An enormous amount of scaffolding is now covering the sidewalks of New York City. It has become an eyesore that, aside from covering the beauty of building façades, is causing pedestrian traffic jams.
According to a report, up to 190 miles of scaffolding currently stands in New York City. This stretch could wrap around Manhattan six times.
Erecting scaffolding that stretches to 200 feet long costs around $25,000. Half of it will be paid before construction and the rest when the shed is taken down. The builder gets around $700 per month from construction to demolition, The Real Deal noted.
It may seem expensive. However, this will save the landlord more money if the building is higher than 15 stories. For instance, say the landlord needs to waterproof the roof, replace loose bricks and masonry, and tighten the parapet. He may have to spend more than $250,000 in hiring a full-time site-safety inspector, put up a shed that stretches to 20 feet past the end of its façade in each side, and install protection over surrounding buildings. Building owners will not shell out that amount, and the solution is as simple as putting up a shed.
According to Crain's, Ken Buettner, the CEO of York Scaffold Equipment Corp. in Long Island City, said: "Basic sidewalk sheds are built for safety, economy and functionality, not beauty." This exactly tells that even the companies who built these sheds agree that their works do not really please the eye.
Mayor Bill de Blasio believes that the sheds themselves can be dangerous. He said that these can be "great for criminals as a place to hide" and "great for folks who want to throw their trash on top." Blasio's administration declared a "shed safety sweep" on Jan. 8.The sheds will be examined by the inspectors to make sure that they are well-lit and code-compliant.
