It seems that nearly everything is going “green” these days. Whether it’s the special green issue of a popular consumer magazine, an advertisement for a fuel-efficient hybrid car or a push toward environmentally friendly building materi…
Buckminster Fuller, a thinker, inventor, artist, mathematician, (the list goes on,) once said, “People should think things out fresh and not just accept conventional terms and the conventional way of doing things.” Fuller, most famous f…
A recent British survey found that the typical person spends an average of five years of their life in either their kitchen or their bathroom. That might not compare with the number of hours logged behind a desk or the wheel of a car, …
A two-mile long sliver of land in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, Roosevelt Island sits a mere 700 feet from Manhattan’s East Side. Still, many New Yorkers know nothing about Roosevelt Island’s expansive green spaces and unr…
Real estate professionals, developers and builders are all reporting the same thing: today’s homebuyers who are looking for maximum value are asking for more than granite countertops and hardwood floors—they want energy savings and green …
If one wants to ascertain the state of the green building industry, shared—or “fractionally owned”—vacation condos might be a good place to start. While many homebuyers will settle for an uninspiring exurb lot near a convenient …
For the residents of a co-op or condo building, the building's lobby and common areas function much as a front porch or entry hall might in a single-family home; they're a spot to meet guests, get mail and packages, or to stop and chat …
More often than not, when boards or associations broach the issue of their buildings “going green,” images of bamboo flooring, hemp drapes, or solar panels on the roof suddenly spring to mind. The impression seems to be that in a condo,…
Thirty years ago, Cats won the Tony Award for best musical, setting it off to secure its place as the second longest running Broadway musical in history. New York City streets were filled with women in torn sweatshirts and leg warmers …
One might assume that the insurance policies carried by a building would cover any mishaps that would affect residents. This, however, is a misconception. A co-op corporation or condo association takes responsibility for the structural aspe…
Is the entryway of your building looking less than inviting these days? Perhaps the lobby isn’t as cozy and welcoming as residents might like, or maybe it’s the mailroom that needs some work. If it’s been years since the last time your comm…
One of the main documents governing the majority of New York City's co-op buildings is the antithesis of the well-known Oldsmobile ad: it is your father's proprietary lease, and many of its parts are not exactly of-the-minute. Sponsors of …
The "loo." The "WC." The "john." Or - for the more civilized folks - the "powder room" or the "lavatory." Whatever you choose to name that room in your house that comprises a toilet, shower/bath, sink and a mirror, you use it - a lot.…
Everyone knows the air in New York isn't the best stuff in the world to breathe. But what most people don't know is that the indoor environment is often more polluted and toxic than the world outdoors. In fact, a recent EPA study found tha…
If you want to be a doctor, you go to medical school -- if you want to be a lawyer, you go to law school. But what if you want to be a property manager? Do you go to property management school? Actually, no. Despite the wide rang…
As the old saying goes, great minds think alike. That’s certainly the hope when designers and design committees join forces to tackle the aesthetic issues faced by co-op and condo buildings throughout New York. Whether it’s a lobby rede…
Whether you’re part of a giant co-op the size of Co-op City, a 21-story building with over 15,000 residential units, or a small 25-unit condo in Staten Island, whether your building is self-managed or uses a management company, your boar…
There are certain touches that make a house a home. When it comes to designing and renovating co-ops and condos, that same rule applies. Adding touches that personalize a space, and tailoring that space to the needs and desires of the pe…
It’s amazing how good building owners and managers are at increasing and garnering revenue from residential tenants while at the same time leaving themselves to the will and whim of laundry room operators who impose contracts lasting fo…
Co-op and condo owners whose boards are in favor of adding a rooftop deck, exercise room or play area should think twice before shooting down the idea for fear it will be too expensive. Imagine the time you'd gain in your busy schedule if y…