What are Facade Inspections?

The word “façade” is one side of the exterior of a building and comes from the French language which means “face.” The façade of the building is usually the front, but also can be the sides or the rear of the building.

 In Manhattan and other parts of NYC, NYC’s Local Law 11 applies to all owners of property which has an elevation of 6 or more stories along any of its perimeter walls. Before 1998, only buildings with a street facing façade 6 or more stories in elevation were required to submit inspections. After the 1998 NYC Local Law 11, all properties within Manhattan or any of the other five boroughs of NYC with any exterior walls that are 6 or more stories in elevation are required to submit an inspection. In Manhattan and other parts of NYC, this exterior wall inspection or façade inspections, which is also known as a critical examination, must be done once every 5 years.

Façade inspections or critical examinations of exterior walls must be completed in order to ensure that the exterior walls of buildings 6 or more stories are maintained in a safe condition. Without façade inspections, loose masonry or cracking of the concrete on exterior walls can create a hazard for people passing by on the street below.