Sidewalk shed and scaffolding free#

Sidewalk shed and scaffolding free#

There’s a shed outside the Chelsea Hotel and even some scaffolding along the High Line.Īt least one landmark is now free from its construction cocoon: The tubes and netting recently came off the minaret water tower on the Washington Heights side of the High Bridge. Wall Street’s Federal Hall National Memorial will soon suffer the same fate, disappearing behind protective layers until as late as 2030. Not worth seeing at the mo,” reads the bookmarked review on TripAdvisor. The Flatiron Building has been encased since 2019-“Currently covered in scaffolding. That’s roughly enough material to build a covered bike lane between the Bronx and Buffalo, and then onward to Niagara Falls.Īnd with so many sheds in place, there are bound to be some New York City landmarks hidden underneath, like the familiar sign outside Jerry, George and Elaine’s favorite place to kvetch over coffee-or grab a big salad.Īdi TalwarA view of the Flatiron building with scaffolding from 5th Avenue at 24th Street. There are now over 342 miles of sidewalk shed in New York City, predominately in Manhattan, according to a project tracker on the DOB website.

Under the law, also known as the Facade Inspection Safety Program, property owners of buildings six stories and up are required to undergo regular inspections and maintain buildings in a “safe” condition, leading to a proliferation of scaffolding across the boroughs. Four decades later, the regulations continue to drive an industry trading in tons of wood, piping and green paint. The first iteration of the regulation, known as Local Law 11, was enacted in 1979 after a piece of stone that broke free off the face of an apartment building struck and killed a 17-year-old Barnard College student.

Read More: Bid to Change City’s Scaffolding Law Stirs Old Debate The rest are intended to protect pedestrians during building renovations proactively pursued by owners. There were 9,172 active sidewalk sheds across the five boroughs on Friday, according to the Department of Buildings (DOB)-about a third constructed after city officials identified issues during mandatory five-year inspections. That’s the point of the (theoretically) temporary structures-even if it annoys neighbors, spoils a staycation destination or Instagram shot. “If it saves one life it’s worth it,” says Kenny Kramer, the real-life inspiration for his namesake character. That might be a blow to the local economy, but at least one Seinfeld tour guide is cool with it. Tom’s Restaurant on Broadway, the real-life setting of Seinfeld’s Monk’s Cafe, has been concealed by steel and plywood since spring so that the building owner, Columbia University, can complete renovations. You won’t be able to snap a photo of a certain iconic Morningside Heights diner for a while. Adi TalwarA view of scaffolding-clad Tom’s Restaurant at Broadway at 112th Street, used for the fictional Monk’s Café in the television sitcom Seinfeld.