Like most companies, co-ops and condos have two important, yet distinct budgets which allow boards and owners to manage the day-to-day and long-term financial requirements of their buildings. The operating budget includes recurring exp…
The lobbies and hallways of residential buildings are not high-end private residential projects—yet they’re not back stairwells or utilities spaces either. They literally fall somewhere in between, and no matter how new or sophisticated…
Windows—the number, shape, tint, and finish of the glass—are as much a factor in a building’s overall character as its architectural design and construction materials, and can either add or detract from a building’s curb appeal. Even t…
Co-op and condo owners and managers continue to face operations and maintenance issues that directly affect ownership costs and property marketability. Among these are: building modernization, equipment and building component repairs a…
A sweep knows 'e's welcome Wherever 'e goes" --Chim Chim Cheree (from Mary Poppins) Ah, to be a chimney sweep: face covered in soot, bristles in hand, dancing across the rooftops of London with Julie Andrews waiting below… …
It’s your twice-a-year, floor-to-rafters marathon house-cleaning session. You’ve recycled all your newspapers, taken your soda bottles back to the market and disposed of that fern that’s been gone for a few weeks now. Cleaning is nearl…
With the rise of environmentalism and recycling, and the renewed emphasis on energy efficiency since the 1970s energy crisis, has come the idea of the “green building,” which are buildings that actively conserve energy. The idea first …
The importance of a boiler to a building can’t be measured. It provides heat and circulation to its residents and, as anyone who has lived through the harsh New York winter in the past few years can tell you, that’s mighty important. S…
By If you’re interested in lowering the energy bills of your condo or co-op building, all you have to do is see the light-energy-efficient light, that is. In these days where many people want to conserve energy, and just …
Many co-op and condo buildings rent out their ground-floor space to commercial tenants—retail shops, restaurants, grocery stores, doctor’s offices, and so forth. While the commercial/residential arrangement has many benefits on both side…