Most co-op and condo buildings in the city have a laundry room for residents to  use that is more than just an amenity; it’s practically a necessity. Nearly all of these co-op/condo laundry rooms are  maintained by laundry contractors who…

 You may live in the most well-run and self-sufficient building in the city, but  no building is an island, not even in developments from the sprawling  Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan to Co-op City in the Bronx to  the s…

 Abraham Lincoln once said, “Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.  As a peacemaker, the lawyer has superior opportunity of being a good man. There  will still be business enough.”    Certain…

 Purchasing a co-op in New York City can be a real odyssey. Even with thousands  of options on the market, securing a place that fits your lifestyle and budget  can leave you with only a handful of viable choices. Factor in each building’s…

 While essential to the successful operation of all cooperatives or condominiums,  the contents of governing documents are often only glossed over by otherwise  well-intentioned boards members and managing agents leading to potential  pitf…

 On July 1st, about 10,000 New York City buildings must start phasing out their  use of high-polluting fuel oil. Under the city's “Clean Heat” mandate (a part of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s Greener, Greater Buildings Plan New York initiat…

 Whether indoors or out, few design elements are as dramatic and arresting as a  waterfall or fountain. According to the blog The Bowery Boys, the very first  decorative fountain in New York City was the City Hall fountain, unveiled on  Oc…

 The signs “Post No Bills,” “Active Driveway” and “Alternate Side Parking” are all fairly common and relatively self-explanatory in urban settings. Other equally common signs we see in suburban communities throughout the U.S.  related to p…

 Whether you live in a towering mid-block high-rise or a sprawling suburban  development, landscaping not only helps a co-op, condo or HOA increase and  retain property values, but has a positive impact on residents themselves—beautiful, f…

 New York City is not generally known for its biodiversity. Surprising pockets of  nature like the Jamaica Wildlife Refuge give a glimpse of the incredible  ecology that once existed in the area, but the development of a massive  metropoli…