Category: Maintenance

Once again newspapers are headlined with the word "Rats," and the questions on every resident’s mind are, "Where did they come from this time?" and "How do we get rid of them?" Like many other problems that face large groups of people tryin…

The following article contains excerpts from a series of statements submitted by Michael Lockhart, president of American Telephone and Utility Consultants and founder of The Coalition for Water Bill Justice, and Lawrence Schatt, deputy comm…

There’s almost nothing that sounds more luxurious to potential co-op and condo buyers than an on-site swimming pool. Apartment prices are often higher in buildings with pools because they are viewed as a fun and relaxing amenity. However, m…

It’s Spring, as the saying goes, and a young man’s fancy turns to love. Your co-op board, while they may be romantics at heart, smell Spring and their minds go to landscape maintenance. The landscaping of a property is the first thing visit…

There are two major aspects to any renovation project in a co-op–one is getting approval from the co-op board, the other is getting approval from the Building Department. Getting only one approval is not enough. In other words, just because…

The lobby of the SoHo building where Stephen DeCordova, an actor, owns a co-op is almost too small to be noticed. A tiny vestibule leads to a narrow hallway where you’ll find the stairs and elevator. Four years ago, this entryway was dark a…

Spring: Glimpses of forsythia overhanging the walls of the Central Park transverses, dogwoods and magnolias blossoming in the Strawberry Fields and crocuses sprouting from sidewalk planters. For many, spring is a rebirth, a reaffirmation of…

Recently many northern tier cities have enacted building façade inspection laws to ensure public safety. One of the primary reasons for these laws has been aging and deterioration of the ornamental on older buildings, which is made from arc…

In the past few years, new products have become available that offer many advantages to co-ops and condos. Here are just a few of the products that we have found most beneficial from the standpoint of economy and reliability. Infrared M…

The Off-Season: Keeping Your Boiler Efficient Through the Spring, Summer and Fall Now that winter is drawing to a close, residential and commercial buildings will soon be switching their heating systems off and their air conditio…