2006 Apr
2006 Apr Vol. 26, No. 4
Focus on...Exterior Maintenance
The Building People
Anyone who has ever gazed at the Manhattan skyline knows how much architecture has shaped the heart of New York City. It’s no surprise then that the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA New York) has grown into one of the most active and vital architectural organizations in the world. With a membership of more than 3,200 practicing architects, allied professionals, students and public members, the AIA NY has been involved in the growth of this city for more than a century, through a diverse array of educational and civic activities designed to explore the role of architects in housing, planning, historic preservation and urban design. Read More
Discussions in the Round
They say that two heads are better than one—but what about eight? It seems that when a group of people in the same line of work get together to discuss what they do and how they do it, they often come away with new information, fresh perspectives, and possible solutions to the challenges they face on a daily basis. Read More
There's Something About Great Neck
The nine villages and several unincorporated communities that make up the city of Great Neck are steeped in history. F. Scott Fitzgerald chose Great Neck as the setting for his famous novel, The Great Gatsby, and even though the area has gone through many changes since Fitzgerald’s time, one trip to Great Neck makes it clear why the community is one of Long Island’s gems. Read More
Fix Up, Look Sharp
The inspections and repairs required by the city’s Local Law 11 are often viewed by buildings as a costly hassle, but they can also been seen as an opportunity to make necessary improvements to your building’s façade, and to keep the area surrounding your building safe. Read More
Access for All
The city can be a tough place to navigate even for the most able-bodied New Yorkers. For the elderly, those with disabilities, or anyone whose mobility has been compromised by illness or injury—even temporarily—getting into their own building can feel like a monumental task. Read More
Squeaky Clean
New York City is a beautiful place, but let’s face facts—it gets pretty dirty. All the fumes from countless trucks and cars letting off exhaust leave a layer of grim on buildings so thick that in many cases, it’s impossible to know just how a lot of buildings were intended to look. Read More
Walking the Line
In a city that is made for walking, few stop to pause and look beneath their feet at the sidewalks that lead them uptown, downtown and crosstown. But these sidewalks—all 12,000 miles of them—form the arteries at the heart of New York. They are vitally important to the city, and over the years have earned legendary-status for themselves. Movies are named after these miles of concrete. Even former New York Governor Al Smith used them to his advantage in the 1920s—the tune “Sidewalks of New York” was the so-called Happy Warrior’s campaign theme song. Read More
Look Out Below
In a city known for its tall buildings, two kinds of structures loom almost as large as the buildings themselves—construction sheds (normally called a sidewalk shed) and scaffolds. Everyone has seen these familiar blue plywood platforms boosted up above the city’s sidewalks by crisscrossing frameworks of metal poles and girders. But what’s their purpose—and how does the city manage their safe construction and deconstruction? The answers are useful, both to boards and managing agents. Read More
Construction Laws
Sooner or later, your building will probably have to undergo an exterior maintenance, renovation or repair project—especially since Local Law 11 was passed in 1998, mandating periodic inspections of exterior walls of any building more than six stories in height. Read More
Q&A: Rental Issues in a Co-op
I am a rent-stabilized tenant in a co-op building. I was a tenant in the building before it became a co-op, and have had numerous problems with the owners. Read More
Q&A: Added Access, Added Cost
At our recent annual meeting we were shocked to learn that a single shareholder had, without any discussion, filed a complaint with the NYC or NYS over the absence of a ramp or some other special equipment (lift or elevator, possibly) that would provide her with better access our lobby (which includes a few steps up to the elevator on the first floor). We do have both steps and a ramp of sorts from the outside of each of the three buildings in our co-op that lead to the basement, where the elevator is then accessible without steps.
Read MoreQ&A: Understanding the Bylaws
I have been an apartment owner in a Woodside cooperative since 1985. Presently, we shareholders are faced with the problem of an overly controlling board. Read More
Q&A: Ballooning Mortgages
My co-op has a balloon mortgage that will burst in approximately 5-6 years if not refinanced. We were told that the lender will not allow a refinancing for at least another year, if not longer, and has refused to do one for the past 2-4 years. How can this be legal? Read More
