ALL ABOUT SIDEWALK SHEDS: YOU KNOW YOU'LL HAVE ONE EVENTUALLY

(Page 2 of 2)

If, however, your building does not have any unsafe or overdue SWARMP items, the board does have the option of taking down the shed and reinstalling a new one once the project starts up again. But taking down the shed for three or four months and reinstalling it in the spring doesn't make financial sense. Sidewalk sheds cost from $90 to $110 per linear foot of shed for the first three months, and then just five percent or less of the initial installation cost for monthly rental thereafter. (Those are the typical costs for standard installation by exterior contracting firms subbing out the job to a scaffolding company, whose direct costs are less.)

So, if your building is, say, 100 feet wide, the shed length would be 140 feet (100 feet plus the required 20-foot extension on each side). If the shed company charges $100 per linear foot, it would cost $14,000 to reinstall the shed, while keeping it up after three months would cost $700 per month (five percent of $14,000) or $4,200 for six additional months (three months until the project resumes, plus the first three months that the reinstalled shed would be in place).

Permit Renewals 

Shed permits expire when the insurance of the shed company or contractor (or whoever applied for the permit with the DOB) expires, or a year from when the permit was issued, whichever date is earlier. The DOB will not automatically renew a shed permit, however. To get an extension, the project engineer or architect must provide a letter to the DOB documenting the condition of the building, the remaining scope of work, and the estimated time left to completion.

The DOB also won't renew the permit unless the shed meets proper safety standards. A daily maintenance log must be kept for the shed (usually compiled by the building superintendent and/or the exterior contractor) documenting the condition of the shed, including lighting, signage, and supporting elements (planks, pipes, clamps, etc.) and made readily available at the site at all times. The DOB's Scaffold Safety Team conducts spot checks and can issue violations and penalties of up to $2,000 for safety lapses or an expired shed permit.

Even with the proper extensions, however, keeping a sidewalk shed up indefinitely should not be a fallback option for a building owner. A shed is supposed to be installed to protect passersby, building residents, and staff while exterior repairs are being made; it is not put in place in lieu of repairs. Winter shutdowns and project delays are normal for most exterior repair programs, but a sidewalk shed that is left up indefinitely tests the patience of residents, neighbors, and pedestrians — not to mention the DOB. (Station Square Apartments, a co-op in Forest Hills, recently removed sidewalk sheds that were up for nearly seven years.) A neglected shed can be a breeding ground for crime and suspicious activities.

Finally, it's important to remember that while sidewalk sheds are designed to protect, they are not a guarantee of safety. Tools, bricks, masonry, and other debris can bounce off the shed, miss it, or even go through it if the item is heavy enough. Your co-op board's focus should be on hiring a new contractor so work can start as soon as the weather is warm enough and the job can be completed and the shed removed.

In the meantime, fixing the broken lights, removing the razor wire and debris, putting up a sign for the dry cleaners, and making sure the permit holder puts up its own required signage will help calm the frayed nerves of everyone involved.

Stephen Varone and Peter Varsalona are principals at Rand Engineering & Architecture.

From the February 2012 issue of Habitat magazine. For print-magazine articles back to 2002, join our Archive >>