Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 93, no. 2408: Articles]: May 9, 1914

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REAL. ESTATE AND NEW YORK, MAY 9, 1914 PB|[iliIiBIHillHiilillllBtail!«ai*^^^ irauiiEra;i!ai.j,£'asi'"iaB,ii:^'i .liiHi'M-:/r ■:! OUR CHAOTIC BUILDING REGULATIONS Thirteen Separate Departments of Government Exercise Jurisdiction Over Buildings to the Great Annoyance and Injury of Owners lllllilllMIMIIIiliailillilllilllliiliMllllllllllil ;'i;!!iiaiBi:i7Biii!iiii!iiiiii:ipii«!«aiWiBiri»BM HARDLY a year passes but some new board, commission or bureau is created by either the Legislature or the Board of Aldermen to regulate or supervise something relating to build¬ ings. When a great disaster occurs in a building our legislators at once begin to work the grist mill of legislation overtime, turning out new laws, creat¬ ing new commissions and boards to ei'n- ploy regiments of inspectors, in an at¬ tempt to remedy conditions supposedly responsible for the disaster. Rarely, if ever, is an attempt made to strengthen an existing department or bureau in or¬ der to render it more efficient, the belief apparently being that only by the crea¬ tion of new commissions, boards or bu¬ reaus can the conditions' be remedied and the results desired brought about. Thirteen Corps of Inspectors. At this time there are thirteen depart¬ ments, boards or bureaus that have ju¬ risdiction over matters affecting build¬ ings, as follows: First, the Bureau of Buildings. The duty of this bureau is to pass upon plans and applications for new construction and alterations to existing buildings, plumbing and elevators, to issue permits therefor, and to generally enforce the provisions of the Building Code. This' bureau is also charged with the duty of inspecting the buildings during the con¬ struction and alterations. Second, the Tenement House Depart¬ ment, whose jurisdiction extends to all boroughs, over all houses or buildings occupied, in whole or in part, as the home or residence of three families or more, living independently of each other and doing their cooking upon the prem¬ ises, and includes apartment houses, flat houses and all other houses so occupied. Before a multi-family house can be erected or altered, plans must be filed and approved by this department in con¬ forming to the requirements of the Ten¬ ement House Law, Afterward the plans must be sent to the Bureau of Buildings for approval as to construction, two sets of plans being necessary. The Firemen's Inspections. The Fire Prevention Bureau of the Fire Department has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to exits and means of egress from buildings, and, according to the opinion of the Corporation Coun¬ sel, it also has jurisdiction over the following: 1, The construction of fireproof build¬ ings; 2, fireproofing; 3, fire walls; 4, fire¬ proof partitions; 5, chimneys, flues and the installation of appliances for heat, light and power; 6, floor and roof open¬ ings for hoistways, dumbwaiters, con- diiits and pipes; 7, the protection of windows and other openings in walls by fireproof shutters, sills' or sashes, or by wire glass construction. While the law does not specifically require that plans be filed with the Fire Department, yet, as it has jurisdiction, prudence would dictate that plans be submitted to it for approval; this course is' being followed to a large extent. The Bureau of Combustibles has ju- np HE present status of the super- ■•■ vision of buildings and their construction in New York City can be described only as chaotic. The property owner hardly knows where to turn. He is confronted on every side by a multiplicity of city de¬ partments, each having jurisdiction over something that pertains to the construction or equipment of his building, and the jurisdictions over¬ lap. In attempting to comply with the orders of one department, an owner frequently finds that he is conflicting with the requirements of some other department. Complaints coming from every direction against this economic waste have caused the Real Estate Board of New York to make an expert analysis of the situa¬ tion, and the results are given in this article. risdiction over garages and other places where combustibles are kept. The Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity has jurisdiction over wiring and the installation of electrical equipment. Police Department: All theatrical and concert licenses are issued by this de¬ partment upon certification by the Fire Department and the Bureau of Build¬ ings that all requirements of the law relating to places of public amusement have been met. Bureau of Boiler Inspection: Under the charter of the City of New York all steam boilers must be inspected, and the police are charged with this duty. Must Have a License. The Bureau of Licenses, Mayor's of¬ fice, issues licenses for moving picture shows where the seating capacity is less than six hundred, and for other places of amusement seating less than three hundred persons, where theatrical and concert licenses' are not required; also dance halls, etc. Before issuing licenses the Bureau of Licenses requests reports from the Bureau of Buildings and the Fire Department. The Departrnent of Docks and Ferries has jurisdiction over buildings' located on or near the waterfront, including those on land formerly under water, but since reclaimed. The Department of Parks has juris¬ diction over projections on buildings within 350 feet of any park, parkway, etc. Plans must be submitted and ap¬ proved. Special ordinances cover pro¬ jections on Riverside drive. Fifth avenue fronting on Central Park. The Department of Health, under the provisions' of the Sanitary Code, exer¬ cises jurisdiction over all classes of buildings in the matter of ventilation, drainage and plumbing. The Bureau of Highways has jurisdic¬ tion generally over all projections on buildings extending beyond the building line, except such as may front on parks, parkways' or within 300 feet thereof, which come within the jurisdiction of the Park Department, These projections include awnings, marquises, storm doors and signs. Permits for the use of streets and sidewalks during building opera¬ tions' are also issued by this bureau. The Department of Bridges has no soecific jurisdiction in the matter of buildings; on occasions, however, by special legislation, certain buildings have been placed under its jurisdiction—the new Municipal Building, for instance. Factory Inspections. The Industrial Board of the Depart¬ ment of Labor is a State department, and the Commissioner is appointed by the Governor. The Industrial Board has jurisdiction over all factories, factory buildings, mercantile establishments, etc. The act creating the Industrial Board provides as follows: "All factories, factory buildings, mercantile establishments and other places to which this chapter is ap¬ plicable shall be so constructed, equipped, arranged, operated and con¬ ducted in all respects as to provide reasonable and adequate protection to the lives, health and safety of all per¬ sons employed therein; and the said board shall from time to time make such rules and regulations as will effectuate the said policy and in¬ tent," Under this act it will appear that the Industrial Board has full jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to any of the above enumerated buildings, includ¬ ing exits and means of egress which, under the Fire Prevention Law, were formerly within the jurisdiction of the Fire Department. The U. S. Department of Agriculture: Under certain conditions it may be nec¬ essary to file plans with this depart¬ ment, as, for instance, when a factory is to prepare food and engage in inter¬ state commerce, the Pure Food Law would be operative. A Wasteful System. When so many bureaus or bodies ex¬ ercise jurisdiction (which is not too well defined) over matters pertaining to buildings, it cannot be surprising that confusion and conflict or overlapping of jurisdiction results. In order to maintain these numerous l)odies having to do with the inspection, construction, supervision, etc., of build¬ ings, an appropriation per annum of over $2,000,000 is needed, and between six hundred and seven hundred inspectors and engineers are required—or are, at least, employed; in addition a numerous clerical force is needed for administra¬ tion. One of the greatest drawbacks to the present wasteful system is the large number of inspectors rendered neces¬ sary to perform the functions of the various departrnents and bureaus, each operating independently of the other. One qualified inspector should be able to look after, in large part, everything that pertains to the construction and appurtenances of a building, instead of