StructureCare's NYC Qualified Parking Structure Inspector (QPSI)

Meet Steven Jeter, NYC Qualified Parking Structure Inspection (QPSI): Part I   

Meet Steven Jeter. Steven is a Senior Field Engineer for StructureCare in the Northeast Territory. Based in Queens, Steven has a background in forensic structural engineering. He is an ace at performing structural investigations and analysis to determine causation and extent of damage to existing structures and ongoing construction projects. More impressively, Steven recently received his City of New York Qualified Parking Structure Inspector (QPSI) certification, where he can put his investigative skills to use in helping parking structure owners and owner’s reps in navigating the new NYC parking inspection law. In the first of two posts in this series, we get to know Steven’s professional background and how it applied to the new NYC parking inspection law. 

Law Summary 

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).  

This new law means parking structure owners and/or owner’s representatives must complete a structural inspection by a QPSI 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.  

Not to worry, Steven is here to help.  

Meet Steven Jeter, QPSI 

Steven is both highly-intelligent and ambitious. He first earned a dual-degree in General Science from Morehouse College and a BS in Civil Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. Afterwards, he received a Masters of Science in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Structural Design and Construction from New Jersey Institute of Technology.  

While Steven has been with StructureCare since 2020, his structural engineering experience spans far and wide. He has held forensic structural engineer, civil design engineer, and field engineer roles at some of the largest engineering and contracting firms in the nation.  

In addition to Steven’s long list of accomplishments, his recent QPSI certification was quite the undertaking. In order to become a QPSI, one must be a Professional Engineer (PE) in New York with a minimum of three years of direct structural engineering experience related to parking structures. Once the person submits all necessary documentation and sample work for review, they must interview and successfully pass a verbal exam with the New York City Department of Buildings (NYCDOB) to show he or she has the required technical knowledge and understanding of all applicable building codes and rule requirements.  

As parking structure owners and owner’s reps begin to think about engaging a QPSI to start their NYC parking inspection process, Steven suggests reading StructureCare’s FAQ document and following this simple path:  

1. Know where your parking structure falls within the outlined filling cycles.
   
   
2. Contact Steven or another QPSI to perform the necessary parking structure inspections and condition assessment reports. 
   
   
3. Understand the filing fees and penalties surrounding the condition assessment process. 

Having years of experience in design and construction has provided Steven with the background to understand intent of design, function, and how structures are built in the field. He prides himself on his thoroughness and ability to diagnose and address the root cause, and not just the symptom. Additionally, StructureCare has provided Steven with unique resources regarding new practices, technology, and technical support to solve client's problems. 

Next Steps 

As a parking structure owner or owner’s rep, what are your next steps? 

Steven and the StructureCare team are here to help.  

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. 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.