Photo courtesy of Sullivan Engineering

Vertical Access often assists building owners, architects, engineers, with New York City’s Façade Inspection & Safety Program, or FISP, also known as Local Law 11.  We would like to share some proposed changes that were recently brought to light by Brian Sullivan, a principal at Sullivan Engineering in a recent article in Habitat Magazine:

Brian sits on a DOB advisory committee that proposes changes to FISP regulations. The committee’s attention is now focused on Cycle 9, which begins in February 2020.

Here are some proposed changes:

• Probes to verify and document wall anchors in cavity wall facades might be required in the 9th cycle and every 10 years thereafter.
• The number of required close-up inspections might increase.
• Qualified Exterior Wall Inspectors (QEWI) might be required to have at least three years of relevant experience. (VA partner Kelly Streeter, P.E., is a certified QEWI).
• A time frame to resolve unsafe conditions might be required, with a maximum of five years.
• Monthly civil penalties for unsafe conditions might accrue and increase annually at a rate based on the length of sidewalk shed.
• The DOB might perform inspections before granting extension requests.
• Boards might be required to display a FISP condition certificate – either “safe,” “safe with repair,” or “unsafe” – in the lobby.

To read Brian’s article, go here.

To learn about VA’s façade inspection services, go here.