Shed Watch

NYC sidewalk sheds, ranked by how long they've loomed
Shed Watch
NYC sidewalk sheds, ranked by age.
What this is

Sidewalk sheds go up to protect pedestrians during facade work — and then, famously, some never come down. Owners renew the permit year after year because scaffolding is cheaper than fixing the building. This map shows every shed standing near you and how long it has stood.

How age is computed

Each shed's DOB permit is renewed on roughly one-year terms. Shed Watch stitches the whole renewal chain together and dates the shed from its first initial permit. A shed counts as standing if its chain's latest permit is unexpired and not signed off.

Caveat: the DOB NOW dataset begins in late 2017. A shed shown "since Oct 2017" may be older still — its earlier permits live in DOB's legacy system. Ages here are a floor, not a ceiling.

Colors

< 1 yr · 1–3 yr · 3–5 yr · 5+ yr

Data: NYC Open Data — DOB NOW Approved Permits (updated daily). A valid permit isn't proof the plywood is still bolted up — but it usually is.

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