After last week’s record-breaking rainfall caused flooding, power outages and widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) released a set of precautions building owners and property managers should carefully follow when surveying storm…
The Brooklyn cooperative at 75 Henry Street, a 32-story, 356-unit building sits atop of a three-level underground garage comprised of 546 parking spaces. Its garage had compromised concrete which led to leaks and falling pieces of concrete and dust. As…
The community room known as the Round Room at 230 Central Park West, a 105-unit prewar co-op, can once again welcome its visitors year round without anyone breaking into a sweat. The Round Room, which has no windows, suffered from…
RAND is proud to announce Structural Team Leader and Director of Technical Design Jimmy Vignola, PE has been named one of Engineering News-Record‘s 2021 Top 20 Under 40 Young Professionals in New York. ENR’s 20 Under 40 winners are recognized…
Testimony to the Committee on Housing & Buildings and the Committee on Fire and Emergency Management Regarding Int. No 1146-B (Proposed Residential Fire Sprinkler Requirement) December 2, 2020 My name is Peter Varsalona; I am a NYS licensed professional engineer,…
In their on-going efforts to encourage owners to pay closer attention to their buildings’ conditions before hazardous conditions develop, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has adopted a new rule increasing the penalties for failure to certify corrections…
Following the precedent set at New York City’s restaurants, building owners will now have letter grades posted outside their entrances. Owners of buildings that are subject to NYC’s Benchmarking Law (Local Laws 84/09 and 133/16) will be required to post…
Built in the 1920s, 33 Fifth Avenue is classic prewar construction. It has some old cast-iron stormwater drainage pipes that run through the building. They collect stormwater on the roof and terraces and bring it down to the cellar level…
In 2012, the New York City Department of Buildings implemented stricter requirements for Special Inspections to ensure that contractors perform construction work properly and that completed projects adhere to building code. Most repair and upgrade projects require Special Inspections, which…
When residents plan to renovate their apartments, it’s critical for the board to have the proposed alterations reviewed by an engineer or architect to determine if they will have any adverse effect on the building as a whole. In RAND’s…
Following the recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, both New York City and New York State have passed separate laws regarding the registration, testing, and disinfecting of cooling towers. Under the New York City law, building owners have 30 days to…
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced that the Multifamily Performance Program (MPP) will begin accepting applications for funding fuel-heated projects on Monday, August 24, 2015. A total of $10.69 million in funding will be…