Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri announced today that all new buildings are now mandated to comply with the new NYC Construction Codes signed into law by Mayor Bloomberg in July 2007. The new codes, modeled after the International Building Code, require widened stairwells in high-rise buildings, expanded sprinkler systems, and enhanced emergency voice communication systems. Also, in order to prevent violations from going unnoticed, a new classification system will be implemented that will file them under three categories, depending on the severity of the violation. Before this, applicants were able to file plans that were in accordance with either the outdated Building Code of 1968 or the new NYC Construction Codes. TRD [more]

As of next Wednesday, all architects in New York City will have to design new
buildings in compliance with the 2008 building code, the city’s first
major building code change since 1968. Department of Buildings officials offered an overview of some of the
new code requirements in a seminar at the Center for Architecture this
morning. Among other changes, the new code has different fire safety standards
than the previous code, written in 1968, said James Colgate, assistant
commissioner for technical affairs and code development at DOB. The
2008 code allows for new technology, such as fire sprinklers and
high-rise pressurized stairs, instead of the partitions required in the
1968 code. Comments