Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 96, no. 2481: Articles]: October 2, 1915

Text version:

REAL ESTATE NEW YORK, OCTOBER 2, 1915 piilllliillllllH ANOTHER ARTICLE FOR BUILDING CODE I Issued in Preliminary Form for Public Consideration—Gen¬ eral Provisions—Unsafe Buildings—Enforcement of the Code ■liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ONE of the most important parts of the work of the revision of the Build¬ ing Code prepared by Rudolph P. Mil¬ ler, expert to the Building Committee of the Board of Aldermen, is Article 1 on General Provisions, which has just been issued in preliminary form. Much of the matter that is contained in this ar¬ ticle is from the old code, but some im¬ portant changes have been made, mainly as additions. Section 1 provides a short title, indi¬ cates the matter covered by the Build¬ ing Code, provides for a liberal inter¬ pretation of its contents, requires all new work and alterations to be in accor¬ dance with the provisions of the code, allows a greater freedom in construction in such parts of the city as are not yet developed, and designates the buildings to which the provisions apply. In Section 2 definitions are provided for terms that appear in the several ar¬ ticles of the code. Applications for Permits. Section 3 deals with the matter of making application for a permit to erect a new building or alter an existing one. The procedure doesn't materially differ from the present requirements. A state¬ ment in triplicate giving the specifica¬ tions of the construction, with such de¬ tailed drawings of the proposed work as may be needed for the Superintendent's information, is required; besides which a sworn statement as to ownership and a survey of the lot or plot on which the building is or is to be situated. If the work is to be done by any one other than the owner the necessary authoriza¬ tion to do it or make the application must be filed. In a manner somewhat similar to ap- . plying for a permit an application or notice must be filed with the Superin¬ tendent for demolition or removal of a building. Such notice must be sub¬ mitted forty-eight hours before the work is commenced. All applications and no¬ tices must be filed at the office of the Superintendent of Buildings, where they become public records. For purposes of identification the street number of every building, where possible, is required, and the lot and block number. Provision is made for the filing of amendments to applications already made. Ordinary repairs as here¬ tofore are not required to be the sub¬ ject of an application or notice. Issuance of Permits. Section 4 deals with the permits is¬ sued by the Superintendent and makes it unlawful to start any building opera¬ tion before the application is approved and a permit is issued. Under the sec¬ tion the Superintendent may issue an ap¬ proval and permit for part of a building operation_ when conditions justify it. .'Ml permits must have the Superinten¬ dent's signature, but this may be aflixed by an authorized subordinate. As here¬ tofore, permits will expire by limitation if no work is commenced within a year after the date of approval. All work under a permit must be made in accordance with the approved specifi- A NOTHER new Article for the •** Building Code has been ten¬ tatively prepared by Engineer Ru¬ dolph P. Miller, and full copies of the prelimitiary draft have just been issued by the Building Com¬ mittee of the Board of Aldermen. The article is entitled: "General Provisions." It is subject to sug¬ gestions and further revision, and has not yet been introduced in the Board of Aldermen. An important new requirement is that hereafter no ruling by a Su¬ perintendent of Buildings will be¬ come effective until it has been printed once a week for eight weeks in the City Record and until a public hearing has been held, if a request has been made. cations and plans or approved amend¬ ments. When deemed desirable the Su¬ perintendent may require certified copies of approved plans to be kept at the premises during building operations. The Superintendent is empowered to re¬ voke any permit if there has been a false statement or misrepresentation in the application, or if the approved plans and specifications are not complied with. Certificates of Occupancy. One of the most important additions to the proposed code is the certificate of occupancy provided for in Section 5. No new building shall be occupied un¬ til a certificate has been issued by the Superintendent certifying that the build¬ ing conforms with the approved plans and specifications and the requirements of the law applying to that kind of building. A similar certificate is required after the completion of an alteration to an existing building. If during the alter¬ ation it has been necessary to vacate the building it cannot again be occupied until a certificate has been issued. If, however, the alteration has been such that it has not been necessary to vacate the building while the work has been going on, the occupancy of the building need not be interrupted if a proper certificate is secured within thirty days after the completion of the altera¬ tion. The occupancy of existing buildings is not to be disturbed except as it may be necessary under some provision of law for the safety of life or property, or un¬ less the legal standing of any building as to its occupancy has been questioned by any department or bureau of the city before this section becomes effec¬ tive. If an owner requests a certificate of occupancy for an existing building the .Superintendent must supply such certi¬ ficate, stating the present occupancy of the building. Such certificate, however, will not be issued if there are violations pending against the premises or such oc¬ cupancy is not in accordance with any certificate that may have been previously issued. It will be unlawful to change the occupancy of any building where such change would transfer the build¬ ing from one class to another of the three large classes of public, residence and business buildings, nor would it be lawful to change tlie occupancy to any purpose that would bring the building under some special provision of the code. Changing Nature of Occupancy. Thus, if a certificate has been issued for a building to be occupied as a resi¬ dence building having not more than fifteen sleeping-rooms, it would be un¬ lawful to change the occupancy so as to have more than fifteen sleeping-rooms unless the Superintendent should ap¬ prove such change as conforming to all the requirements for a building having the larger number of sleeping-rooms. If it is desired to change a building from one class to another without alter¬ ation to the building and it complies with the requirements for the next con¬ dition, an application for a new certifi¬ cate must be made to the Superinten¬ dent. The Superintendent is authorized un¬ der this section to permit the occupancy of a part of a building where it can be shown that such occupancy does not jeopardize life or property and there are no violations pending against the part to be occupied. Every certificate of occupancy shall contain in addition to a statement that the building complies with the approved plans and the Building Code, a state¬ ment as to the purposes for which the building may be used, the permissible live loads of the several floors, the num¬ ber of persons that may be accommo¬ dated if there is a restriction in that respect, and any other special require¬ ment. Certificates of occupancy must be is¬ sued by the Superintendent within ten days of the filing of an application therefor if the building shall be entitled thereto. A record of certificates shall be kept at the Bureau of Buildings and copies shall be issued to any parties having a proprietary interest in the property. Modifications of the Code. Another new section is the one on modifications. Section 6. While the Charter provisions which empower the Superintendent to make modifications have been in force for some years, this new section provides for the manner of the granting of modifications and re¬ quires that a record of all modifications shall be kept in the Bureau of Build¬ ings accessible during business hours to any one interested. The granting of modifications, with the reasons for such action, must be published in the City Record, and all modifications may be cited as prece¬ dents. Under Section 7 a practice that has been in vogue for some years regard¬ ing the issuing of rules and regulations