2000 Oct
2000 Oct Vol. 20, No. 10
Focus on...Board Operations
Bronx Beginnings
Early in the 20th Century, and until the 1950s, the oil industry as we know it today did not exist. Homes were heated with coal, and some readers who wish to date themselves may still remember cleaning the ashes and soot out of a furnace or seeing someone else do so. Read More
Brown Harris Stevens
The reputable full-service real estate firm Brown Harris Stevens has its roots in residential and commercial real estate appraisal. It was at the forefront of management and sales during the early 1920s and 1930s when the original grand co-ops were being built. Ask any broker which are New York City’s "top" co-ops and they will list 720, 730, 740, and 770 Park Avenue; 825, 834, and 960 Fifth Avenue; the Dakota at One West 72nd Street; and One Sutton Place as the "gems "of Manhattan residences. These buildings are and have been managed by Brown Harris Stevens. Read More
SoHo Sophisticated
English author Samuel Johnson once claimed that when a man tires of London, he is tired of life. The same could be said of SoHo. Nestled alongside Greenwich Village, Little Italy and Tribeca, SoHo has long held a reputation as New York’s artist enclave. Today, while still home to a sizeable population of working artists and countless galleries, SoHo has expanded to welcome professionals, families and a bustling commercial and retail district, housing everything from J.Crew to a new luxury hotel, dubbed one of the "world’s hippest hotels" by Read More
House Hunting in the City
As parents we strive to create the perfect home for our children. A place of solitude, refuge–a place to call home. A place where our children can play freely in the backyard; a place where they can socialize and grow with other children; a place where they are safe. As parents we research every aspect of home buying from school districts to neighborhood stores. But what specifically should parents look for in their search for the perfect home? How can they find the perfect home in New York City where white picket fences, large backyards and cul-de-sacs do not exist but, instead, elevators, doormen and the subway are the norm? Read More
Combat Homeowner Apathy
It’s the beginning of another meeting in your building and even though signs were posted throughout the lobby and on bulletin boards, the crowd is sparse. To make matters worse, the few owners or shareholders who are in attendance have only shown up to complain that they’re unaware of and disagree with recent board decisions. Read More
Getting the Message Out
Who would visit a medical office that did not have running water? Many would question whether the office was sanitary. This occurred to a doctor who used a Forest Hills co-op unit as his office. Management placed a notice under residents’ doors the night before stating that the water in the building would be cut off during the morning hours to make plumbing repairs. Unfortunately, that was too late for the doctor who didn’t receive his notice until he walked into the office that very morning. This is a prime example of how important good communication is to the smooth running of a co-op or condo. Read More
Hit the Ground Running
Not entirely satisfied with the performance of your management company? Chances are your board hasn’t sought a new agent because they were frightened of the transition. Such is the case with many of the buildings that have interviewed Ronni Lynn Arougheti, president of Heron, Ltd., a property management company in Manhattan. Arougheti says she has been told surprisingly often that a building will stay with the same firm for fear of the worst-case scenario. However, "it isn’t that bad!" she exclaims. "Some people said they were so worried and stayed so unhappy for so long–and then the transition was seamless." Read More
