NYC Buildings Blamed for Sidewalk Shed Violations

New York City is failing to uphold its commitment to removing hundreds of miles of sidewalk sheds, with city-owned buildings identified as major contributors to the problem. The area around the Municipal Building, specifically streets like Duane, Chambers, Reade, and Elk, is heavily obstructed by these structures, some of which have been in place for years.

Among the prominent violators is the Civic Center, which houses landmarked buildings such as the Surrogate Court at 31 Chambers Street and the Department of City Planning at 22 Reade Street. One particularly egregious example is the shed at 2 Lafayette Street, which has enclosed all four sides of the century-old building since 2014. This enclosure has reportedly attracted illicit activities and obscures the entrances to a subway station and the adjacent 52 Duane Street office building.

Despite the administration's stated goal to "get sheds down," the Department of Buildings (DOB) has cited multiple violations for the shed at 2 Lafayette Street and the building's facade, totaling $194,000 in unpaid fines. DOB filings indicate a pattern of violations being issued and subsequently removed, only to be replaced by new ones over more than a decade.

Owners of 52 Duane Street have expressed frustration with the prolonged presence of the shed. Blair Axel, representing the building's owners, stated that private property owners facing similar circumstances might incur significant penalties. "If a private owner threatened public health and safety this way for so long, we think there’d be crushing civil penalties and maybe criminal prosecutions," Axel commented.

Following months of attempts to gain the DOB's attention, the owners of 52 Duane Street were informed last week that the city intends to begin planning facade repairs. However, Axel expressed skepticism about the timeline for commencing actual work. Councilmember Christopher Marte's office has reportedly been actively engaged with the situation, potentially contributing to the recent movement.

A spokesperson for the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, which manages 2 Lafayette Street, attributed the shed's presence to the building's facade condition. The Department of Design and Construction, overseeing a facade restoration project for DCAS, indicated that the design phase is nearing completion and repair work is anticipated to begin soon.