The next Local Law 11 inspection cycle (Cycle 7) commences February 21, 2010 and will runs through February 21, 2013.
New York City Local Law 10 of 1980 was enacted shortly after a piece of masonry fell from the façade of a building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, killing a pedestrian. In an effort to curtail the occurrence of such accidents the New York City Council amended the NYC Building Code. The city mandated that owners of applicable buildings have their exterior walls and appurtenances periodically inspected by a licensed Registered Architect or Professional Engineer and that a Report based on this periodic "critical examination" must be filed with the Department of Buildings. The law applies to all buildings that are greater than six stories in height.
In 1997 and 1998 New York City experienced several highly publicized exterior wall failures. In response, New York City Local Law 11 of 1998 was passed by the City Council and signed by the Mayor in March of 1998. The new law, known as Local Law 11 of 1998, further expands the requirements for inspection and maintenance of the facades of buildings greater than six stories in height. Owners of all such buildings must have a Registered Architect or Professional Engineer inspect the entire building envelope, including walls facing the rear or sides of adjacent buildings. At least one complete inspection from roof level to ground level via a scaffold is also required. Following specific guidelines provided by the Department of Buildings, the professional must compare the condition of the building to its state in prior Local Law 10/11 Reports and determine the condition of all walls and appurtenances.
Another significant change is the elimination of the "precautionary" filing status. Under Local Law 11 of 1998, the inspecting professional must designate the building as either, Safe, Safe with a repair and maintenance program "SWARMP" or Unsafe. Furthermore, the Report must be signed by both Architect/Engineer and Owner. Moreover, no previously described repair conditions can be reported in two consecutive cycles.
The detailed inspection and reporting requirements governed by Local Laws 10 and 11 are contained in DOB Rule 32-03 "Periodic Inspection of Exterior Walls and Appurtenances of Buildings." - PDF
