2000 Sep
2000 Sep Vol. 20, No. 9
Focus on...Energy Consevation
Alphabet City
In a city humming with real estate development projects, one area showing great promise is now poised for explosive growth. Alphabet City, the eastern-most stretch of Manhattan’s East Village, is the new frontier for development that is pushing inexorably to the East River. Read More
Team MGRE
Unlike most firms managing major co-op and condo properties in the metropolitan area, Mark Greenberg Real Estate (MGRE) is not located in Manhattan or another city borough, but is situated in the quaint Long Island town of Port Washington, a locale known for boating, water recreation and a pristine quality of life for its inhabitants. Directly across from the Port Washington railroad station, just a town or two past the well-known town of Great Neck, MGRE’s offices exude a constant cheerfulness. A receptionist greets with a smile and a tidbit of words. Staff passing by her desk are busy, but offer friendly greetings to each other. "We have a great working atmosphere," says Steven Greenbaum, director of management of the company’s 30 employees. Read More
RATS!
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 trying to live together in small spaces, a solution requires a team effort. But, before we can begin an effective program to exterminate the rodents, it is necessary to understand why they infest our homes and neighborhoods, what we can personally do about it, and where we need professional help. Read More
Regulated Renters' Rights
Think you don’t need the services of that 24-hour doorman in your co-op anymore? Better check with the rent stabilized tenants with whom you share the building. Chances are their leases provide protection against the elimination of building services. Read More
Correct and Collect
Vincent DiCeglio worked for the Long Island Lighting (LILCO) company for 24 years as a customer service representative. During that period, he discovered numerous errors on clients’ bills, and felt that consumers could use an outside advocate to obtain refunds. In 1976, he took a leap of faith and created his own utility auditing company, Urac, in Rockville Centre, New York, which analyzed bills and recouped appropriate refunds. "I figured that if I could find mistakes at LILCO, then Con Ed and everyone else must have mistakes," he recalls. As it turns out, he was correct. His and the other utility auditing companies that have sprung up since then have recovered millions of dollars for their customers. Read More
Heating Efficiency
T he Cooperator’s readers follow the news. Therefore, I need not say too much about the fact that despite petroleum quotas by the Saudis and President Clinton’s attempt to build up a heating oil reserve for our region, the predictions say the cost of gas and oil will be quite high this heating season. Hence, it benefits co-op and condo boards, their managers and superintendents to operate their heating and domestic hot water systems as conservatively as possible without making building occupants uncomfortable. In 90 percent of the buildings, this is quite feasible. Read More
It is Easy Being Green
The phrases have grown familiar to all of us. Global warming. Ozone depletion. Greenhouse effect. As recycling, composting and other eco-friendly activities become more common, the time seems right to start asking what else can be done to keep our planet clean and green. Read More
Fuel Prices Taking Their Toll?
It seems as if many of us have been here before. In the late 1970s and early ‘80s, fuel prices escalated faster than any professional forecasters in the field thought were imaginable, with heating oil soaring faster than gas, electricity, or steam. Owners and managers of buildings snapped into action by demanding a reduction in prices, while others made prescriptive improvements in their buildings that were highly influenced by product salespeople. New windows, new boiler, switch fuels. Not many saw a reduction in bills from these misdirected improvements designed to save energy. Prices stabilized, and the problems seemed to go away. Read More
De-Regulation Still Rolling Forth
With electric de-regulation well underway in New York City, increased focus is shifting toward how well the competitive system is serving customers. The phased-in process, which began in 1998, has gradually allowed customers to get their electricity from alternative energy suppliers, or ESCOs (Energy Service Companies); historically, Consolidated Edison was the sole energy supplier in New York City. In the new de-regulated market, Con Ed still delivers electricity, but customers get to choose whether Con Ed or an ESCO actually supplies their electricity. Read More
