Category: Maintenance

On an otherwise uneventful January 8th evening, with a run of major holidays in the rear view, the denizens at 2186 Cruger Ave., in the Bronx still had something to celebrate. Some 20-plus shareholders in the 72-unit building congregated in…

It’s that time of the year again: the Christmas lights are up; the air smells of pine trees and potato pancakes; and there’s a possibility of snow, sleet and ice.   There’s also a chance that someone might slip and fall at your co-op or co…

If you think about it, a multifamily building isn’t that much different than the human body. Both house important complex operating systems and organ-like pieces of vital equipment; both take in fuel and produce waste; and both require regu…

Being a board member, manager, or maintenance staff member for a building or HOA obviously comes with numerous responsibilities. Chief among those is being ready and able to deal with risks, issues, and hazards that pose potential threats t…

Take an architectural tour of just about any major U.S. city, and you’ll get a sense of how trends and tastes in building materials have changed over time.  Limestone, brownstone, brick, and terracotta were the earthy materials of choice du…

Can you imagine living in a co-op or condo that doesn’t have a laundry room? These days, having on-site laundry facilities for residents isn’t an amenity – it’s a necessity, and keeping yours functional and well-maintained is just as import…

Everyone loves the turning of the seasons, what with leaves changing, snow falling, pools opening, and the like. But Mother Nature has little concern for the comfort of humans, so fluctuating temperatures bring the need for residential heat…

Whether because of convenience, the desire for autonomy, or a tight budget, some condo and HOA communities opt not to retain an outside management company or an agent to handle their respective day-to-day administrative and maintenance need…

Under the Façade Inspection and Safety Program (FISP), formerly referred to as Local Law 11, all New York City buildings six stories or higher must have their exterior façades (including balcony enclosures) inspected every five years. A rep…

Co-op and condo boards must remain vigilant against all kinds of potential hazards in their buildings; everything from Legionnaires' disease in rooftop cooling tanks to deteriorating pointing on brick facades, to unsecured window-unit air c…