May 26, 2008
DOB Finds Many Problems with "Self-Certified" Plans
The Department of Buildings has allowed architects and engineers to "self-certify" their plans and alterations, to help with getting the tens of thousands of buildings pending permits fast-tracked. But after recent outcry, the DOB has re-reviewed many plans, finding over 80% are "plagued with zoning violations."
According to the Post, the DOB usually "randomly reviews 20 percent of self-certified plans," but with the building boom (especially in Brooklyn), more funds were given to allow the DOB to audit plans. Six hundred sixty-two plans from September 17, 2007 through January 31, 2008 were looked at, and 556 earned "objections" from the Professional Certification Review and Audit Team."
State Assemblyman James Bennan said, "It's an open door for non-compliance with the Building Code and Zoning Resolution."
Last month, the Buildings Department admitted it shouldn't have approved the plans for a Turtle Bay tower whose crane later collapsed and killed seven people. And earlier this year, the Bronx DA's office announced that an 83-year-old engineer lied about a building's alterations; the building later burned in a fire that killed two firefighters.
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If you can't do it correctly then you should not be able to do it at all. The idea of fast-tracking something as serious as building certifications is ridiculous. I know that people with money are busy and that laws often do not apply to them but tough luck.
The architects and engineers who are improperly certifying plans should have their licenses to practice in NYC revoked.
The firms for whom they work should receive at least a suspension of their license to practice here.
There must also be some consequence for the contractor.
If that were the case, you would not see this happening. Of course, that's not the case and won't be, given the power of the real estate industry here. That's life.
This is a surprise? What idiot would leave the foxes in charge of the hen house? Call it naïve cynicism, but I trust these guys about as far as I can throw their buildings.
You mean if we let these people carry on like it's 1894, bad things could happen? Someone should have said something.
The Amsterdam airport has a very good system: 1 out of every 3 person will be checked by customs using an automated random system. With these odds you would have to be very stupid to try smuggling illegal items into Amsterdam.
If we did this with building plan audits, and charge violators a heavy fine (including stopping the project, until a proper plan was submitted) and announce rewards to whistleblowers (paid by the heavy fines) a lot of this nonsense would stop.
And repeat violators would lose their licenses, of course.
Wow, this is a stupid system we have.