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New York City’s Local Law 126 Places New Condition Assessment Requirements on Parking Garage Owners and Operators

Owners of parking structures must hire a New York State licensed Professional Structural Engineer (PE) to inspect parking structures and file condition assessment reports with the NYC DOB at least once every six years. 

By Marcello Tronci, P.E.

In today’s post-pandemic world, there is a renewed focus on public safety and facilities that serve the community. New York City has seen car ownership skyrocket, and demand for parking spaces has increased to new levels (1). With parking garages being used now more than ever, the need for effective maintenance is essential. After the collapse of the two-level parking garage in Binghamton, New York in 2015 (2), New York City enacted Local Law 126. Developed by the Department of Buildings (NYC DOB), this expansion of the building code mandates periodic inspections and reporting of all parking structures in the city (3).

Owners of parking structures must hire a New York State licensed Professional Structural Engineer (PE) to inspect their parking structures and file condition assessment reports with the NYC DOB at least once every six years. Professional structural engineers must meet the eligibility requirements for Qualified Parking Structure Inspectors (QPSI) as required by 1RCNY 101-07.

These code changes have resulted in a high demand for qualified inspectors, and CTLGroup’s team is ready and qualified to meet the needs of local parking garage owners and operators in New York City. 

The deadline for inspection and reporting is swiftly approaching in many Manhattan community districts. Reports and maintenance/repair deadlines for all parking garages are divided into cycles, which are further subdivided into three sub-cycles.

For parking structures in:

• Manhattan Community Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7: The filing window is from:

 January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023.

• Manhattan Community Districts 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and Brooklyn Community Districts: The filing window is from:

January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2025.

• Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island Community Districts: The filing window is from:

 January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027.

Conclusion

Keeping parking garages safe is in the public’s best interest. As the time closes on the first year of cycle one, it’s crucial to meet the requirements in the last year of this filing period. CTLGroup’s professional structural engineers meet the qualification requirements of Local Law 126 and are highly experienced in providing parking structure owners with accurate inspections and reporting. Our team has successfully completed hundreds of parking garage investigations and repairs, including repairs that have received industry awards for service life and longevity. Contact our team today to learn more or click here to learn more about our services.  

About the Author:

Marcello Tronci, P.E. is a Sr. Structural Engineer at CTLGroup. Mr. Tronci specializes in structural engineering design, with experience in structural assessment, investigation and retrofitting of existing multi-story buildings. He can be reached at mtronci@ctlgroup.com.

Sources

Goldbaum, Christina. “Why the Fight over Parking in New York Is ‘like The Hunger Games’.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 5 Jan. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/nyregion/nyc-residential-parking.html.

ksturtz@syracuse.com, Ken Sturtz |. “Hospital Parking Garage near Binghamton Collapses.” Syracuse, 17 July 2015, https://www.syracuse.com/news/2015/07/hospital_parking_garage_near_binghamton_collapses_onto_cars.html#:~:text=–%20A%20two-story%20parking%20garage%20at%20a%20hospital,Binghamton%20and%20about%2075%20miles%20south%20of%20Syracuse.

“Local Laws.” Local Laws – Buildings, https://www.nyc.gov/site/buildings/codes/local-laws.page.

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