NYC Buildings Department offering free, no-penalty retaining wall inspections for Staten Island

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Islanders can have retaining walls on their property inspected for free -- with no risk of receiving a violation from the city if the wall is in bad shape.

"Maintaining a retaining wall can mean the difference between a summer of fun or a summer of stress for a property owner," Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri said. "That's why we're reminding property owners to have their retaining wall inspected by a professional or ask the Department for a free, no-penalty inspection under our annual program. This inspection will provide owners with the opportunity to fix any structural conditions before it's too late -- saving an enormous amount of time, money and heartache."

There was a high-profile wall collapse in Dongan Hills in 2007, which lead to five homes being ordered to evacuate. The wall was behind a home on Overlook Drive, and stretched down to Richmond Road.

No one was injured - but the collapses can be dangerous.

Building inspectors will check the walls for any bulging, displaced material, or leaning. If repairs are needed, the Department will defer issuing violations to give property owners time to correct problems. But if dangerous conditions are found, the Department will "take immediate action" to make sure the unsafe condition is fixed.

Inspections can be requested between April 17 and May 31, by calling 311.

The city's No-Penalty Retaining Wall Inspection Program was launched after a retaining wall above the Henry Hudson Parkways collapsed in 2005. In the last five years, the city has performed more than 400 inspections through the program.

Retaining walls hold back soil that would naturally slope down without the wall's support. But over time, with the rise and fall of temperatures, the walls can be undermined. Property owners are required by law to maintain the walls and inspect them every five years. --- Follow @siadvance on Twitter

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NYC Buildings Department offering free, no-penalty retaining wall inspections for Staten Island