Areaways are common on older Manhattan and Brooklyn brownstones and can extend partly beneath the sidewalk itself, which is one reason some sidewalks in these neighborhoods are technically hollow rather than solid ground. Repairs near an areaway often require extra structural attention, since the sidewalk section may be acting as a roof over occupied basement space rather than sitting on ordinary compacted soil. An owner planning sidewalk work near an areaway should flag this early, since it can change both the repair method and the applicable specifications.
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