Local Law 126 for Parking Structure Owners, Investors, and Developers

Stay in your lane! How the new NYC parking inspection law applies to you 

In case you missed it, New York City has changed the way parking structures are being managed with revisions to New York City Department of Building laws (Construction Codes §28-323 and Rules of City of New York (RCNY) §103-13).  

Parking structure owners and/or owner’s representatives must now complete a structural inspection for any parking garage located within the five boroughs of New York City. Timing is key for compliance, as the City instituted a phased schedule outlining the cycles of each borough starting January 1, 2022.  

While the law will have a positive impact on the safety of the community, information available to New York City parking structure owners and owner’s representatives is limited. Here we break down what each persona type should know about the law as it starts to get enforced. 

Parking Garage Occupiers  

Parking garage occupiers, tenants, and general users of parking structures in New York City should feel confident that the City is taking the preventative actions necessary to keep you and the community safe. If you regularly use parking structures in the City, such as in your condo building, proactively reach out to the building’s supervisor or maintenance team and find out how they are approaching this law. Remind them of the timing of the different phases for inspections, and make sure they plan to schedule their inspections with a NYC Qualified Parking Structure Inspector (QPSI) for the correct phase. Being an advocate for this law could help bring awareness to others that have not yet heard of it. If you frequently use a parking structure in one of New York City’s five boroughs, and would like that structure to be better informed about the law, contact StructureCare today and we would be happy to walk them through the process to becoming compliant.  

Parking Garage Owners Representatives  

New York City parking garage owner’s representatives, including condo building supervisors, property managers, facility managers, and parking management companies, should be aware of the new NYC parking inspection law and understand how to manage the needs of both parking garage owners and occupiers. Parking garage owner’s reps will need to work on behalf of their clients, parking garage owners, to interpret the law and understand how it applies to their structure or portfolio of properties. We have previously mentioned some of the steps to get started, but the first thing to consider is the timing to perform these inspections. There are three, 2-year phases to perform the initial condition assessment, and the location of your parking structure determines their phase.  

Parking garage owner’s reps will also need to meet the needs of their occupiers and tenants. They can do so by proactively communicating to their constituents that they are actively working toward achieving compliance with the New York City parking inspection law. Occupiers and tenants want to make sure both their personal belongings, selves, and surrounding community are safe from potential collapse, and proactive communications will assuage them of their concerns.  

If you are a parking garage owner’s rep, including condo building supervisors, property managers, facility managers, and parking management companies, and you are looking to better understand how to get started, please reach out to us at StructureCare and we would be happy to help guide you. 

Parking Garage Owners  

Parking Garage owners, including investors, a group of investors, and businesses, should consider it their duty to their clients and stakeholders to maintain compliance with the NYC parking inspection law. Keeping your clients safe is not only the right thing to do, but it also good business because it helps maintain your reputation and could save you on costly reactive maintenance or even legal fees. In fact, being proactive in achieving compliance could support the value proposition that you offer to your clients and included in communications that you offer your constituents.  

It is most commonly found that parking garage owners retain an owners representative, either through a general contractor or property manager, to manage the structural maintenance of their garages. For this parking inspection law, your designated owner’s rep can work directly with StructureCare to ensure your structure maintains compliance with the law. StructureCare not only has the resources and knowledge to support this process for you, but we also have a NYC Qualified Parking Structure Inspector (QPSI) that is necessary to perform and submit the City’s structural inspection and assessment. Contact us today to get the process started.  

Parking Garage Developers  

The New York City parking inspection law does not only apply to existing structures. Parking garage developers starting new projects are also affected by the law. Although the qualifications within the structural assessment are different, new parking garages still need to complete the inspection process in order to achieve compliance with the City. The StructureCare team has the resources to make sure your project does not encounter any unforeseen roadblocks because we have parking garage experts in engineering, project management, and client management. Contact us today so we can quickly help you on your project.  

Next Steps 

As the nation’s leading structural engineering firm focused solely on maintaining the integrity of parking structures and garages, we are certified by both the City and the State to provide the required inspections necessary under this law. We have completed the rigorous process to become a QPSI, so we are confident we can show you the path to compliance.  

Not heard of StructureCare yet? We are parking structure management with no hassles or surprises, here to help you when you need it most. Contact us today to get the conversation started.