Moving into a downtown tower is not like moving into a house. Buildings have rules, and the buildings that do not enforce them on the day tend to enforce them with fines afterward. Here is everything to line up before your move date, in the order it matters.
4 to 6 weeks before
- Request your building’s move-in policy in writing. Ask specifically about approved move-in days and hours.
- Confirm the certificate of insurance (COI) requirements. Most towers require your mover to file a COI naming the building as additional insured before move day. A general mover often cannot produce one on short notice.
- Ask whether weekend or holiday moves are allowed. Many buildings restrict them.
2 to 3 weeks before
- Reserve the freight elevator. Downtown buildings book exclusive elevator windows, and popular slots go quickly. Get yours in writing.
- Confirm the loading dock or staging area and any street-parking permits needed for the truck.
- Ask about protective requirements: elevator pads, floor and wall protection in common areas, and where crews may and may not walk.
1 week before
- Confirm the elevator reservation and COI are both filed and acknowledged by management.
- Share the building’s rules with your moving company so the crew arrives prepared.
- Finalize your floor plan so heavy pieces are placed once, not twice.
Move day
- Have the concierge or building manager’s contact ready.
- Keep the elevator window protected: a professional crew staging correctly means you use every minute of it.
- Do a final walkthrough of common areas with the crew so any protection is removed and nothing is left behind.
The easier way
Every item on this list is something we handle for our clients as a matter of course. We file the COI, reserve the elevator, coordinate the dock, and protect the building, so your only job is deciding where the sofa goes.
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