Page 25 - CooperatorNews New York Expo May 2022

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Somebody can see a photograph all design that was created when you started.” and think, ‘Oh, that’s really neat.’ Well, it’s the wrong size, or it gives off the wrong light \[for tant in this regard, because they are taking the space in question\]. So from a design per- spective, you work with your committee, and but what will endure, both aesthetically and you decide which battles are worth fighting, physically. “Part of the design process is try- and which battles are not worth fighting.” Seeing It Through The professionals agree that as long as all that don’t have to cost a million dollars—and the upfront work has been done correctly— the right team, the permitting, the engineer- ing and technical considerations, the budget- ing and financing, the communication with mise—and patience. In the hallway project, residents—the actual design and construction says Mullendore, “there was no shortage of components of a project are really the easiest opinions from unit owners about what was parts. However long a capital design project good, and what wasn’t. And so sometimes takes—and it can take years from conception you just have to sit back and let all those opin- to sign-off— the bulk of that duration is in ions get expressed. And then, hopefully, you that behind-the-scenes work. Getting through the construction phase decision.” is all about organization, says Mullendore. Everything has to be properly sequenced to project is that you listen, and that you give minimize disruption to the building or com- munity and to account for “stuff that’s more vice is sometimes hard to give; based on my technical”—like shutting down the sprinkler experience with condo associations, giving system, for example. During a hallway reno- vation project he worked on, he says, “One you’ve set the expectations properly, then ev- week, you have demolition on two floors, ery project is successful, because it’s right for then the next week, you start painting, and the client.” demolition moves down two floors—in other words, a highly organized game of logistics.” Meanwhile, you are “working with a board of directors; you then have to balance that with working with the property manager and the building engineer—and do all this work while people live here. You have to do work between limited hours; you have to put up site protec- tion; you’ve got to work around the residents who still need to come and go. And then you have to deal with the occasional complaints that a neighbor may have—‘Your painting smells,’ or something like that. And the big- gest worry is safety.” “That’s why I think it’s important that the decisions are made in the beginning of the process,” says Milazzo Smith. “You might have approved the design, but it might take a year or two to implement it. If it’s already been approved, then there’s great documentation of that design—what you’re building—and that’s The professional designer’s eye is impor- into account not only what looks good now, ing to establish good value,” says Mullendore, “like selecting things that look really good that takes a certain amount of knowledge of product.” It also takes a certain amount of compro- \[as the designer\] thoughtfully make the right “I think the most important part of any advice,” adds Milazzo Smith. “And that ad- that tough advice up front is really helpful. If n Darcey Gerstein is Associate Editor and a Staff Writer for CooperatorNews. lobby plants and art will go a long way toward letting the light of spring into a building. While some of this clean-up can be han- dled by a property’s maintenance staff—or even a group of homeowners or shareholders such as a grounds committee—others require specific expertise or credentials. No matter what is on the checklist or who is performing the job, the best advice is to follow the Scout motto: Be Prepared. “Spring is usually busy for people mov- ing in and out of properties,” Butler notes, “so association staff should prepare heavily traf- ficked service areas by installing fresh corner if necessary. “Everybody has a choice where guards and ensuring that elevator pads are they are going to live,” says Betoff. “People buy in good condition to better protect the cabs. when they like what they see.” These steps can save thousands of dollars in repairs after the moving season is over.” He also adds that “the rain that comes with sure they made it through the season. Check spring can often result in wet lobbies with slip- pery conditions,” so “in-house staff should good time to start pressure washing and paint- replace worn lobby floor mats, inspect seals ing areas that need touching up.” This includes around common area windows and doors, lobbies, corridors, trash rooms, and amenity and confirm that building drainage systems spaces. “Salt, slush, ice, and dirt have been are free of debris or blockages.” Betoff adds vents and ducts to the clean- ing list—another task that should be left to the ing. Inspect your floor mats and replace any professionals—and includes signs and stan- chions as elements that should be inspected for wear and function and repaired or replaced Bressler adds to the tally. “If your build- ing has awnings,” he notes, “check to make all your fittings and standpipes. Now is also a pounded into your floors for the last two or three months. Schedule them for a deep clean- that have outlived their usefulness. Strip and SPRING MAINT... continued from page 10 continued on page 26