2006 May
Focus on... Design

As the old saying goes, great minds think alike. That’s certainly the hope when designers and design committees join forces to tackle the aesthetic issues faced by co-op and condo buildings throughout New York. Whether it’s a lobby rede…

New York State has a number of laws to protect consumers—there’s a law designed to protect people who invest in a car and end up with a lemon, for example. If a car has been in a serious accident, the seller has to disclose that inform…

Just a decade ago, the average person didn’t have much of an idea about the ins and outs of interior design. Thanks to the recent—and rapid—proliferation of cable television and the phenomenal success of reality TV however, that has ch…

New York City is known for having some of the most impressive architecture in the world, and many of its buildings—whether considered landmarks or just those that people call home—incorporate a vast array of building materials into bot…

New York City is home to some of the most spectacular living spaces in the world. At the end of the day however, even the most luxurious, most exclusive co-op and condo buildings are simply places to live. Yes, they may have stunning a…

When visitors to New York, or even some residents, are asked about landmark, historic or architecturally striking buildings here, they'll probably mention the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the Woolworth Tower, Grand Central…

Often given short-shrift in media coverage of the New York City real estate game, Staten Island is a historically rich borough which—contrary to what your Manhattan-centric friends may try to tell you—is not a four hour trek away. The …

Energy is a singularly important and pressing issue. Even so, addressing this issue has not yet risen to the top of the list for many apartment managers and co-op boards. For large-scale apartment managers, the mandate to limit exposur…

It took a rally, a march up Park Avenue, and some heated late-night negotiation sessions, but on April 21, 2006, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ and the Realty Advisory Board (RAB) were able to compromise on…

Many boards and managers make extravagant efforts to spruce-up the frontages of their buildings with costly landscaping, graffiti removal, and entrance renovations — but it’s an uphill battle. As many a harried manager or put-out share…

In any home or apartment, urban or suburban, woodwork plays an important role in construction, but in areas such as doors, floors, cabinets and decorative elements. With plenty of synthetic alternatives and wood veneers available to do…

Q Our building (which is comprised of 17 one-bedroom units) is heated by a hot water gas boiler with baseboard radiators. The radiators are NOT individually controlled. The building is about 30 years old, and the boiler will soon need …

Q Our co-op board has been sued by a shareholder. We’ve notified our directors and officers (D&O) liability carrier of the lawsuit, and our carrier has in turn appointed a  defense counsel to defend us against the lawsuit. Do we as a boar…

Q Our board president was given a violation for doing electrical work without a permit and blamed the superintendent for reporting the work to the New York City Electrical Board. She asked the board for the reimbursement for the cost o…