In Defense of the Sidewalk Shed

"Most days, I pass through a cool, shaded colonnade my son describes as "the tunnel." A promise to swing by can sometimes convince him to leave the playground, and I plan my own routes around its dependable roof, avoiding the heat and rain that seem to get more extreme as the city turns tropical. There's a string of lights underneath, like the ones over pleasant outdoor markets, which makes it easier to rifle through my purse for my keys or phone in the evenings."

"The 1979 death of a Barnard freshman after a chunk of terra-cotta fell off a university building led to legislation mandating inspections, with sheds going up when a building fails. Those rules tightened over the years, and now buildings over six stories have to pass muster every five years, leaving us with about 8,000 sheds that cover 362 miles of city sidewalk."

Sidewalk sheds provide shade, rain protection and practical uses such as a child-friendly “tunnel” and market-like lighting that aids evening errands. Sheds can block views, darken apartments and obscure businesses, yet they exist to protect pedestrians from falling façade pieces. A 1979 Barnard student's death prompted legislation mandating inspections and temporary sheds when buildings fail. Rules now require buildings over six stories to be inspected every five years, producing about 8,000 sheds covering 362 miles of sidewalk. Political leaders sometimes target sheds as visible signs of dysfunction, though removing them without repairing façades does not address safety.

Read at Curbed