It’s hard to beat playing Spider-Man in New York City, rappelling down the stainless-steel spire of the Chrysler Building, carrying a water hose to test for leaks, or tiptoeing around the towers of St. Patrick’s Cathedral to check their condition. To carry out surveys, Streeter and fellow technicians—among them a historic preservationist and a masonry expert—construct a fail-safe system of ropes that allow them to clip in, climb up, and get close to beautiful landmarks. Working hands-free, they investigate and meticulously map a building’s condition, entering data into a handheld computer while hovering hundreds of feet above the ground. “We get to see these amazing parts of buildings that no one else sees up close,” Streeter says.