Page 10 - NY Cooperator April 2020

10 THE COOPERATOR — APRIL 2020 COOPERATOR.COM EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE e proliferation of new luxury condos in New York and other dense metropolitan areas has upped the ante on amenities and in-house services that buyers have come to expect, in- cluding high-end nishes and modern con- veniences ready for immediate move-ins and years of enjoyment without the need for so much as a screwdriver. But for the thousands of units originally built decades ago without the layouts, electri- cal capacity, and high-tech materials that to- day’s residents require, raising the bar to com- pete for buyers’ eyes can be a challenge. Even previous renovations may still fall short of the checklists that house-hunters have developed in the Streeteasy years, making creative solu- tions necessary. Residents who want to up- grade their aging units to current standards need to think outside of the box—or rather, outside the walls. Keeping It Cool Chief among missing amenities in older buildings is air conditioning. “Most pre- WWII buildings do not have central air con- ditioning systems,” says Ronald Erickson, principal engineer of RRE Engineering, “and it is nearly impossible to retro t them for this feature.” But as anyone who has spent a sum- mer in New York knows, some form of air conditioning is pretty crucial—especially as climate change and air pollution make sum- mers longer, hotter, and less breathable. According to Erickson, there are three AC options for buildings without central systems: window units, through-wall units, or in- apartment central systems (also referred to as split systems). e easiest—and therefore most com- mon—of these is the window unit. Relatively inexpensive, these can be installed or unin- stalled without need for any sort of ling or permit. Residents can usually install these units themselves without much hassle— though according to Erickson, proper instal- lation requires about a quarter-inch of down- ward pitch to prevent condensate spilling into the apartment, while also preventing runo from compromising the building facade, or worse, the unit itself falling out onto the street below. Building codes also require the use of “metal brackets, mounting rails, etc. \\\[that are\\\] structurally fastened to the building and must be strong enough for the size and weight of the AC unit.” Any leveling or positioning items also must be securely fastened. Except in the case of very small units, Erickson rec- ommends a slide-in chassis for this purpose, not uncommon for residents to enclose bal- because it allows the unit to be installed and conies and terraces to make them part of their ment of the building. However, enclosing one removed most safely. rough-wall units are a more costly ret- ro t and require more oversight. e DOB ment with limited square footage is actually a its taxation, building code compliance, use considers these permanent, and therefore re- quires permitting and ling, says Erickson. If son, the DOB started cracking down on il- a building is in a landmarked district, separate legally enclosed balconies and terraces in the ci c DOB lings that should be of concern to ling and permitting must be secured with mid-1970s, and published speci c rules for architects, engineers, contractors, and boards. the Landmarks Commission as well. e third—and most expensive—AC op- tion is a central apartment system. While luxurious, “Central apartment systems are tion F Design in Manhattan. She has worked the city’s Façade Inspection and Safety Pro- more problematic,” warns Erickson, “because with many clients who either have old en- they require larger, non-standard openings closed balconies that still need to be legalized Local Law 11 (LL11) cycle, which ended on for condensing units.” Units are scaled to the (that is, properly permitted and led with the February 20, 2020. During this inspection, a amount of space they will be cooling; a too- small unit won’t cool properly, and a too-large space by enclosing an abutting outdoor area— one won’t take enough moisture out of the air. usually when their family expands. Either way, due to the bulk and unsightliness of the units, Erickson says “It’s preferable that “because a one-bedroom unit with even one spector must comment on this in the report, the openings not be on the walls facing the child in a family is not su cient.” Bellettiere and the DOB will require the enclosure to be street, or the primary façades with entrances.” understands that not every client can just removed, or the repair program led with the Since that isn’t feasible for most apartments, move to a bigger apartment, or buy an adjoin- it leaves this option available mostly to apart- ments with roof rights or other outdoor space expert on what she calls the “hideous and time Real Estate for Charles H. Greenthal & Com- like a balcony. The Issue with Enclosures And speaking of balconies...they’re an- other point of indoor-outdoor interface. It’s sidered a limited common apartment element indoor living space. But what seems a simple does make it count toward the building’s oor enough way to add another room to an apart- complicated alteration. According to Erick- what types of alterations were allowed with proper permitting. Suzana Bellettiere is an architect with Sec- DOB) or who want to enlarge their interior quali ed inspector determines whether each “We call them ‘baby enclosures,’” she says, not in Safe condition,” he continues, “the in- ing unit, so she has become somewhat of an consuming” process of getting existing enclo- sures approved by the DOB. Legally, an open balcony or terrace is con- and isn’t included in the oor area measure- area square footage —which in turn impacts and occupancy parameters, and other mu- nicipal standards. at’s why it requires spe- Regulations evolve and change of course, but currently the DOB allows existing en- closures to remain, as long as they passed gram (FISP) inspections in the most recent balcony enclosure in a building is structurally stable, explains Erickson. “If an enclosure is Department.” Frank Durant, VP of Lower Manhattan pany, adds that even factoring in the value- add for owners, the sheer di culty of getting an enclosure project approved makes him When Interior Renovations Become Exterior Issues Coping With Construction BY DARCEY GERSTEIN continued on page 15