Whether indoors or out, few design elements are as dramatic and arresting as a waterfall or fountain. According to the blog The Bowery Boys, the very first decorative fountain in New York City was the City Hall fountain, unveiled on Oc…
The signs “Post No Bills,” “Active Driveway” and “Alternate Side Parking” are all fairly common and relatively self-explanatory in urban settings. Other equally common signs we see in suburban communities throughout the U.S. related to p…
Whether you live in a towering mid-block high-rise or a sprawling suburban development, landscaping not only helps a co-op, condo or HOA increase and retain property values, but has a positive impact on residents themselves—beautiful, f…
New York City is not exactly known for year round sunshine and palm trees. At first glance greenery, lawns and lawn care, may seem a non–issue for many New Yorkers, but like most Americans, New Yorkers have a long-running love affair wi…
Every time someone enters or leaves a building, they travel through at least one of the common areas. Multiply that times the number of units in a building and you can get a rough idea of how much faster these areas may wear out than an…
While recent reports point to signs of economic recovery, many co-ops and condos are still feeling the financial burden that has accumulated over the last few years due to increased operating costs, residents in arrears, defaults, and n…
Residential buildings are constantly under attack—not by barbarians or marauding bandits, but by a force far more subtle and insidious. The most tenacious enemy of a residential building is not fire or structural collapse—though a build…
It’s true that a building is as only as strong as its foundation—and while New Yorkers don't have as much active concern about the foundations of their buildings as residents of an earthquake-prone area like California might have, it's …
After the four walls of a given structure, the roof is sometimes referred to as the “fifth plane”—and just like the walls that hold it up, the roof is an all-important structure that can make or break a building’s performance. The tri-s…