Category: Building Operations

Co-op boards are more likely to repair a leaking roof or paint the lobby than tackle an elevator that needs to be upgraded. According to elevator expert Al Milo, president of Dunwell Elevator in Brooklyn, which does elevator maintenanc…

Co-op and condo owners whose boards are in favor of adding a rooftop deck, exercise room or play area should think twice before shooting down the idea for fear it will be too expensive. Imagine the time you'd gain in your busy schedule if y…

What comes to mind when you think of water pressure? For most people these words conjure up images of the morning shower. Lack of water pressure can turn that much anticipated ritual into a frustrating and unpleasant ordeal. Just ask a…

In New York City cooperative apartments outnumber condoM-miniums by about five to one, so apartment buyers sometimes feel they have limited choices. Frequently they opt for a co-op because they can't find a condo they really love. The …

Remember the early 1980s? Reagan was president, the national economy was strong, property values were skyrocketing and co-op sponsors were converting multi-unit residential buildings in the New York area faster than you could say offering…

Co-op shareholders and condo owners in New York City may not always agree on how the common areas in their buildings should be managed, maintained or decorated, but they've always seen eye to eye when it comes to saving money. Everyone…

The agenda for your monthly board meeting is to find ways to save money, and in the long run, increase the building's reserve fund. Each board member has been asked to compile a list of ideas on areas of possible savings. One board member…

Changing the windows in your co-op or condo building can be a traumatic experience. Not only is the overall building affected, but the interiors of the individual apartments are affected as well. Even if the job goes smoothly, there ar…

You live alone. You work long hours. When you aren't home, you turn off all the lights and the air conditioning. You do everything you can to conserve energy. Your neighbors, on the other hand, have five kids and are home all the …

An elderly retired couple, married for 40 years, recently sold their ten-room suburban home for a simpler three-room Manhattan condominium. They lead an active social life, often entertain their three children and five grandchildren for…