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COMMUNITY OP-ED AUGUST 11, 2023 | The Indian Eye 12

NYC Architecture Underneath:

Getting Sidewalk Sheds Down

New Yorkers have gotten so used to sidewalk sheds that it’s easy to forget our city’s beautiful

architecture underneath. While sidewalk sheds were created to protect New Yorkers from unsafe
buildings and construction sites, their appearance has gotten out of control

ERIC ADAMS

ERIC ADAMS

ast week, we announced our
plan to take down unsightly
Lsidewalk sheds and reclaim
our streets. Sidewalk sheds — which
many New Yorkers also known as
scaffolding — are the ugly green and
metal boxes that cover our sidewalks.
They block the sunlight, keep pedes-
trians away from businesses, and are New Yorkers are going to see a big difference in their neighborhoods: More light and space; less crime and mess (File photo)
a magnet for illegal activity.
New Yorkers have gotten so up public space that belongs to New lic space that belongs to New York- year, together with Governor Ho-
used to sidewalk sheds that it’s easy Yorkers. This is New York City. We ers, you should have to pay for it. chul, we released the “New” New
to forget our city’s beautiful archi- are back better than ever; we cannot We are going to focus these changes York report, which highlighted the
tecture underneath. While sidewalk continue to be a skeleton city cov- on business districts, where prop- importance of public space to our
sheds were created to protect New ered in sidewalk sheds. erty owners have the resources for city’s recovery.
Yorkers from unsafe buildings and That’s why my administration is repair work. Let me be clear: these Addressing sidewalk sheds is
construction sites, their appearance overhauling construction shed rules changes will not burden small prop- also key part of our Working Peo-
has gotten out of control. from the ground up, with our “Get erty owners who are still recovering ple’s Agenda introduced in January.
Current city rules incentivize Sheds Down” plan. This plan will flip from the pandemic. And, as always, New Yorkers are going to see
property owners to leave sidewalk the script so that property owners public safety will remain our num- a big difference in their neighbor-
sheds up and put off critical safety are incentivized to complete safety ber one priority. hoods: More light and space; less
work. Most sheds stay up for longer work and Get Sheds Down instead of The city is going to lead the crime and mess. This is how we re-
than a year and some have darkened leaving them up year after year. We way with our own construction and imagine our city and revitalize our
our streets for more than a decade. are also going to tap into the talent of repair projects. We will be running business districts. This is how we get
All too often, sheds stay up while no our city to design other options while a pilot at the Queens County Su- people to spend money in New York
repair work is happening, and prop- doubling down on the alternatives preme Court in Jamaica, taking City. And this is how we build a safer,
erty owners are not required to pay a we already have, such as netting. down a shed that has been up for 6 more beautiful city for all.
penny in fines. We are also going to increase years and replacing it with netting.
As a result, we have nearly 400 oversight and enforcement of side- This administration is all about Eric Adams is
miles of sheds across our city taking walk sheds. Because if you take pub- promises made, promises kept. Last the Mayor of New York City, NY

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