End Requirement That Buildings Head Have License in the Field

The City Council Aug. 14 passed legislation that will relax the requirements for Buildings Commissioner to allow the city to hire individuals who are not licensed Architects or Engineers, despite industry protests that it could threaten public safety.

CHRISTINE QUINN: Seeking broader array of skills.

Mayor Bloomberg, who had pushed for the greater appointment discretion, the following day named Robert LiMandri, an unlicensed Engineer who has been serving as Acting Commissioner for the past four months, as Buildings Commissioner.

The new legislation removes the licensing requirement provided the First Deputy Buildings Commissioner is a Registered Architect or licensed Engineer.

Quinn: Cast a Wider Net

"We must cast the widest net possible when searching for the person that will lead our Department of Buildings," said City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. "It is critical that as the city works to modernize the Department of Buildings — and in the wake of an unprecedented building boom — we have the ability to choose between men and women that bring with them different knowledge and skills."

The Department of Buildings has come under scrutiny of late in the wake of crane collapses in Manhattan. Former Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster, a Registered Architect, resigned April 22, a month after a crane collapse killed seven people in Manhattan.

"In a time when the residents of New York have seen 13 construction deaths in the past four months, it makes no sense to downgrade the requirements of New York's top building official," said New York State Society of Professional Engineers President Robert P. Stelianou. "Having the Department of Buildings led by anyone other than a licensed design professional jeopardizes public safety in a manner equivalent to having the Department of Health led by anyone other than a medical doctor."

'Need a Licensed Professional'

Mr. Stelianou cited regulations governing New York design professionals that include obligations to uphold public safety and maintain a strict code of professional conduct and moral character as a reason to hire architects. "There is a breadth and depth of knowledge required by the Commissioner that can only be successfully executed by a licensed professional," he stated.

At the press conference at City Hall preceding the bill's passage, Ms. Quinn said the new legislation was not intended to single out professionals. "I don't think there is any attempt by this bill to scapegoat Architects or any other profession," she said. "This bill respects and affirms Architects. We very much respect those skills, but we also respect managerial skill."

Two other Buildings Department-related pieces of legislation were passed on Aug. 14, including the creation of a site-safety training program mandating that workers receive a 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration course in construction safety every five years.

"The string of tragedies that have occurred at city construction sites over the past year are devastating and unacceptable," said Speaker Quinn. "Today's legislation will allow for greater oversight and safety standards at our construction and development sites throughout the city."