Trust. It's a word often heard when board members and shareholders of Big Six, a 982-unit co-op complex in Woodside, Queens, talk about their former managing agent, Richard Stone, and what they think went wrong. Essentially, they say, we…
At eight o'clock on a weekday morning, you won't find Peter Grech hustling to catch a train or waiting in line for the bus. Nor will you find him snug in his bed, dreaming the morning away. Grech is a resident manager for the Alfred, a 224-…
Let's face it, the City is going to the dogsM-or is it cats? New Yorkers love their pets. No matter whether feline or canine, the depth of emotion owners have for their furry companions is staggering. This staunch devotion could go double f…
Several months ago, I wrote an article for this column detailing the circumstances under which a cooperative board could legally discriminate against those wishing permission to either occupy or purchase the stock and lease of a cooperati…
In a September 1994 decision applicable to many cooperatives and condominiums in New York City, the Appellate Division, Second Department, has determined that a cooperative housing corporation's refusal to expend funds to install a wheelc…
While everyone at 24 Fifth Avenue will miss the doorman, Caspar Orenga, nicknamed Mr. Wonderful, those who will be affected most by his retirement will be the older residents he cared for and attended to with patience and a smile for over 2…
Board meetings provide the time and space for co-op and condo leaders to establish and direct building operations. These vitalmeetings can be productive decision-making sessions conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect, or ego-driven ma…
Like most business corporations, co-ops rely on a board of directors to oversee operations and make decisions for the benefit of all shareholders. What makes a co-op's board unique is that itsmembers are responsible not only for the corpora…
One of the most distressing issues confronting board members is how to comply with their fiduciary duty to shareholders and unit owners. Although misconceptions abound as to the precise nature and scope of this obligation, a breach of the f…