Say your building has some extra, unused space—perhaps in the basement, or on the ground floor near the doorman’s station. What to do with it? Two words: Storage. Lockers. If you already have storage lockers, install mor…
In 1906, the dashing and amply-mustachioed Stanford White was shot dead by one Harry Kendall Thaw during a show at the Madison Square Roof Garden. Thaw was the jealous husband of one of White’s old flames, and the press dubbed the resul…
Last November marked the completion of a two-year, $20 million renovation of the lobby of the Empire State Building—a pretty hefty sum just to retrofit such a particular space. While the cost was certainly of large proportions, it is no…
Co-op, condo owners and board members understand certain truths; one is that whether aesthetic, mechanical or otherwise, every building will require repair, upgrades and improvements. Determining what is a capital project versus what is…
Of all the modern conveniences we take for granted, perhaps none is as essential as indoor plumbing. By carrying fresh water into our homes and taking waste water away, the pipes in our buildings are a little-noticed and well-engineered…
A residential building’s roof is its first line of defense against whatever the skies throw at it. Left untreated, roof problems can proliferate and cause thousands of dollars in damages to residents’ property, as well as the building i…
These days, the urge to save a few dollars here and there may be inspiring the creatively inclined to try their hand at home renovation. Before picking up the paint brush or tearing up that carpeting however, it may be worth it to consu…
Like any major project in a co-op or condominium, installing a gym is made up of two separate yet equally important parts: The brass tacks of planning and executing the project, and the politics of running it through the board and resi…
Gone are the days when living green meant dwelling in a geodesic dome-house in the woods somewhere with a sofa and love seat made out of tree stumps. Today, living green doesn’t look much different than traditional interior design—even …
Whether you're talking about an individual unit owner's renovation project or a major capital improvement that affects the whole building, chances are that there will be an architect involved at some point, to a greater or lesser degre…