Category: Maintenance

 Believe it or not, pigeons are related to doves (both hail from the columbidae  family of birds) but to many co-op and condo buildings, the former are not at  all symbolic of peace. Quite the contrary. Although rats, mice, cockroaches,  a…

 Good information and clear communication are crucial for anyone involved with  the administration of a cooperative, condominium or homeowners association—crucial not just to thriving, but surviving in today's challenging economic  times. …

The big secret regarding energy efficiency in co-ops and condos is window glass, which compared to insulated walls and ceilings, can be a source of serious energy waste. While we expect that energy-conserving walls and ceilings will dr…

Occupying the southernmost tip of Manhattan, New York City’s Financial District is the center of wealth and power for both the city and the nation, but until just a few years ago, the area was a ghost town after office hours. That began…

There have long been organizations that strive to strengthen and clarify the roles of owners, residents, and managers within the cooperative housing environment. But one essential player in the game—the superintendent—was the last to fi…

Last summer’s heat wave is just a fading memory, and it's that time again: time to get your building’s boiler operating and ready for the colder months. Before the first snow falls however, some maintenance and housekeeping to your buil…

 You may have a roof over your head—but if that roof isn’t doing its job, you may as well be living on the cold, wet streets of New York  City.    Roofs serve as the first line of defense against whatever the skies throw at  your bu…

 “...We gather here today at the human resources department of Acme Property  Management Company to bring together John Smith, property manager, with the  building and board located at 123 Anywhere Street. If nobody objects to this  arrang…

Eventually, most co-op owners will get bored with their surroundings and want to spruce up their apartment. Sometimes this will involve a full remodeling or redesign of the unit, while other times it simply means adding a new coat of p…

As residential buildings and the business of managing them have become more sophisticated, the term “super”—as in superintendent—has come to mean “super-qualified.” The days of the building handyman armed with little other than a ring of…