Page 10 - New York Cooperator March 2019

10 THE COOPERATOR
— MARCH 2019
COOPERATOR.COM
EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE
Building Demolition
Managing Chaos, Minimizing Disruption
BY ALAN SIDRANSKY
C
ities are crowded. That’s a simple eters permitted by local zoning and other
fact. In the best of circumstances, ordinances. But what about the neighbors?
there’s noise, dirt, dust, and the What can they do to preserve their sense of
usual urban pests. Add to that the construc-
tion of a new building next to or nearby and clattering process that can easily last
yours, and annoyance can quickly become months – or even years?
overwhelming. Clearly, the owner of the
property under construction has a right to
build his or her building within the param-
peace and home amid a banging, booming
Where to Start Before They Get Started
Kathleen Strnad is an architect and engi-
neer with Klein & Hoffman, a firm based in
Chicago that also has offices in New York attorney specializing in co-op and condo
and Florida. “The first thing we recom-
mend to our clients is to start a discus-
sion with the developer and their team, a construction project going on next door,
so that communication begins even be-
fore ground is broken,” she says. “This your property to do some portion of their
provides the existing building proper work. Make sure you’re protected. Sitting
representation from an architectural or down and talking face-to-face goes a long
structural engineering standpoint, as way.”
well as a legal standpoint, so they can
understand what the demolition, excava-
tions, and new foundation system’s im-
pact might be to their building.”
“Typically, the developer of the new
property approaches the existing neigh-
bors,” says Sara Getlin, an account ex-
ecutive with Gumley Haft, a property
management firm based in New York,
“because when the demolition and con-
struction starts, it most often does affect
adjacent properties.”
Getlin goes on to explain that “the
contact is made because it will affect
their ability to proceed” with the project.
“They want a good working relationship,”
she says. “This enables you to ask for pro-
tective measures from them. Usually one
of the first things that gets done is an
agreement for access to your building, so
they can do an existing conditions survey.
You want that survey done, and done by a
licensed engineer.” The survey will produce
a report of property conditions before work
starts, so that you have a baseline to com-
pare to and know if there’s been damage af-
ter the work starts.
“These agreements are called license
agreements,” says Andrew Freedland, an
representation at Anderson Kill, a Manhat-
tan-based law firm. “Chances are if there’s
they’re probably going to need to come into
The Reality of Being the
Next-Door-Neighbor
While efforts to protect you and your
neighbors are available and advisable, the
reality of living next door to an active con-
struction site are still there. Increases in
noise, dirt, dust, vibrations, traffic, pests
and vermin, and some level of general mis-
ery are kind of inevitable. In addition to a li-
cense agreement, other plans must be made
to protect you and your property during the
demolition and construction period.
Noise
Perhaps the most obvious and persistent
side effect of a long-term demolition and
construction project is noise. “It is a factor
with any construction,” says Strnad. “The
level will depend on the type of activity.
In the city center you’re more accustomed
to noise to begin with, but in a more sub-
urban setting the construction noise can
become more noticeable. Often it comes
down to what a city’s noise ordinances are.
In residential areas they are often stricter. If
noise is produced during an acceptable time
frame put forth through local ordinances,
there’s nothing you can do, because they are
in compliance.”
Freedland points out that a good time
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