Thousands of New Yorkers may have to adjust their Memorial Day partying plans, as the Department of Buildings (which apparently is a thing) has ordered the residents of sixteen buildings across the city to stop using balconies deemed unsafe (for reasons such as “loose railings, crumbing concrete, and unsecured railing posts”). Also troubling, inspectors found that about 800 building owners have failed to file inspection reports, which are required every five years and verify the safety of terraces and balconies. The recent investigation came after a 24-year-old man fell to his death on March 14 from his 24th-floor balcony on East 39th Street. [NYT]
