Page 10 - CooperatorNews May 2021
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10 COOPERATORNEWS —  MAY 2021   COOPERATORNEWS.COM  ATTORNEYS  Abrams Garfi nkel Margolis Bergson, LLP  1430 Broadway,  17th Floor, New York, NY 10018  212-201-1170 • www.agmblaw.com  Barry G. Margolis, Esq. • Robert J. Bergson, Esq.  Himmelfarb & Sher, LLP • (914) 682-0040  Cooperative and Condominium Law—Real Estate Closings  One North Broadway, Suite 800, White Plains, NY 10601    Contact: Ronald A. Sher, Esq. • Norman D. Himmelfarb, Esq.  Law@himmelfarb-sher.com • Direct Dial: 914-461-0220  ACCOUNTANTS  ARCHITECTS  SERVICE DIRECTORY    Over 30 years of coop & condo experience    Hands on Personal Attention  Timely Service    Contact:  Gary Adler, CPA    Sarah Haar CPA      www.bassandlemer.com  516-485-9600  adler@basslemer.com  Advertise In CooperatorNews   Service Directory   —Call 212-683-5700—  Target Key Decision Makers In      e Co-op, Condo Community   By Placing Your Ad Here  Helping your Board with Legal Issues   Answering Questions - Solving Problems  Cooperative and Condominium Law  Residential - Commercial Real Estate   One North Broadway-Suite 800   White Plains, NY 10601  email: law@himmelfarb-sher.com  website: www.himmelfarb-sher.com    Contact: Ronald A. Sher, Esq.,   Norman D. Himmelfarb, Esq.  Tel: (914) 682-0040 Direct Dial: (914) 461-0220  WE LISTEN. WE ADVOCATE. WE NAVIGATE. WE DELIVER.  Cesarano & Khan, PC  Certified Public Accountants  PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO   THE COOPERATIVE AND CONDOMINIUM COMMUNITY  Reporting on Financial Statements •  Tax Services  Budgeting & Consulting • Election Tabulation Services  For additional information, contact  Carl M. Cesarano, CPA  199 JERICHO TURNPIKE, SUITE 400 • FLORAL PARK, NY 11001  (516) 437-8200  and   718-478-7400 • info@ck-cpas.com  cesarano &khan1_8 use this_:cesarano &khan 4  7/22/15  4:59 PM  Page 1  LUCIDITY SIGNS   728 East 136th Street   Bronx, NY 10454 SIGNS   728 East 136th Street   Bronx, NY 10454  LUCIDITY  PHONE:  718-361-7845  CELL:  917-399-3929  E-mail:  margaret@luciditysigns.com  nity spaces, instilling a sense of restraint and   serenity.”  Infl uencing Factors  In  addition  to location and population,   the very type of construction and the age of   a building can have outsized e  ects on design   considerations. Some color combinations and   textures work well in prewar buildings, while   others are preferable for postwar structures,   and the newest, most modern buildings may   require a whole di  erent approach.  “Each building, each location, each period   of architecture, and each building’s popula-  tion are di  erent  and  deserve  to celebrate   those di  erences,” says Sygrove. “We work   very hard to individualize each building and   not fall into the ‘cookie-cutter’ category, or to   o  er only one particular designer’s ‘signature’   look.  We  design  each  property  individually   but stress the commonality of the residents in   their selection of their building in its speci  c   location.    is is the   rst layer of ‘glue’ to any   project. We then design from there based on   color preferences from the population or our   recommendations.  Every  one  of  our  clients   wants something that looks timeless, classic,   clean, durable, and easy to maintain.    ese   factors are the core requirements.   “O  en,” explains Sygrove, “prewar build-  ings have wonderful, amazing ‘bones’ for us   to work with—natural marble, mosaics, tiles,   metal   nishes, grillwork. Many already are a   neutral color shell, and we can add discreet   pops of color in a chair or bench that give it   an interesting yet elegant twist. By the use of   color and clean lines, we can make a prewar   building appealing to younger buyers. When   working in more modern buildings, it is all   about simplicity and the elegance and per-  ceived value of the materials used and the   richness of color. We would either embrace a   large bold pattern as a focal point, or a deep   rich color to contrast with light-colored, eas-  ily-cleaned materials.”  Coblin adds that “Prewar buildings tend   to have higher-end   nishes, so we generally   choose to enhance those terrazzo, stone, and   panelized   nishes. It’s a   ne juggle to update   these already highly-designed spaces. Postwar   structures actually allow designers a bit more   freedom. O  en, they are in poor shape, have   a mix of classical and 1960s detailing, and are   in grave need of a new design aesthetic. We   see postwar buildings, with their modern ex-  terior and structure, as a chance to develop an   equally contemporary interior.”    Sygrove  also  suggests  that  regardless  of   building type or vintage, organic combina-  tions are very popular now—natural woods,   textures, stone references, and overall organic   patterns. Also, fresh updates to period build-  ings with art deco, mid-century modern, and   neoclassical architecture are now paired with   modern interpretations of these styles and   colors that are fresh, while still respecting the   architecture of the building, either embracing   it or playing with it for a contemporary spin.  Working with the Board  “We spend a lot of time with our boards   and design committees,” says Coblin.  “   ese   spaces we are designing are their public spac-  es, individual to them. It’s important that they   understand the design approach we are using,   and the related color and   nish options.    e   board and residents need to buy into the aes-  thetics as uniquely theirs.    at is why each of   our designs is exclusive.”   “We have an organized and e   cient ap-  proach to interface with the board and the   resident population when designing for   them,” concurs Sygrove. “We not only listen to   the board, but also help the board listen to the   shareholders or unit owners so that everyone   has a voice in the project.    e bottom line is   that we listen, and that can take many forms   to get to the right place. We know that not ev-  eryone will be happy with any single design,   but they do appreciate having a voice. We try   to design to the majority.”   Interestingly, Sygrove also reports that   in their specialty design niche, designing for   cooperative and condominium communities,   they listen very carefully to the board, design   committee, and residents.    ey   nd that the   overwhelming majority of their clients re-  quest ‘neutral’ colors—the de  nition of which   has changed over the years from warm beig-  es to cool grays and gray-greens. “   ese are   the ‘safety’ default color basics that we work   from,” Sygrove says.  Coblin also notes that in New York City   at the moment, the color environment is par-  ticularly subdued. It is tastefully incorporated   in a way that can be changed while the basic   framework of a design scheme is timeless and   neutral. “   e use of color is to enhance the   overall design of the space,” says Coblin. “It   helps us make a space feel taller, grander, and   for longer lobbies, the gradations of intensity   help us modulate, add rhythm, and improve   the overall look.”   “Looking towards the future with every   design we develop is the fun of it,” says Sy-  grove. “Pushing towards the long term rather   than just the present. We advise buildings to   spend their money on quality, because quality   is the universal. I always use this example: You   can buy a can of paint with a color that looks   ‘cheap,’ or you can spend that same amount   of money on a can of a paint color that looks   rich.    at is where the design talent comes in;   selecting that timeless, classic, delicious color   that a  ects the mood of every person who   walks into the lobby or halls—whether fresh,   or soothing, or neutral.”  In the   nal analysis, using color and tex-  ture and accompanying elements to design   that welcoming space is the art of design and   the art of designers. But as each building is dif-  ferent and individual, it is critical that the resi-  dents and their board be not only on board   with  the choices,  but  directly  involved  with   making those choices. Design is conceived   and born of the right interface between build-  ing, designer, and residents.     ■  A J Sidransky is a sta   writer/reporter for   CooperatorNews, and a published novelist.  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