We all have needs. Wants, too. In a co-op or condominium, the significant needs or wants of the shareholders and unit owners usually have to be routed through the board or management company. In theory—and, by and large, in pr…
Time was, when you had a big construction or renovation job, you hired a general contractor, and if the job was big enough, that contractor hired subcontractors. But in recent decades, a new player has entered into the process…
Spring has officially sprung, and with it comes The Cooperator's 23rd annual Co-op & Condo Expo. This year's show will be presented on Tuesday, April 27, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hilton New York, 1335 Avenue of the Americas at 53…
Walking on the sidewalks of New York can be tough; you need to maneuver through streams of pedestrians chatting away on their cell phones, many walking right at you from the opposite direction, and you need to be focused on what’s in fr…
There was a time when the buildings being built in New York City were largely constructed of earthy materials—limestone, brownstone, brick, terra cotta—and glass really only figured into their design in the form of windows and skylights…
On almost any given block in New York City, it’s easy to see how things have changed in architecture and construction over the decades. Historic buildings like the New York Public Library or Grand Central Station are noted for their ext…
Doing a major window replacement or repair project in a building that’s home to hundreds of people isn’t easy. There are any number of scheduling and access considerations, and time is obviously of the essence, as it’s impractical and un…
Q Our co-op has a question about our various insurance policies. Our insurance agent has recommended to the board that we keep our Directors & Officers (D&O) coverage separate from our general liability coverage. I understand that som…
Q I am the vice president of our co-op board. Just recently we found out through a real estate ad that the president of the board is selling his unit. Does this pose a conflict of interest? In effect should the president remain the …
Q I live in a high-rise co-op on the Upper East Side and have a situation where my neighbor two floors down built a terrace and installed six string up-lights, for "landscape" lighting, which shine up into my windows. They leave the…