Behind the after-hours construction boom

Why buildings are rising on nights and weekends

(Credit: Shutterstock/Lari Saukkonen)
(Credit: Shutterstock/Lari Saukkonen)

From the April issue: It’s Saturday morning and the alarm clock is silent — but thanks to a new luxury condominium next door, there’s the deafening roar of a pile driver slamming metal deep into the ground.

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For many New Yorkers, this is an increasingly familiar occurrence. According to an analysis by The Real Deal, the city’s Department of Buildings has over the past three years seen a dramatic increase in the volume of after-hour work permits — defined as construction done before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m. on weekdays or at any hour during the weekend. The number of permits in 2015 — 59,895 — represents a 90 percent spike from 2012, when 31,569 permits were issued. [more]

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