2015 November
Focus on... Building Maintenance

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…

Building amenities such as elevator systems are sometimes taken for granted. What goes up, after all, must come down, and vice versa, right? But elevators are not just for convenience and awkward silent moments, they also accommodate reside…

Exteriors of buildings, including condo and HOA buildings, aren’t always smooth brick walls. There are all sorts of indentations and protrusions, from terraces to stonework to cornices. There are also items that are not part of the building…

There is always work to be done on a building, whether it’s a simple lobby repair or a major capital improvement, but finding the right contractor for the job takes some work. If the vetting process is not done properly, the results could b…

In 1976, the American public became aware of a previously unrecognized disease, when 221 out of the more than 2,000 people who attended an American Legion convention in Philadelphia became sick with a form of atypical pneumonia that caused …

New York City condo owner John Doe lost his job and couldn’t pay his bills. Eventually, the bank foreclosed on the mortgage to his condominium apartment, and Joe was forced to move. On his way out the door, the disgruntled Mr. Doe—who alway…

Northeasterners are a tough breed, but even they have to deal with dark days and nights—and they need an action plan in case of a blackout. This was evidenced by the blackout of 2003. In August of that year, a series of power failures overl…

We all hope for good neighbors when we move into a new building or community. The same is true for commercial properties in residential buildings. Making a good match, one that benefits both the commercial tenants and unit owners, can go a …

As long as there have been residential buildings, there have been superintendents charged with the all-important task of ensuring that operations run smoothly. Whether it’s an underperforming HVAC system, a maintenance emergency, or simply …

Owners of co-ops and condos in New York are apt to find that the neighbors down the hall live according to a different set of rules and often pay less then they do for the same apartment.  Thanks to the state law in effect when most cooper…

Some buildings have lush reserve funds and the most pressing challenge in building maintenance involves new balustrades or landmark accents.  But for most co-op and condo managers in New York, building maintenance is less predictable. It q…

When it comes to reducing energy costs in most buildings, the space heating system garners the lion’s share of attention. The performance of the hot water system is rarely considered until there is a complaint. And yet, water heating accoun…

Q. We are a cooperative that falls under the purview of the New York State Business Corporation Law. Is there a law in there allowing us to conduct a meeting without a quorum having been reached? We need more than 50% of the vote and cert…

Q. This is a very common age-old question in a cooperative. What are my rights for inheriting a co-op apartment if the unit owner unfortunately dies? If a unit owner is deceased and the property is turned over to the estate, what are righ…

Q. My co-op has $570,000 in reserve funds invested in CDs earning approximately 0.5% interest. My question is this—are we being too cautious given that the rate of inflation is about 2.7%? How can we get a better rate of return or is this…