With the economy moving back toward a more robust state, building administrators are still looking for ways to save money in an increasingly competitive real estate market. It’s no surprise to hear that co-op and condo boards sometimes feel…
The contractors who helped dig out the region’s condo properties last winter agree on one thing—the associations that were ‘rescued’ first were the ones that had solid relationships with their snow and ice removal contractors. They also p…
When it comes to reducing energy costs in most buildings, the space heating system garners the lion’s share of attention. The performance of the hot water system is rarely considered until there is a complaint. And yet, water heating accoun…
Some buildings have lush reserve funds and the most pressing challenge in building maintenance involves new balustrades or landmark accents. But for most co-op and condo managers in New York, building maintenance is less predictable. It q…
In 1976, the American public became aware of a previously unrecognized disease, when 221 out of the more than 2,000 people who attended an American Legion convention in Philadelphia became sick with a form of atypical pneumonia that caused …
There is always work to be done on a building, whether it’s a simple lobby repair or a major capital improvement, but finding the right contractor for the job takes some work. If the vetting process is not done properly, the results could b…
Exteriors of buildings, including condo and HOA buildings, aren’t always smooth brick walls. There are all sorts of indentations and protrusions, from terraces to stonework to cornices. There are also items that are not part of the building…
Building amenities such as elevator systems are sometimes taken for granted. What goes up, after all, must come down, and vice versa, right? But elevators are not just for convenience and awkward silent moments, they also accommodate reside…
If you think about it, a multifamily building isn’t that much different than the human body. Both house important complex operating systems and organ-like pieces of vital equipment, both take in fuel and produce waste, and both require regu…
Every year, like clockwork, Wayne Bellet, owner of Bellet Construction in Manhattan, says that he gets multiple requests for his company to scrape, prime and paint metal fire escapes. “It’s silly, because it’s so easy to do, and building m…