For some, stairwells are the dark little secret places between floors, where the kids go to drink beer at night, or where others go to do who knows what. While residents of most buildings will have few reasons to use their building’s in…
Mention “problem residents” in the context of a co-op or condo building, and chances are most people will think about the noisy kids upstairs, the perpetually grumpy /litigious guy on the third floor, or the lady down the hall with 12 c…
Call it the Ikea-fication of America. It seems that more and more people are getting interested in design, especially when it comes to their own home. In decades past, household furniture and decorations didn't vary a whole lot. Growin…
It many circles it’s considered socially or politically correct to “go green” when embarking on new construction projects or updating an existing property. Cost-saving initiatives include solar roofs, energy-efficient lighting and appli…
The earliest windows were literally holes in walls—maybe covered by animal skins, if the owner was ambitious, or the weather was chilly—and were useful only for allowing a little air and light into the living space. Eventually,…
Not everybody on a co-op or condo's board is an accountant (or can even balance their own checkbook, for that matter.) No doubt, handling large amounts of money for an entire building is a huge responsibility. Residents, therefore, rely…
Twice a week whether it is on Tuesday and Thursday or Monday and Friday, in every neighborhood throughout the city, you can hear it. Usually before first light you are roused from a sound sleep by the rumbling, beeping and crushing sou…
Most co-op and condo buildings in the city have a laundry room for residents to use that is more than just an amenity; it’s practically a necessity. Nearly all of these co-op/condo laundry rooms are maintained by laundry contractors who…
On July 1st, about 10,000 New York City buildings must start phasing out their use of high-polluting fuel oil. Under the city's “Clean Heat” mandate (a part of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s Greener, Greater Buildings Plan New York initiat…