05/18/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
New York, NY – Building inspections throughout the city have found 16 buildings with unsafe balconies, forcing thousands of residents to stop using them, as reported by The New York Times.
The Department of Buildings also found that approximately 800 building owners have failed to file inspection reports, which are required every five years if the building is taller than six stories.
The effort to check building safety found a renewed force after the March death of a man who fell from his balcony after its railing gave way.
Inspectors found loose railings, unsecured railing posts and crumbling concrete on many of the balconies around the city.
Tony Sclafani, the chief spokesman for the Department of Buildings, told reporters, “Our inspectors and engineers have visited more than 530 buildings across the city to determine whether the property owners maintained the exterior of their buildings, including balconies.”
The department first focused on the building where Connor Donohue fell to his death on March 14 from his balcony on the 24th floor. Inspectors then turned to the hundreds of buildings whose owners have not filed inspection reports. Many of the buildings’ balconies were concrete with metal railings.
Thousands of residents came home to notices from the city stating they were forbidden to use their balconies. The notes further warned that if inspectors saw people on the balconies, they would force them to seal off the doors to get outside. With the warming weather, it has proven slightly difficult for all residents to abide.
The buildings affected by the new safety enforcements are in every borough other than Brooklyn.
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