Parking in New York City is about as fun as, well… parking in New York City. One does not have to venture far out to realize that it’s sometimes more convenient to pay for a spot inside the many parking structures throughout our wonderful city. Some of these parking lots are open air, while others are a concrete parking garage. Concrete which is subject to the same deficiencies as those commonly found on concrete buildings. Big Apple Group conducts a variety of inspections to ensure structural stability of the buildings occupied by New York City tenants, and commercial businesses. Within our scope of work, it is reasonable to ask who is responsible for the maintenance and safe condition of these parking structures?
After all, we are parking not only our bikes, scooters, cars, trucks and vans in there; with the occasional motorbike; we are picking up and dropping off our loved ones, we are going to work, we are leaving work, some people never even leave the parking garage. (Don’t forget to tip your attendants and porters).
Thankfully the New York City Department of Buildings has issued New Periodic Inspection Requirements for NYC parking Structures. With these requirements, the public can be reassured that parking structures shall be maintained in a safe condition. But how? Who is responsible for the proper inspection, repair, and maintenance of the parking structure? These parking garages are sometimes large buildings; not your typical private garage serving one or two family homes. As we continue, we are going to answer some of these questions and show parking structure owners how Big Apple Group helps with requirements such as proper inspections that will give valuable insight on the necessary repairs and maintenance or condition of their parking garages in accordance with the rules set forth by the NYC DOB.
Big Apple Group has a team of well qualified engineers and field inspectors equipped with the knowledge and certifications necessary to conduct the periodic inspection of parking structures. We begin by conducting an initial condition assessment of key baseline items. For new parking
structures, the initial condition assessment is to be done in the second year following it’s completion. During this condition assessment and evaluation of the parking structure, we are looking for evidence of deterioration of any structural elements or building components which may give rise to unsafe
structural conditions such as damage, decay, faulty construction, or unstable foundation with the goal of preventing partial or complete collapse if possible. As an approved agency by the NYC DOB, Big Apple can conduct the first condition assessment of a parking structure.
In order to maintain compliance, these condition assessments are to be done at periodic intervals as required by the DOB, at least once every six years or after each notification of an unsafe condition. Big Apple Group will develop and provide the parking structure owner or the owner’s representative with an annual observation checklist to guide them on the minimum requirements and the elements to be inspected as part of the annual observation.
Following each condition assessment, Big Apple Group will provide a report of condition assessment that shall indicated the results of the condition assessment broken down into a few categories as described by DOB rules; these are:
· Safe
· Safe with repair and/or engineering monitoring
· Unsafe
Our engineers and field inspectors will record all potentially unsafe conditions of the structure and the condition of structural framing members, or any visible reinforcement, connections and conditions of slabs and slab joints. The signed and sealed report is then provided to the parking structure owner or owner’s representative for immediate notice of unsafe condition at which point the owner or owner’s representative shall immediately secure the safety of the public by removing the unsafe condition or safeguarding the area. Repairs conducted by the parking structure ownership will typically include reinforcements or other measures to make the structural elements of the parking structure conform to DOB code and must be done so within 90 days of the initial condition assessment report. The team over at Big Apple Group will be there every step of the way and provide amended reports after the repairs have been completed to certify that the unsafe conditions have been in fact corrected.
But what if the parking structure or any part of it poses a danger to people or adjacent property, but doesn’t require immediate attention? The NYC DOB provides for it to be rated as safe with repair but it may require further investigation and immediate remedial action to prevent its deterioration into an unsafe condition. For this, Big Apple Group’s Monitoring team is able to appropriately monitor the structure until the repair is completed by analyzing trends in horizontal and vertical movement, or crack monitoring. The parking structure will be assessed again no more than three years from the date of the initial assessment and Big Apple Group will provide an amended report.
In summary, these new periodic inspections requirements for NYC parking structures are here to keep the public and adjacent structures safe by requiring an inspection at least once every six years. We will document buildings, or portions of a building, used for parking or storing motor vehicles, including space inside or under a building. Parking structure owner’s will see the first inspection cycle start January 1, 2022 and end December 31st, 2023.
Schedule a quick call with us to discuss how Big Apple Group will assist with the new periodic inspection requirements for NYC parking structures by calling 718-767-2900