Who Really Fixes Dangerous Buildings?

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Who Really Fixes Dangerous Buildings?

Exploring facade failures, historic restoration, construction safety laws, and the real-world risks of maintaining iconic buildings, with restoration leader Spiro Markatos.

Kenny Shultz and Carter Huddleston

Apr 28, 2026

Summary

In this live-recorded episode of The Blueprint Tour from the IIBEC Metro New York Chapter’s Building Smarter with AI conference in New York, hosts Kenneth Shultz, Engineering Director at PermitZIP, and Carter Huddleston, Electrical Principal Engineer at PermitZIP, sit down with Spiro Markatos, President at Skyline Restoration Inc.

This episode dives deep into the hidden world of facade restoration, an industry responsible for maintaining some of the most iconic and historic buildings in cities like New York. Spiro shares firsthand insights from decades in exterior restoration, including working on nationally recognized landmarks and navigating the risks that come with repairing aging structures at extreme heights.

The conversation explores the origins of modern facade safety laws, including how real-world tragedies led to regulatory changes that still shape building maintenance today. Spiro explains how restoration companies calculate risk, manage complex projects, and coordinate across multiple trades to keep buildings safe and operational.

Beyond construction practices, the discussion touches on emerging technology in the field, including how AI is beginning to support quantity takeoffs, submittal generation, and workforce tracking. The hosts and guest also explore the growing issue of fraudulent claims in construction, an expensive and widespread problem that impacts insurance costs, project planning, and industry sustainability.

From skateboarding down the ramps of the Guggenheim during late-night restoration work to overseeing large-scale facade rehabilitation projects, this episode highlights the technical, legal, and human challenges behind maintaining the buildings we rely on every day.

Practical, candid, and grounded in real-world experience, this episode offers valuable insight into the people and processes responsible for keeping cities safe, functional, and standing strong.

“Restoring iconic buildings like the Plaza Hotel or the Guggenheim, you feel accomplished doing that work.”

Keywords

Facade restoration, building envelope, construction safety, historic restoration, exterior restoration, rope access, high-rise maintenance, construction technology, AI in construction, facade inspection laws, urban infrastructure, structural maintenance, waterproofing systems, restoration contractors, construction fraud prevention, skyline restoration, building safety compliance, historic landmark repair, urban building maintenance

“My first drop was on a 38-story building when I was 15 years old.”

Takeaways

Facade restoration plays a critical role in preventing dangerous structural failures in aging buildings.
Modern facade safety laws were created in response to real-world tragedies involving falling building materials.
Historic restoration requires specialized expertise and careful coordination between engineers, contractors, and safety professionals.
Restoration work often involves high-risk environments such as rope-access repairs and high-rise scaffolding systems.
AI tools are beginning to support construction workflows, especially for estimating, documentation, and safety tracking.
Fraudulent injury claims are a major cost driver in the construction industry, impacting insurance rates and project economics.
Collaboration between design professionals and contractors is essential to ensure projects are both buildable and safe.

“A piece of terracotta fell… and from there the laws started changing.”