New York City is taking steps to revamp building scaffolding across the five boroughs, with an eye toward improving safety and aesthetics while reducing sidewalk clutter.
Mayor Eric Adams and the Department of Buildings this week unveiled six new designs for scaffolding — formally known as “sidewalk sheds” — as part of the city’s ongoing “Get Sheds Down” initiative, which seeks to remove outdated structures that block natural light, stymie pedestrians and hurt local businesses.
What You Need To Know
New York City is taking steps to revamp building scaffolding across the five boroughs, with an eye toward improving safety and aesthetics while reducing sidewalk clutter
Mayor Eric Adams and the Department of Buildings this week unveiled six new designs for scaffolding — formally known as “sidewalk sheds” — as part of the city’s ongoing “Get Sheds Down” initiative
The “better-looking” designs were developed by firms Arup and Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), City Hall said in a release
The designs could appear on city sidewalks as early as 2026, City Hall said
“The Speed Shed” – Designed by PAU
“For too long, scaffolding and outdated and cumbersome sidewalk sheds have blocked sunlight, hurt small businesses and cluttered our neighborhoods,” Adams said in a statement. “By introducing these six modern designs and pairing them with the first-ever, evidence-based engineering study of our city’s façade safety requirements, we’re proving that safety and good design can go hand in hand.”
The “better-looking” designs were developed by firms Arup and Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), City Hall said in a release.
Design #2 “The Rigid Shed” – Designed by Arup
They range from lightweight, quickly deployable structures for short-term repairs to heavy-duty, light-filtering sheds that minimize sidewalk obstruction while accommodating high-rise construction, the release said.
Some of them feature transparent or angled roofs to let in natural light, while others are easily adjustable to accommodate existing street signs, bus shelters or building elements.
Design #3 “The Baseline Shed” – Designed by PAU
“PAU’s designs reflect a radical rethinking of the form and materiality of sidewalk sheds, demonstrating that it is possible to have bright, inviting, and safe sidewalks and storefronts, while still providing the necessary protections that sheds offer pedestrians,” Vishaan Chakrabarti, founder of PAU, said in a statement.
Design #4 “The Air Shed” – Designed by Arup
The city said the new designs will be available for public use through the DOB’s Professional Certification program, allowing registered professionals to obtain permits in the same way as for current sheds. The designs could appear on city sidewalks as early as 2026, City Hall said.
“These new shed designs are leaps and bounds above what we see on sidewalks today and coupled with scientific evidence-based reforms of the city’s façade inspection regulations, they will help us unclog pedestrian spaces for our fellow New Yorkers,” DOB Commissioner Jimmy Oddo said in his own statement.
Design #5 “The Wide Baseline Shed” – Designed by PAU
Since launching the “Get Sheds Down” initiative in July 2023, the city has removed more than 15,200 sheds, including 429 long-standing structures that had been in place for five or more years, according to City Hall.
Starting in 2026, new enforcement measures will begin to impose fines and shorten sidewalk shed permit durations to encourage timely repairs.
Design #6 “The Flex Shed” – Designed by Arup