What is a DOB filing?
Short answer
A DOB filing is a construction application submitted to the NYC Department of Buildings, and for restaurants it usually signals a buildout is beginning six to twelve months before doors open.
A DOB filing is a construction application submitted to the NYC Department of Buildings. Every renovation, new build, or change of use that touches walls, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, or gas requires one.
For restaurants, a DOB filing is one of the earliest reliable public signals that a new operator is coming. The filing typically appears six to twelve months before opening, sometimes longer for full new builds.
The filing itself lists the applicant, the professional (architect or engineer) of record, the job description, and the type of work being done. It does not yet confirm the concept, the operator, or whether a liquor program is planned.
Buildout Feed reads DOB NOW Build filings daily and cross-references them with SLA license records, DOH history, and NYS LLC filings to figure out whether the DOB filing is likely a restaurant, and if so, what stage that project is at.