In New York City Façade Inspection & Safety Program (Local Law 11), sets requirements for the inspection of buildings over six stories. These inspections operate on a schedule. FISP Cycle determines when inspection reports are due for which buildings.
FISP Cycle 9
In NYC FISP Cycle 9 began on February 21st, 2020. The FISP Cycle is broken into three Sub-Cycles: 9A, 9B, and 9C. Buildings are in different Sub-Cycles based on the last digit of the block number for each building. The due date of the FISP reports will be based on the FISP Sub-Cycle.
FISP Cycles and Sub-Cycles can seem a bit confusing, but we will break down the organization of these cycles and simplify it in this post. These regulations apply to all buildings within New York City that are over six stories.
I am Jorge Fontan, an architect in New York and owner of Manhattan based architecture firm Fontan Architecture. At our office we work on a variety of project types including Local Law 11 FISP Reports and restoration. Below I will outline the FISP Sub-Cycle 9 timeline. If you want to learn more I have another post you can read where we cover a more general overview of Local Law 11.
FISP Sub-Cycle 9A
All buildings six stories or more in NYC whose block number ends with a 4, 5, 6, or 9 fall into Cycle 9A. Cycle 9A began on 2/21/2020, the filing period ended on 2/21/2022. Any building that did not file a FISP Report by the due date is late and may incur violations and penalties from the NYC DOB.
FISP Sub-Cycle 9B
All buildings six stories or more in NYC who’s block number ends with a 0, 7, or 8 fall into Cycle 9B. Cycle 9B began on 2/21/2021, the filing period ended on 2/21/2023. Any building that did not file a FISP Report by the due date is late and may incur violations and penalties from the NYC DOB.
FISP Sub Cycle 9C
All buildings six stories or more in NYC who’s block number ends with a 1, 2, or 3 fall into Cycle 9C. Cycle 9C began on 2/21/2022, the filing period will end on 2/21/2024. Any buildings that do not file a FISP Report by the due date will be late and may incur penalties from the NYC DOB.
QEWI and FISP Reports
FISP Reports are filed by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector or QEWI. The QEWI is an architect or engineer who has been granted status by the NYC DOB as a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector. They perform inspections of the building facades and appurtenances and assign the building one of three ratings. Safe, SWARP, or Unsafe.
Safe: This means the building is safe and currently no repairs or maintenance are required.
SWARMP: This means the building requires a safety and maintenance program.
Unsafe: This means the building is unsafe and requires immediate repairs.
FISP Cycle 10
FISP Cycle 10 will begin on 2/21/2025.
FISP Cycles
The Façade Inspections & Safety Program exists to protect the public from the potential of falling debris of deteriorated buildings. Building owners must hire an architect or engineer who is also a QEWI to submit these reports and oversee any necessary repairs. This process keeps the public safe. Late filings or failure to file can incur violations and financial penalties.
Thank You for Reading Our Blog Post on FISP Cycle 9.
I hope this was helpful. If you would like to speak with an architect about a potential project, you can contact us at Fontan Architecture directly.
This post was written by Jorge Fontan AIA a Registered Architect and owner of New York City architecture firm Fontan Architecture. Jorge Fontan has earned 3 degrees in the study of architecture including two degrees from the City University of New York and a Masters Degree in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. Jorge has a background in construction and has been practicing architecture for 20 years where he has designed renovations and new developments of various building types.
