In an age of tinted-glass curtain walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, and ubiquitous vinyl siding, it may be comforting to know that the granddaddy of all building materials—natural stone, quarried from the earth and hewn by hand in some cases…
New York City's skyline is like none other and has a blend of classic and modern architecture that defines itself as one of the world's greatest cities. Beset by the vagaries of weather and age, though, even the finest brick, limestone…
No matter what real estate market we find ourselves in, we all know that it's never easy to sell a home. In the last several years, a new trend has emerged in the real estate arena that is said to help homeowners sell their houses or apartm…
Curb appeal plays a large role in determining a property's value and it is the first thing anyone notices about your co-op or condo building. But beyond aesthetics, proper maintenance is necessary to protect residences, grounds and common a…
If you flip through the advertisements for new condo buildings in the real estate section of New York magazine or Time Out NY, you've probably noticed that more and more developers are including well-appointed libraries, residents-only soci…
The facades of New York City's residential buildings are part of what gives the city its character. From historic brownstones to modern high-rises with glass-curtain walls, New York City's buildings are recognizable to people around the wor…
Every time a co-op or condo building needs exterior work - an occurrence more regular now than a quarter century ago - a group of highly-trained, highly-specialized, and extremely brave professionals arrive to carry out the project.…
Few things matter more to a co-op or condo owner than living in a place with good light and a good view. That's why windows serve as one of the biggest selling points and most important physical aspects of a building. The right windows c…
Q I am the president of a co-op board in Gramercy Park. One of our directors has recently become a licensed salesperson. When announcing this to the board, he indicated that he would recuse himself going forward from interviewing any …
Q My co-op is about to engage in a multi-million dollar upgrade energy project. The board president has decided to not let myself (a newly elected member of the board) and any shareholder access to review the documents on this project. …