Category: Building Operations

Tighter lending requirements for Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-backed mortgages for condos have put financial and administrative pressure on condos all over the country at a time when many are ill prepared for any new challenges…

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg presented a Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Executive Budget and an updated four-year financial plan for New York City that calls for $62.9 billion in spending. While the mayor’s attempt to balance the city’s budget res…

 Like all property owners in New York City, cooperative and condominium boards  and their managing agents are sometimes presented with a problem which, while  not unique, is perhaps more pressing here than elsewhere: with land so  develope…

 On April 22, 2010 the federal Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) new “Renovation, Repair, & Painting Rule” for lead based paint will take effect. The new rule requires owners to follow  lead-safe work practices when disturbing a pa…

 Being on a committee is not always an easy task. In fact, sometimes it can be  downright frustrating. A three-month commitment can stretch into six months;  meetings can go on forever; committee members may drift off topic; and  precious,…

 For the residents of a co-op or condo building, the building's lobby and common  areas function much as a front porch or entry hall might in a single-family  home; they're a spot to meet guests, get mail and packages, or to stop and chat …

Newsflash: many New York and New Jersey interior designers and decorators are busy with projects and clients; remodeling jobs are moving forward and boards and homeowners are spending money again. This might sound crazy, considering th…

Architecture that liberates the space, light and air” … “Natural beauty in Fort Greene” … “Sophisticated style, fabulous kitchens, fabulous bathrooms” … “The convergence of fine living and fine lifestyle.” These phrases are all …

 For many of us, there comes a point when our buildings become so familiar we  hardly even notice them anymore. We rarely look up to admire the cornices or  contemplate the brickwork around a doorway. The tile floor in the entry hall  goes…

Home may be where the heart is, but these days, it’s also the source of enormous anxiety and concern for a great many co-op and condo owners. With the economy mired in recession and unemployment still hovering near the 10 percent mark, …