Design Guidelines

Building and Land Development Services

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Building and Land Development Services

Building and Land Development Services (BLDS) provides architectural, engineering, environmental, cost valuation, and construction support services for HPD new construction and preservation projects. BLDS provides an array of technical services commencing in the pre-construction phase and continuing through the post-construction close-out period. Services include:

  • Environmental assessment;
  • In-house scope development;
  • Architectural, engineering, and/or cost-estimating reviews of scopes of work and designs—prepared by external consultants—for substantial rehabilitation and new construction programs;
  • Bid review and award recommendations for moderate rehabilitation programs;
  • Construction monitoring for all loan programs; and
  • Requisition review and change order processing for Article 8A, Year-15, supportive housing, and other programs, if requested.

BLDS works closely with developers/sponsors, consultant architects, and engineers to assure that HPD-assisted projects comply with all applicable laws, regulations, codes, rules, and standards governing our activities, and the HPD Design Guidelines, while ensuring thoughtful design, cost reasonableness, and integrity during the entire project life-cycle.

BLDS eSubmit

HPD launched an electronic document submission and review process called BLDS eSubmit. Through this tool, external partners, sponsors, developers, owners, and architects are able to submit PDF drawings and documents to HPD for review and approval purposes.

BLDS eSubmit is an electronic document submission and review process which combines and leverages the capabilities of several digital platforms, including SharePoint, Bluebeam Revu, Box.com, and Microsoft Outlook, into a single process that streamlines not only the internal BLDS processes, but also the interface between HPD, the Department of Buildings (DOB), and our partners outside the agency.

Through the integrated use of these tools, external partners, including sponsors, developers, owners, and architects, are able to submit PDF drawings and documents to HPD-BLDS for review and approval purposes through the web. In addition, partners will receive automated email notifications through Microsoft Outlook and SharePoint during each status change and milestone of the review process.

As part of the system, BLDS has adopted the Bluebeam software —a PDF editing tool that allows for markups and comments to be added directly on the drawings—which is the same software used by the DOB. As of September 1, 2015, this process has positioned the agency to better coordinate its reviews with the DOB to reduce plan processing times, eliminate unnecessary duplication of efforts, minimize delays, and enhance the customer experience.

Resources

HPD Contact

CONTACT.eSubmit@hpd.nyc.gov