As of October 22, 2015, the City of Chicago has adopted a revised version of the “Rules for the Maintenance of High-Rise Exterior Walls and Enclosures,” which have been in place since 2009. Often referred to as the “façade ordinance,” the new rules raise report filing fees from $10 to $75 and contain several minor alterations relating to definitions and requirements. The rules also include two important changes that could significantly impact Chicago high-rise building owners and managers.
What’s the key takeaway of these ordinance revisions? If you own or manage a high-rise building located in Chicago or any other area where ongoing reports on exterior facades are required at regular intervals, you want to do all you can to remain compliant. By working with a qualified licensed professional to develop and file your ongoing façade reports within the allotted timeframes, you can avoid incurring the significant expense and disruption of a critical examination. With regular façade maintenance and the submission of ongoing reports, the only time your high rise building should need to undergo a critical examination will be if the visual inspection identifies a potentially hazardous and dangerous condition.
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