2007 May
Focus on... Design

Design Breathing Life into Lobbies on a Budget
2007 May Breathing Life into Lobbies on a Budget

Perhaps it's been years since your lobby was last updated, and the décor is reminiscent of an aesthetic better left in the past. Or perhaps the lobby and common areas have are showing signs of everyday wear-and-tear, and are now a hazard…

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Design Common Area Upgrades That Don't Break the Budget
2007 May Common Area Upgrades That Don't Break the Budget

You know that you need to upgrade your apartment so that the building can both maintain its value and avoid costly repairs and maintenance down the road. But have you considered the common areas in the building as something that can affect …

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Design Smart Solutions for Floor Coverings
2007 May Smart Solutions for Floor Coverings

When it's time for your co-op or condo to start discussing replacing the floor coverings for your lobby, staircase or hallways, it's important to look at all the options available, because a lot has changed over the past decade. Where once …

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Design Defining Your Capital Improvement Project
2007 May Defining Your Capital Improvement Project

A capital improvement, as the name suggests, is any property enhancement—or "improvement"—that increases its overall value—or "capital." Capital improvements can be undertaken by individual owners as well as co-op or condo boards.…

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Design Designing with Resident Needs in Mind
2007 May Designing with Resident Needs in Mind

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…

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Board Operations Don't Do It Yourself
2007 May Don't Do It Yourself

Every once in a while, one hears about a co-op or condo that has been neglected for some time and has some problems in its common areas. Dirt builds up on the lobby floor, the fluorescent lights on the ceiling flicker, paint is chipped from…

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Board Operations Managing a Gut Rehab Project
2007 May Managing a Gut Rehab Project

Starting a major renovation can be tough when you're dealing with a single-family home, but doing the job on a condo or co-op involves many considerations that house dwellers never face. It's not just a question of what contractors and prof…

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Buying & Selling Decorating with Feng Shui
2007 May Decorating with Feng Shui

Ever wonder why you suddenly get a feeling of relaxation and tranquility upon entering certain spaces, and your blood goes cold in others? Why some homes just feel happy and harmonious the moment you cross the threshold, and others just don…

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Neighborhoods A Look at Traditional Queens
2007 May A Look at Traditional Queens

Few people think of Flushing, Queens as a neighborhood of rich historical importance but they're missing the big picture. Perhaps best-known as the birthplace of television star Fran Drescher (and her unforgettable accent) and home to one o…

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Q&A Q&A: Too Many Pets
2007 May Q&A: Too Many Pets

Q I live in a 100 percent owner-occupied condominium. Our bylaws and house rules very clearly state that unit owners may have no more than two pets, only one of which may be a dog. One of the unit owners (who is also a board member) kee…

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Q&A Q&A:  Wall-to-Wall Noise Solution?
2007 May Q&A: Wall-to-Wall Noise Solution?

Q A couple of our co-op tenants are complaining of noisy neighbors. There is an issue of some residents not adhering to the 80 percent carpeting rule. As a result, the board voted that any new occupants be required to get wall-to-wall …

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Q&A Q&A: Risky Business
2007 May Q&A: Risky Business

Q Currently, I am on a board that is involved in litigation brought about because of a resale denial. I was recently told by a lawyer that if a co-op board is sued “personally and as board members” the following is true: The insu…

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Q&A Q&A: Financial Document Drama
2007 May Q&A: Financial Document Drama

Q Is a condominium required to produce an annual financial report? If they don’t, what is the recourse? If the management company doesn’t allow me, an owner, to review the finances under the New York State Real Property Law, what is my …

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