City proposes 33 post-Sandy changes to building code

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Speaker Christine Quinn
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Speaker Christine Quinn

A task force convened by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to assess the damage done by Superstorm Sandy has released a proposal to overhaul the city’s building code with the goal of ensuring buildings are more storm-resilient, Crain’s reported.

The Resilient Buildings Task Force report, unveiled at the City Lights Building in Long Island City, outlined 33 specific changes to the building code. The recommendations are grouped into four categories: stronger buildings, backup power, essential safety and better planning.

The report also clearly describes how each of the recommendations affect all the city’s different types of buildings, from high-rise office towers and apartment buildings to single-family homes and ground-floor shops.

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The report calls for both short- and long-term action, such as an architecture competition that might lead to new models for raising buildings without ruining New York’s street life.

“We have to be able to withstand and recover quickly from all hazards posed by climate change,” Bloomberg said in a statement.

The report comes on the heels of Bloomberg’s announcement to plow $20 billion into infrastructure to protect the city from further storm-related damage. [Crain’s]James Comtois