Façades

There are several aspects of façade work, including but not limited to repairing the brick and mortar, terra-cotta, stucco, tiles, glass, lightweight curtain wall, and concrete cladding, as well as repairing structurally damaged or corroded lintels, repair of damaged architectural details, fire escapes, window sills, hand rails, terraces rooftops, and/or parapet walls, and installation of electrical wiring and lighting, which can only be performed by Contractors with specialized licenses to perform such required work, and permits are issued to these registered trade license holders.

A façade project may be required to comply with the current NYC Energy Code. When the façade project scope includes installation of new windows, replacement of existing windows, or other exterior wall elements such as bricks etc., an energy analysis, which could be a Tabular Analysis, is required to show compliance with NYCECC. Historic buildings that are eligible or listed on the State/National Registers of Historic Places are exempt from the NYCECC; however, buildings only designated in NYC LPC and Districts are not exempt from the NYCECC.

For buildings over six stories, every five years a Façade Inspection is required. Contact the Department’s Façade & Local Law Unit to verify the needs and requirements for buildings over a certain height or number of stories (i.e. sidewalk shed, fence). Hire a registered design professional (RDP) to ensure your project is Code-compliant for façade inspection. If required, unsafe conditions must be repaired, and project plans may be required for permit. Only an RDP can submit construction documents, including drawings and other submissions, to the Department for approval.

As the owner you must maintain your property in a safe condition during the course of work and post the permit in a conspicuous place at the work site for the duration of the job.

• Façade Compliance
• Façade Filing Requirements
• Façade Fees & Penalties
• Façade FAQs