2004 Sep
2004 Sep Vol. 24, No. 9
Focus on...Energy Conservation
Profitable Neighbors
It's not uncommon for co-op and condo buildings to lease that empty space on their ground floor to commercial tenants - usually restaurants, retail stores, or small professional offices. While commercial tenants' rent can add to a building's revenue, issues with noise, traffic, and the 80/20 rule can sometimes make the relationship complicated. Read More
Nipping Blackouts in the Bud
To conserve power to help avoid a blackout, the power industry recommends: Read More
Assisted Multifamily Program
Eligible co-op boards facing skyrocketing maintenance charges due to rising energy costs can seek assistance from the New York Energy Smart Assisted Multifamily Program (AMP), administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Read More
Paper Cuts
Lots of people talk about the stress and uncertainty of the approval process in New York City's co-op and condo buildings; all that scrutiny, all that paperwork! But the endless reams of forms and files take another toll as well - on the environment. Read More
Renewable Energy
In New York City, electricity is a lot like Chinese food. It's ubiquitous, available for delivery right to your home, and is made with lots and lots of oil. But unlike a good Chinese restaurant, Con Edison, the electricity provider for almost all of New York City, has a menu with only one choice. And until recently, if you didn't like that choice, well that was just too bad. Theirs was the only gig in town. But the days of one-electron-fits-all have come to an end. Now anyone who thinks that their electricity should come from sources that don't pollute, don't come from the Middle East, don't contribute to climate change, and don't double as weapons of mass destruction, can pick up the phone and order a new utility product called "Green Power."¯ Read More
Considering a Utility Audit
Every year, co-ops and condos in New York City pay millions of dollars in utility expenses, including electric, water/sewer, gas, and steam. Are you certain your building is paying the correct amount? What if it isn't? Without an expert audit, you may never know if your building is due refunds, savings, and credits from overcharges that appear in a surprisingly large percentage of utility bills. Read More
From Park to Port
Brooklyn's Community Board 6 - which covers Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, the Columbia Street District, Red Hook, Gowanus and Park Slope - may be one of the most diverse community boards in the city. Read More
Real Property Income and Expenses
The New York City Department of Finance (DOF) utilizes income and expense information to estimate a property's market value, which in turn is used to calculate the real estate taxes levied thereon. The DOF culls this information from a variety of sources, most notably the Real Property Income and Expense Form (RPIE). Now is the time of year when your managing agent typically completes your RPIE Form, and there is some good news in that the due date has been postponed from what had generally been an early September deadline to September 20, 2004. The reason for the delay is to afford owners the opportunity to comply with the newly "streamlined"¯ filing requirements. While many filers will appreciate that the multiple forms and addendums previously required have been consolidated into one newly designed RPIE Form, those who were previously exempt from filing may not feel as fortunate as they too are now subject to certain reporting requirements. This latter group includes cooperatives that are either exclusively residential or have less than 1,000 square feet of commercial space and any properties with an assessed value below $40,000. Read More
Sky Gardens
In many buildings, the roof isn't just a protective covering to fend off the elements, but also a luxurious amenity where residents enjoy patio gardens and perhaps even lounge and socialize with neighbors. Read More
Measuring the Kilowatts
Building owners, managers and even superintendents are always on the lookout for ways to trim their operating budget's bottom line. Electricity and fuel costs continue to climb year after year and identifying cost savings in this area can become more and more difficult. One way to analyze your building's expenses is to conduct an energy audit, but getting one isn't as simple as it seems. Read More
Conserving Your Profits
The billing system used by New York City's Water Board - an autonomous, seven-member panel appointed by the mayor to set rates for the city's water and sewer services - has long been grounds for heated debate. As of the late 1980s, the city was one of the last urban areas to still charge customers a flat rate charge for water used. However, studies showed that New York City's per capita water consumption was the highest among the nation's urban areas. Read More
Keeping It Real
When people are charged for energy based on how much they use individually, good habits tend to follow. When you pay for electricity based on your usage, you're more likely to make sure that the lights are turned off when you leave a room, that you wash laundry in larger loads, and limit your air conditioning use even in the dog days of summer. Read More
When the Lights Go Out
It began last August with noncompliance with energy regulations in Ohio, and within hours, much of the Eastern Seaboard - including the city that never sleeps - came to a standstill. Although some areas of the city recovered power faster than others after the blackout of 2003, the question remains: Will it happen again? What has been done to prevent it? And most importantly, what can a building do to keep residents safe in the event of a blackout? Read More
Paper or Plastic
Recycling is good for the environment - everyone knows that. But it can be a pain keeping track of the changes - one year it doesn't include glass or plastics, the next, glass and plastics are back; one year, you recycle newspapers, the next, you recycle "mixed papers"¯ as well. And if this is confusing to the ordinary New York cooperator or condo owner, who has to take piles of newspapers and magazines down to the basement, it's doubly challenging for board members and building managers. Read More
