Building partially collapses in NYC: Façade laws explained

NEW YORK (PIX11) -- New York City has many laws aimed at protecting residents and the buildings they live in. After a six-story residential building with seven open violations collapsed in the Bronx on Monday, the city's façade laws are now under examination.

Buildings in New York City that are taller than six stories must have exterior walls and items on said walls inspected every five years, and a report must be submitted to the New York City Department of Buildings, according to the city's website.

Owners of the buildings have 90 days to make repairs to dangerous conditions. The city's website also says the DOB should be notified within two weeks once the repairs are finished.

Building records showed that the building that partially collapsed at 1915 Billingsley Terrace had seven open violations. DOB Commissioner James Oddo confirmed those violations on Monday night.

"The owner of this building submitted their most recent report in March of '21. That report did find unsafe facade conditions, seven of them: mortar that was deteriorating cracked bricks," Oddo said. "There is an active permit, a permit that's valid until next summer. Work was being done on this building as recently as a few days ago. I know you'll be interested in the history of the building in terms of violations. There are seven … Right now, we see seven open violations, five ECB, two DOB. But they are not structural violations. It has to do with the sidewalk shed, the fact that it didn't have proper lighting, et cetera."

PIX11 News spoke with witnesses who said they saw drilling being done to the building moments before the collapse. When asked about it, Oddo told PIX11 News:

"Certainly can't speak to what the drilling is, don't know what it's about. Again, we're taking a look at the drawings that they submitted as part of the permit. And I want to be clear: unsafe facade conditions is not the same as an unsafe building ... We don't believe that there were folks working on the facade work today. So far as of now we think the most recent work on the facade was several days ago," Oddo said.