Adams Administration Takes Down the Oldest Permitted Sidewalk Shed at a City-owned Building
August 28, 2024
Shed removed from Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Manhattan after 15 Years; latest of hundreds of long-standing sheds removed from city sidewalks as part of ‘Get Sheds Down’ effort
As DOB does everything in its power to get sheds down, it needs council legislation to obtain new enforcement tools to get sheds down faster
New York, NY –Work is now underway to disassemble the oldest permitted sidewalk shed at a city-owned building—a 329 linear feet mammoth shed in front of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) at 520 First Avenue in Kips Bay, up for over 15 years. The shed protected pedestrians from unsafe façade conditions—which city contractors have now resolved.
Home to the Manhattan Forensic Pathology and Family Services Center and supporting laboratories, the OCME building serves a critical role for the city’s public health and criminal justice system and is finally no longer obscured by an unsightly shed. The removal brings the total of long-standing sheds down during year one of the “Get Sheds Down” initiative to 268, among which 14 have been city-owned. ‘Long Standing Sheds’ are defined as sheds up five or more years.
"As we get sidewalk sheds down citywide, we need to be the change we want to see. That starts with the shed that's darkened the doorway of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for over 15 years," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. "The people who walk through the doors at OCME are frequently in profound need -- or serve people who are. By maintaining this building we show respect to the work done inside, as we continue to fire on all cylinders to get sheds down."
“Today’s announcement marking the removal of the longest standing sidewalk shed at a publicly owned building in the city shows our administration’s commitment to working through the interagency process to improve the everyday experience of people walking by OCME’s headquarters and so many other spaces across the city. Thank you to OCME, an agency comprised of skilled and compassionate professionals, for their work to make this action possible,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom.
“We must be the change we want to see -- that means getting down longstanding sidewalk sheds that the city owns as a core part of our campaign to #Getshedsdown,” said Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu. “OCME has accomplished something great here, bringing daylight to New Yorkers in dark hours -- as the people who work in this building strive to do every day. We will take this spirit of collaboration and visibility with us as we continue our work.”
The city is leading by example as it charges forward with ‘Get Sheds Down’ with a new concerted multi-agency effort spearheaded by the Department of Buildings to reassess the sheds in front of New York City properties, including 43 actively-permitted long-standing sidewalk sheds. This effort includes meetings with executive staff of city agencies including the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and the Department of Education (DOE) to discuss the impediments to completing building repairs and getting their long-standing sheds down.
DOB is providing technical assistance and guidance as the agencies prioritize repair projects to quickly allow the partial or full removal of their sheds, without endangering the public. DOB is also working with these agencies to determine whether their sidewalk sheds can be replaced with façade containment netting until repairs can start, like was done recently by DCAS at the Queens Supreme Courthouse building.
The removal of the sidewalk shed at OCME comes as the agency awaits the opening of the Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC) Kips Bay anticipated for 2031, at which time the services currently located at 520 First Avenue will move to the new location. Assessments will be conducted as necessary in the meantime to keep the 64-year-old masonry building in good condition.
The "Get Sheds Down" initiative is a nine-point plan aimed at finally tackling the issue of ubiquitous sidewalk sheds that has vexed New Yorkers for decades. Through improved, less-intrusive designs, strong enforcement strategies, and updated regulations, “Get Sheds Down” will improve the quality of life for New Yorkers and return valuable sidewalk space back to the public.
As part of the initiative, the city has brought on design teams to deliver six new better-looking, more cost-efficient designs for pedestrian safety equipment, launched a study into possible reforms for “Local Law 11” façade inspection regulations, implemented a permanent City Canvas program putting art on temporary construction equipment, and is bringing private property owners to court to compel them fix their buildings so that the sheds can be safely remove. The New York City Council is also currently considering legislation that would give DOB new enforcement tools to compel building owners to finally start long-delayed façade repairs and get their sidewalk sheds off of city streets.
“Moving the ball forward on the ‘Get Sheds Down’ initiative means that this city has to practice what we preach,” said Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo. “Over the past year, it has been encouraging to see our fellow city agencies coming up with creative solutions to safely get 14 of their own long-standing sheds down, so that they are no longer creating a blight in our neighborhoods. Private property owners need to understand that this administration is serious when it comes to improving our public spaces, and for both public and privately-owned buildings, keeping sidewalk sheds up forever is no longer an option.”
“The removal of this long-standing sidewalk shed marks a new day for OCME and the communities we serve along this vital corridor for public health and justice in New York City,” said NYC Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jason Graham. “When we take this intrusive shed down, we reveal a space that more truly reflects the resilience and strength of our employees and the families we assist during the most challenging times. We thank Mayor Adams and all our partners throughout the administration who finally made this new day possible.”
"As one of the city’s largest municipal landlords, we are deeply committed to maintaining our properties in a way that enhances the safety and vibrancy of our communities, and we are proud to be doing our part to remove long-standing sidewalk sheds – a clear demonstration of our dedication to the ‘Get Sheds Down’ initiative," said DCAS Commissioner Louis A. Molina. "By working closely with our sister agencies, we’re ensuring that our efforts not only improve the aesthetic of our neighborhoods, but also restore the vitality of our streets making our city more livable for all New Yorkers."
““I am thrilled that we are removing the longest standing scaffolding on city-owned property. This eyesore has been up for nearly 15 years! Thank you to Mayor Adams, Commissioner Oddo, Borough President Levine, and everyone else who helped get this down. This is why we must continue our work to reform our outdated scaffolding laws!” said City Council Member Keith Powers.
“Today we remove a sidewalk shed that has languished for well over a decade, negatively impacting quality of life in Kips Bay - good riddance! Too often facades on city owned property go unrepaired for years on end, and we need to do better on our own property. My office first identified OCME's shed in our 2023 'Shed the Shed' report, and I am thrilled that the necessary façade repairs are finally complete. Thank you to the Mayor and Commissioner for their leadership on this issue and to DOB for their work to get the facade repaired,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “I’ll continue to work closely with the City Council on legislation to encourage building owners to make facade repairs swiftly and shed their sheds.”
"Another public realm victory! AIA New York is thrilled to see the city taking action to do the necessary facade work to get long-standing sheds down. The Get Sheds Down initiative to reimagine and improve shed design is vital for making our city a more vibrant and accessible place for New Yorkers, while also prioritizing safety and creating cost-effective design solutions," said Jesse Lazar, Executive Director of American Institute of Architects New York.
"Sidewalks are a vital part of life in New York City and need to be managed like any other public space. We applaud the Adams administration for tackling the issue of construction sheds with these new reforms, which promise major improvements in both experience and access. When sheds are left unmanaged and unsightly, they can blight the streetscape and block mobility. These new rules will ensure that sheds will continue to keep New Yorkers safe without compromising our priceless public realm," said Jackson Chabot, Director of Advocacy and Organizing at Open Plans.