West Village Has Over 400 Active Sidewalk Shed Scaffolding Permits

WEST VILLAGE, NY — The West Village is a top destination not just for tourists these days, but also for sidewalk sheds and scaffolding, according to city data.

With 425 active sidewalk shed permits, the West Village earns a bronze medal for most sheds across the city, after a first place tie between the Upper East Side and Midtown — both with 550, and the Upper West Side in second place with 522.

It all seems like an intractable condition in the greatest city to ever exists. But all of that might finally change.

On Monday, city leaders came together to announce a plan to rid the unsightly sheds and scaffolding from city streets in a more timely manner.

“Across the city, there are examples of sidewalk sheds and scaffolding that have been up for years on end, a reflection of regulatory requirements that have not kept up with the times and building facades that are not being repaired quickly," said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.

"The reforms the mayor is pursuing are an exciting step towards ensuring that sheds are up only as long as they need to be to keep New Yorkers safe," Levine said.

The plan in reference will incentivize property owners to complete facade repairs and remove sheds with expired permits, make traditional scaffold more visually appealing when possible, and replace them with effective but less intrusive alternatives, according to Mayor Eric Adams.

Currently, there are about 9,000 active permits for sidewalk sheds across the city totaling more than two million linear feet, the city said Monday, or nearly 400 miles, enough to surround the island of Manhattan 12 and a half times.

While the city's oldest active permit resides in Harlem, the West Village has at least six active permits that are over five years old.