and Construction, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Building.

As mentioned, contractors who recently erected low-rise buildings with a maximum height of nine floors must engage a safety expert. This consultant will be responsible for providing full-time safety professionals and obtaining clearances for worksite safety plans and tenant security plans. Amato strongly recommends that they seek a professional's assistance because this is a subject they might need to become more familiar with.  

Also Read: 6 Proven Strategies to Keep Top Talent in Your Construction Team

New York City's Construction Report in 2023

Published on May 6, 2024, the Department of Buildings released the annual New York City Construction Safety Report after thoroughly analyzing building safety trends for 2023. Although the Department of Buildings issued fewer violations and Stop Work Orders in 2023 than in the previous years, it conducted more than 370,000 field inspections, raising the general count of inspections to an all-time high. The number of Stop Work Orders issued was reduced by 31%, while the number of OATH violations decreased by 18% compared to the previous year.

Moreover, there has been a steady rise in the number of injuries that are associated with construction for the third year in a row, even though the number of fatalities has fallen, with just seven deaths documented in 2023 compared to a peak of fourteen in 2019. This is although a more significant number of examinations have been conducted than at any other time.

Conversely, even if workplace safety and compliance have improved, there are still far too many cases when safety rules are ignored and shortcuts are used, producing disastrous results. Nonetheless, New York City's development activity has remained steady; early demolition permits show a 7% drop from the previous year. The number is still higher than two years prior, even though it has decreased.

Related Article: 6 Leading Safety Organizations in the Construction Industry