Category: Maintenance

The elevator is one of those inventions—along with running hot and cold water and indoor plumbing—that have been around for so long we take it for granted. But elevators obviously weren’t always a part of the architectural landscape. Withou…

Yet another new law has recently passed that affects co-op, condo, and HOA boards, as well as residents who lease their units.  Almost as if by coincidence, given the historic rains and flooding New Yorkers have endured this season, two la…

Glass façades are for many the epitome of contemporary urban architecture and design. Sleek, clean, and modern, they give the impression of an Emerald City of the future, rising above the bricks and mortar of yesterday’s Gotham. Yet with th…

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has enacted a new rule relating to façade maintenance and safety - this one directed at parapet walls. The parapet is a low protective wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, or balcony. The ne…

A new report , Best Practices: Community Association Maintenance , is now available as a free download on the Foundation for Community Associations Research (FCAR) website. Authored by a consortium of legal, engineering, finance, and mana…

The U.S. has long suffered from an inadequate supply of housing. From a slow recovery in new construction after the Great Recession, to onerous zoning regulations and building codes, to the recent impacts of inflation on building materials,…

While few would argue that regular, thorough building inspections are important for the safety of both people and property, the increasing number - and rising cost - of mandatory inspections has co-op and condo boards looking for more affor…

When it comes to the list of most important systems to maintain—and potentially the most expensive to replace—in a multifamily building, windows are definitely near the top. The useful life of a given window depends on a number of factors, …

Like the skin of the human body, a building’s façade is its largest organ (so to speak), offering structure and protection, as well as a first aesthetic impression. It also takes the brunt of extremely harsh conditions: weather, wind, water…

As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression—which is why the façade of your building should always look clean and in top shape, for both aesthetic and commercial reasons. Important as appearances are, however,…