FERNANDEZ v. HIGHBRIDGE REALTY ASSOCIATES (2008)

Order, Supreme Court, Bronx County (Stanley Green, J.), entered December 1, 2006, which granted defendants' motions for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

Summary judgment was properly granted to defendants building owners in this action where plaintiff was injured when, while descending a multiple-flight stairway owned by the City of New York and running between two avenues, a loose stair wobbled and caused him to fall.  Although Administrative Code of the City of New York § 7–210 requires owners of real property to maintain abutting sidewalks in a reasonably safe condition, the section does not define “sidewalk,” and, viewing the legislative history of the section, we find that the definition of “sidewalk” set forth in Administrative Code § 19–101(d), which does not encompass the subject multiple-flight stairway, should govern (see also Vucetovic v. Epsom Downs, Inc., 45 A.D.3d 28, 841 N.Y.S.2d 301 [2007] ).  The definition of “sidewalk” in Administrative Code § 7–201(c)(1)(b), urged by plaintiffs and which includes “step[s] and stairway[s],” applies by its terms only “[a]s used in this subdivision,” and addresses the requirement in actions against the City for prior written notice of a defect to the City.

We further note that the record evidence establishes that even following the enactment of Administrative Code § 7–210, the City has continued to exercise control over the subject stairway, including snow removal and making repairs.