It could soon be a little more pleasant to walk down the street in New York City.
Thousands of those green and metal sidewalk sheds line the streets. There are so many of them that if you added them up, they’d stretch for more than 300 miles.
Soon, some of them are getting a makeover.
The city approved six new designs and two of them were unveiled Friday.
“People experience the existing sheds as pretty dark and insecure at times so we’re really excited about bringing these new designs to fruition,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning
City leaders installed two of the new sheds outside the Department of Buildings downtown Friday.
One is yellow and called the “rigid shed” – it’s heavy-duty and meant for major projects and new construction.
The second is light blue and they’re calling it the “flex shed” – it’s lighter duty and intended for maintenance work and emergency repairs.
City workers said they can be constructed in different colors and sizes. They also said they come with improved lighting and some have transparent roofs.
“It’s not only keeping people safe but also showing the true beauty of the city,” said Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani.
They cost more to construct than the typical sheds and it’s up to building owners to decide whether to pay for a new design or go with the old one. The Commissioner thinks it could pay off for businesses in the long run.
“Whether you’re trying to lease new space or trying to keep your tenants happy, this is a much more aesthetically pleasing design, it keeps people safe,” said Tigani.
“They’re designed for all the same loading criteria as current sheds in accordance with New York City building code,” said Seth Wolfe, an engineer with Arup. “They look better, they’re lighter and they’re actually safer for the pedestrians in terms of just movement throughout the sidewalk,” said Wolfe.
Four other designs have also been approved in different colors and materials.
