2007 Nov
2007 Nov Vol. 5, No. 11
Focus on...Building System Maintenance
Restoring Buildings After Emergencies
Apartment buildings, whether cooperatives or condos, are inherently fragile. When that many units share the same plot of land, and the same walls, the same floors, the same elevators and stairways, standpipes and boilers, lobbies and roofs, disasters—whether broken water pipes or the tragic in the case of decomposing bodies, fatal fires or building explosions—have the potential to spread quickly. Thus, when something nasty befalls a building, the first order of business is to contain the problem. Read More
Chute, Vent and Duct Cleaning
In a multifamily building with families who are cooking, cleaning, dusting and breathing, it's no surprise that airways, chutes and garbage rooms can get clogged and dirty over time. Garbage, debris and allergens build up in a building's airways and passages, eventually contributing to problems ranging from noxious smells to potential health problems for residents. To maintain the environmental health of your building, it's vital that the HVAC system, garbage chutes and collection areas—in short, your building's respiratory and circulatory systems—remain clean, sanitary and stench-free. Read More
True Life Stories of Residential Breakdowns
Ask a veteran building manager about his scariest horror story and he may recount a freezing winter night when the heating system went kaput, leaving a 400-unit building ice cold, or the time the sprinklers decided to kick on for no reason and drench freshly remodeled hallways. Some maintenance problems are like lightning, seeming to strike at random. The truth is that city dwellers rely heavily upon various building systems for their physical comfort, and sometimes those systems fail. When they do, residents can be left hot (or cold) and angry, or wet and upset — often as much by the cost of repairs as the event itself. Read More
Dealing with New Building Construction Woes
You can't walk around in any community these days without spying a new construction project—rows upon rows of condos seem to go up overnight and there's no shortage of people looking to get while the getting is good on brand new buildings with fancy amenities, new windows and doors, and not a whiff of anyone else's previous ownership. Read More
How to Minimize the Chaos
Any time a brand-new building or development is proposed in any given New Jersey community, there will be objectors. Residents might voice concerns about urban sprawl or the impact on their neighborhood's character, or they might just be concerned about the nuisance of having the noise and pollution of a construction site next door. Read More
The Sounds of Silence
For more than 60 years, the Greenbrook Sanctuary has served as an unparalleled refuge of natural beauty and wonder for city dwellers and suburbanites in search of a landscape without cars, without noise and without the flat grayness of concrete. Read More
Q&A: Board Members Not Shareholders
We have a board of directors who decides to use the proprietary lease when it is to their advantage. We have had a least three separate elections where there have been board members elected who were not shareholders. When a lawsuit is brought against the board of directors, will the insurance cover the entire board, even the ones who are not shareholders? Some of these board members are being sued as individuals. Read More
Q&A: Structural Change Issues
Our original condo declaration, bylaws, amendments and house rules allow for renovations to interior units without board approval if they do not affect a common area or are not structural in nature. I installed a wall partition (does not affect a bearing wall) in the dining room, which has created an additional room. The condo attorney is arguing that when you change the “character” of a unit, this is considered structural. In addition the board is upset that the original floor plan has been altered. I am an investor in this complex. I do not intend to have overcrowding in the unit. The unit does have greater rent ability/potential for profit. I obtained all proper permits from the town for the wall partition. The condo attorney has since sent a cease and desist letter to the town to not issue such permits and certificates of compliance anymore. I intend to fight this issue by asking the court for a permanent injunction. Am I being reasonable? Is the condo attorney right that structure equals character? Read More
Q&A: Clubhouse Rental
I live in a 133-unit HOA in New Jersey with a nice clubhouse. The residents of the HOA are allowed to rent out the clubhouse. My question is, can a clubhouse be rented out to persons not living in the community? The association is looking to bring in a little extra income. However, our insurance company will not cover us if we choose to do this, and wants to charge us extra per day to be able to rent out the clubhouse. What if a certificate of insurance was provided by the party renting the space? What are the possible liability issues? Read More
