"Major Building" Definition Update

As of December 11, 2024, the definition of “Major Building” is changing in New York City. The definition of "Major Building” is found in the NYC Building Code Chapter 2, Section 202. Currently the definition reads that a Major Building is:

An existing or proposed building 10 or more stories or 125 feet (38,100 mm) or more in height, or an existing or proposed building with a building footprint of 100,000 square feet (30,480 m^2) or more regardless of height, or an existing or proposed building so designated by the commissioner due to unique hazards associated with the construction or demolition of the structure.

The new definition, affecting all projects filed on December 11th and therafter, will be:

An existing or proposed building seven or more stories or 75 feet (22,860 mm) or more in height, or an existing or proposed building with a building footprint of 100,000 square feet (30,480 m^2 ) or more regardless of height, or an existing or proposed building so designated by the commissioner due to unique hazards associated with the construction or demolition of the structure.

The change lowers the height of a Major Building by 50 feet, down to 75 feet, or by 3 stories, down to 7 stories total. The definition of Major Building affects what projects qualify as Class 1 for the purposes of special inspections. As previously discussed in an EPIC Knows article, a Class 1 Special Inspection Agency can inspect:

  • The construction of a new major building;

  • The full demolition of a major building;

  • The alteration of a major building including:

    • The removal of an entire story or more;

    • The partial demolition of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet or more of gross floor area; or

    • The partial demolition of twenty (20) percent or more of the gross floor area.

  • The enlargement of a major building by more than ten thousand (10,000) square feet of gross floor area.

Due to this change to the definition of Major Buildings, more projects in New York City will fall into the Class 1 category, requiring an International Accreditation Service, Inc. (IAS) or an equivalent accreditation agency accredited Special Inspection Agency to perform their special and progress inspections. EP Inspections + Commissioning is a Class 1 accredited Special Inspection Agency in a vast variety of TR1 inspection types, and is qualified to perform inspections on Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 projects.

Erin Martinez