When I was growing up in the ‘60s, our large rental building in Queens was like a village. My mother played mah jong once a week with several neighbor ladies, and Tuesdays were Dad’s poker nights. We kids played freely in the halls, practic…
Few things are more important for a building than having a competent managing agent willing to work closely with board members to make their home a safe, harmonious place to live. A big part of any good managing agent’s job is to be "on cal…
All relationships–even the healthiest ones–need constant care and maintenance. Whether it’s person-to-person or business-to-client, relationships must be cultivated in order to thrive–a fact that holds doubly true for the crucial connection…
We all know how it goes. All year long, you let things slide a little here and there–an extra handful of chips here, putting off changing your oil there–until by the time the New Year rolls around, you’re battling ten extra pounds and your …
Many co-op and condo-dwellers have been looking inward of late, concentrating their energy and income on making improvements to their buildings and personal spaces, rather than spending money on travel, entertainment, and other more extrove…
The implications of the attacks of September 11 are far-reaching, with tentacles stretching around the world. But what about right next door? An entire section of Manhattan has been forever altered, as have the lives of all the people who c…
Hoboken is a city of about one square mile sandwiched between the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels. Once the butt of urban renewal jokes ("Hey, if it’s Hoboken, don’t fix it!"), the city has enjoyed a renaissance in the last quarter century as i…
Since 9/11, terrorism has become a palpable new threat against the lives and property of American citizens. Not only has our peace of mind been compromised, but the attack on the WTC has affected lives in other, less obvious ways. Cons…
By their nature, co-ops and condos are about ownership, common interests and camaraderie. They are also predicated upon the sharing of costs–both of the day-to-day maintenance of the property, as well as periodic capital expenditures. As wi…
The prevailing economic climate has given rise to concerns for us all, especially co-op and condo boards currently in the process of budget preparation. The natural course of action would seem to be to review past budget-related decisions a…