The purpose of this bulletin is to clarify special inspection requirements related to raising, lifting, elevating or moving buildings and describe the specific requirements for the special inspections of such work and for the construction documents needed for these special inspections.

As stipulated in Local Law 29 of 2013, the requirements for the special inspections shall refer only to the on-site operations involved to raise, lift, elevate, lower or otherwise move existing building or a substantial portion of an existing building. It may be necessary in order to comply with the Flood-Resistant Construction requirements of NYC Construction Codes, Appendix G. The on-site operation commences at the pre-construction inspection and preparation of the building and site, and ends when the building is in its new design elevation and/or location and is permanently secured to permanent construction. On-site operations are subject to the requirements listed in Building Code (BC) Chapter 33 and BC Chapter 17 and may include but not limited to the following:

• The installation of temporary supports, shores, and braces to safely support the building or structure during the various stages of work;
• The temporary modification of the building or structure to allow the proper transfer of loads to temporary supports;
• The separation, dismantling or removal of the building from the other structural elements not intended to be moved or raised;
• Various stages of work to move or raise the building until it is installed in its new elevation and/or location, including all installations and measures needed to maintain the site safety during the work process; and
• The transfer of loads to permanent construction and the attachment of structural members thereto.

Alteration application involving “raising operations” are subject to special inspections as required by BC Chapter 17. The requirements for construction documents are as follows:

• Special inspections must be identified on the title sheet of the application’s construction drawings;
• In addition to any other new construction, the construction drawings must clearly identify the existing building, or substantial portion thereof, to be relocated, including its new location and elevation;
• Each construction drawing required for “raising operations” shall be clearly identified with the discipline designator “DM” (Partial Demolition) in accordance with the requirements outlined by the Department.

Demolition Partial is defined as the “dismantling, razing, or removal of structural members, floors, interior bearing walls, and/or exterior walls or portions thereof, including all operations incidental thereto”.

The construction documents for raising operations shall be prepared by a registered design professional (RDP). The required submittal documents are required to be submitted to the Department in advance of the issuance of a permit and shall specify the following as applicable:

• The capacity of the soil to temporarily support any installation used in the raising or moving operation.
• The maximum weight of the building or portion thereof that is to be raised or moved.
• The lateral loads that need to be resisted during the raising or moving operation that might be due to environment loads specified by BC Chapter 16, or due the maximum design permitted misalignment of the designed supporting system.
• Limiting allowances for deviation from horizontal to plumb lines.
• The type of machinery an installation to be used during the raising, lifting, elevating or moving operation and the rate/speed. No machinery can be substituted without a signed and sealed approval by the RDP or record.
• The construction or other work necessary to maintain the safety and integrity of the building to be raised, lifted, elevated or moved when such building is in such a weakened condition or becomes weakened in the process of raising, lifting, or moving.
• The protection of pedestrians and adjoining building pursuant to Section BC 3306.2, except that netting per Section BC 3308 is not required.