Most coal holes are no longer functional since buildings converted away from coal heat decades ago, but the fixtures themselves often remain embedded in the sidewalk, especially in older parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. If a coal hole cover has deteriorated, cracked, or no longer sits flush with the surrounding surface, it can be cited the same way any other in-sidewalk hardware defect would be. Repair typically means either restoring the cover to a flush, sound condition or, where the fixture has no ongoing use, replacing that section with standard concrete under a proper permit.
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