Jersey City buildings above a certain height now must have regular structural inspections every ten years and facade inspections at least once every five years.
What is Jersey City Ordinance 21-054?
In direct response to the tragic Champlain Towers South Condominium collapse in South Florida that killed 98 people in June 2021, and amid growing concerns for building safety, Jersey City enacted Building Ordinance 21-054 in August 2021 requiring routine facade and structural inspections of certain buildings in Jersey City.
The new ordinance amends Chapter 254 (Property Maintenance) and Chapter 160 (Fees and Charges) of the Jersey City Municipal Code to safeguard Jersey City buildings and its residents, and was modeled after similar inspection ordinances in other major cities, including neighboring New York City’s Facade Inspection Safety Program (FISP), which has been in effect since 1980.
What are the requirements established by Ordinance 21-054?
Under Ordinance 21-054, structural and facade inspections must be conducted by a Registered Architect or Professional Engineer according to the following requirements:
Structural Inspection Requirements
Applies To: Concrete buildings taller than six (6) stories.
Inspection Scope: The inspection must include:
• Foundations
• Balconies
• All structural members
• Waterproofing
A checklist for the visual inspection can be found here.
Filing Deadlines: Inspections must be conducted every ten (10) years and filing must be completed by December 31 of the year an inspection is mandated. The initial structural inspection must be completed by December 31, 2022. Subsequent inspections must include a complete review of the most recent report.
Facade Inspection Requirements
Applies To:
● Any building taller than six (6) stories
● Any building with a masonry facade four (4) stories or higher
Inspection Scope: The inspection must include, but is not limited to, all exterior walls and appurtenances. A checklist for the visual inspection can be found here.
Filing deadlines: Inspections must be conducted every five (5) years and filing must be completed by December 31 of the year an inspection is mandated. The initial facade inspection must be completed by December 31, 2023. For subsequent inspections, the facade inspection must include a complete review of the most recent report.
Inspection Report Requirements
Following the structural and facade inspections, written inspection reports prepared by an Architect or Engineer must be submitted to the Jersey City Division of the Construction Code Official within 30 days of the inspection.
The inspection reports must:
- Certify the results of the inspection.
- Clearly document the condition of the building’s structure (in the case of a structural inspection) or building’s facade (for facade inspections), and note the conditions as safe or unsafe.
- If needed, provide repair and maintenance recommendations including a timeline for which all repairs must be made.
What if repairs are recommended?
If the inspections indicate repairs of the building’s structure and/or facade are required, the Property Owner or its Board of Directors/Managers is responsible to immediately undertake any measures necessary to secure public safety, and to make the repairs within the timeline set forth in the inspection report. Once repairs are completed, the Architect or Engineer must re-inspect the building to confirm the repairs were properly made, and the Property Owner must file an Amended inspection report within 30 days.
What are the filing fees?
Property owners are responsible for submission fees for each report, payable to the Jersey City Office of the Construction Code Official.
Structural Inspections $100.00 per structural inspection report
Facade Inspections $100.00 per facade inspection report
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
Owners found in violation of compliance will be fined a daily penalty of up to $2,000 until compliance has been met, and/or be subject to imprisonment or a period of community service of up to 90 days. Any conditions that exist in violation of the Ordinance, such as failure to secure an unsafe condition or correct an unsafe condition within the prescribed timeline, will be considered a separate offense and be subject to additional fines.
What are the methods of inspection?
Traditional visual inspections include the assistance of long camera lenses and high-powered binoculars, but are limited in identifying facade conditions high above the ground. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), otherwise known as drones, can be deployed for close-up inspection and documentation and more accurate analysis of facade conditions. Drones can capture clear, detailed, high-resolution video and photographs from any vantage point to greatly enhance the accuracy of the visual inspections, particularly on high-rise facades and areas of buildings hard to access by other means, and create a permanent record for comparison in subsequent inspection cycles.
If the Architect or Engineer performing the visual inspection recommends further hands-on examinations for a more comprehensive survey of the facade, swing scaffolds, window washing rigs, or other methods may be employed.
How comprehensive are Ordinance 21-054 inspections?
It’s important to note the inspections required by Ordinance 21-054 are limited to visible portions of the structure and facade. The inspections do not include hands-on examinations, probes, infrared investigation, or physical testing, or provide verification of the adequacy and/or code compliance of the structural design, and thereby are not intended to substitute for a comprehensive facade or structural investigation.
Contact RAND
RAND has been conducting New York City facade inspections and designing/administering associated repair work since 1987. We have a team of Licensed Structural Engineers and Registered Architects specializing in structural and facade inspections. If you would like a consultation for RAND to conduct a structural or facade inspection for your building, and/or to design or administer repair work, please contact us at 212-675-8844 or info@randpc.com.
