On March 6th,

The Cooperator hosted its 16th annual Co-op and Condo Expo at the New York Hilton at 53rd Street and Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan. The event has become a showcase for tri-state vendors, management agencies, brokers, service providers and other professionals in the real estate industry as a comprehensive resource for co-op and condo shareholders, owners, board members, and support staff. More than 200 exhibitors were on hand for the day, and well over 4,000 people pre-registered for the event. Attendance was only dampened slightly by the blizzard that descended on the city mid-morning and most Expo visitors were undaunted by the flakes.

Highlights of the 2003 Expo were numerous: throughout the day, expert speakers hosted seminars on topics ranging from building security to financial planning for major capital improvement projects; attendance at the seminars (held on the second floor of the exhibit hall) was extremely robust, with audience members taking careful notes and peppering panelists with questions during the Q&A segments that followed the day's seminars.

Also a perennial favorite of the Expo are the prize drawings that commenced throughout the day. As in years past, one lucky Expo attendee won one month's free maintenance. Other prizes included free hardware and installation of an under-sink garbage disposal, a deluxe water purification system, limo time, framed autographed photos of sports celebrities, and tickets to see The Lion King on Broadway.

The Cooperator also was proud to once again sponsor its free advice booths, which were manned over the course of the morning and afternoon by a succession of volunteers from property management, accounting, insurance, the field of co-op and condo law, and financial services offered help to anyone with questions, from tenant disputes to water leaks, from pet rules to maintenance complaints. The sessions help to point shareholders and unit owners in the right direction and give them some preliminary answers to their questions.

By the time exhibitors began dismantling their booths at 5 o'clock, it was generally agreed among vendors and visitors alike that Expo 2003 had been a success, despite the uncooperative weather. Exhibitors were able to network with their peers, attendees were able to ask questions of in-the-know experts and interact with their peers, all while collecting information, tips, and product and service knowledge to better their buildings.

If you missed

The Cooperator's Co-op and Condo Expo this year, stay tuned to the publication for details about next year's event. The Expo has grown in both attendance and scope since its launch nearly two decades ago - if you're a vendor or service provider with a stake in the New York co-op and condo industry, or a shareholder or board member with questions about how to run your building more efficiently, the Expo is a clearinghouse for information gathering and building your business. The Cooperator would like to thank all the exhibitors and visitors for making this year's event such a success, and invite everyone back for the 17th annual Expo, which is tentatively scheduled for March 18, 2004 - so mark your calendars!Hannah Fons is Associate Editor of The Cooperator.