Page 18 - New York Cooperator February 2019

TRENDS T he ‘big city’ is known for its break- neck pace, as life whirls around the in addition to sewage treatment, pools, unprepared out-of-towner in an siding, etc. A community with more acres overwhelming swirl. Suburbia, on the other means that you’re going to have to keep hand, is supposed to be a respite from that track of more vendors and contractors.” intense metropolitan grind – a place to pa- tiently teach the kids how to play tee-ball in the city also differ significantly from out in the yard until it’s time for dinner. Of course, the accuracy of these gen- eralizations varies from person to person turbances, especially given how there are and family to family. But distinctions do more brownstones and smaller associa- exist between urban and rural commu- nities, and those differences impact how at the litigation department of Marcus those communities are managed and run. Errico Emmer Brooks in Braintree, Mas- Community associations in more dense- ly-packed locales have different concerns violations happen more often in large and priorities than those in sprawling municipalities than they do inside of the townships. The Cooperator spoke with city, whether those are related to mice some profes- sionals who have worked with both to delve into the similarities and differences. Population Density Space tends to be at a premium in the city, while an association in the suburbs gener- ally occupies more square footage – or more acreage, to put it more ac- curately. The vertical-versus-sprawl con- trast is the biggest variable when it comes to managing communities in those re- spective settings. “From a management perspective, an urban high-rise can be easier to handle than a garden-type apartment commu- nity further out from the city,” says John Wolf, CEO of management firm Alexan- der Wolf & Company in Plainview, New York, “because with the latter, you have to consider landscaping, snow removal, and things of that nature. If you’re look- ing at a high-rise, much of what is vital is contained within the building: you have your boiler, the roof, elevators, heating systems and mechanics, which are more or less standard and need to be in com- pliance with local laws. But outside of the city, you have many of those same issues, The day-to-day complaints one hears what you might hear in the suburbs. “With city condos, I get a lot of noise dis- tions,” says Jennifer L. Barnett, a partner sachusetts. “More often than not, code infestations or any other sort of pest is- sue, balconies, and re- taining walls, etc. The Boston Fire Depart- ment makes it a point to periodically inspect buildings throughout the city. And if you don’t take care of a violation right away, they take the next step and pursue a criminal complaint with the housing courts. “In suburban as- sociations, I see more issues that pertain to contracts,” she con- tinues. “In the city, it’s less likely that you’ll have a large area that needs snow removal or much landscaping work. But slip-and-fall cases can happen anywhere; those are pretty evenly dispersed. And I’ve also found that hoarding doesn’t de- pend on the setting; I see that with equal frequency in suburbs and high-end Back Bay condominiums. There’s no rhyme or reason as to where hoarding behaviors take place.” The physical layout of a property or as- sociation is likely to vary based on where it is located. “When a high-rise condo in an urban location has a number of owners and occupants literally stacked on top of one another in close proximity, it can lead to things like noise and odor emanating City Versus Suburbs Management Approaches Change Based on Geography BY MIKE ODENTHAL 250 Park Avenue South New York, New York 10003 212-557-3600 www.TudorRealty.com To learn more about our property management services, please contact Andrew S. Lazarus, Senior Vice President 212-813-3054 or ALazarus@TudorRealty.com Since 1990, Tudor Realty Services Corp. has been providing hands- on, proactive property management services to cooperative and condominium buildings throughout New York City. Life was simpler in 1990. New rules and regulations as well as changing technology have certainly made managing your building more challenging. Let us tell you how our extensive experience, team approach, strong financial reporting, and advanced use of technology will help you meet the challenge. 37966_Cooperator_5x6.25.indd 1 12/8/17 11:24 AM MACKOUL RISK SOLUTIONS ADDRESSING NYS MANDATED SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING MACKOUL RISK SOLUTIONS PROVIDES A LOW COST SOLUTION TO EDUCATE YOUR EMPLOYEES ON NYS SEXUAL HARASSMENT. New York State has enacted several significant measures regarding sexual harassment in the workplace. Effective October 9, 2018, all New York State employers are required to adopt written sexual harassment prevention policies and institute annual anti-harassment training for all employees. www.mackoul.com www.mackoul.com | Rebecca Scandaliato | Direct: 516-279-1215 | rscandaliato@mackoul.com For $300 per building per year, we provide training for the employees and board members who have direct interaction with those employees. For more information and to avoid costly fines for non-compliance contact Mackoul Risk Solutions today. Mandated training provided for Property Management Firms as well. “From a management perspective, an urban high-rise can be easier to handle than a garden-type apartment community further out from the city.” —John Wolf 18 THE COOPERATOR — FEBRUARY 2019 COOPERATOR.COM