The New York City Department of Buildings today published a new, real-time interactive map showing the exact location of all permitted sidewalk sheds the city – 7,342 of them as of this morning, almost 270 miles of sidewalk sheds.
Click here to see the new sidewalk shed map
The sidewalk shed map is the latest in a series of interactive dashboards released by the Department to give the public greater insights about our city through the use of advanced data analytics and mapping. It is the first public-facing report released by DOB that will update automatically in real time.
As new permits for sidewalk sheds are issued and existing permits expire, the map will reflect these changes as they occur. Members of the public will also be able to search sidewalk sheds by age, borough, community board, and permit applicant, allowing them to find out exactly what is going on in their neighborhood.
“We are excited to deliver another data-driven tool to help New Yorkers learn more about our city’s built environment, and to help DOB improve our service to the public. Real-time mapping not only increases our ability to monitor structures such as sidewalk sheds, but also shows how we are harnessing technology to hold building owners accountable,” said Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler, P.E.
While sidewalk sheds – often confused with scaffolding – are some of the city’s most-maligned structures, they are required by law to protect the public from potential hazards when a building has façade defects, is undergoing façade maintenance projects, or where there is ongoing construction. The sidewalk sheds snaking around our city’s streets remain in front of buildings for an average of 293 days.
