Problem Solved! For Co-ops and Condos

Your building's insurance renewal just became a high-stakes game, and many boards don't even know they're playing. In this episode, risk control specialist Brice Reynolds of Mackoul Risk Solutions reveals how insurance companies are now aggressively using "loss recs" to cancel policies within 30 days, leaving buildings scrambling for coverage. You'll discover what the...

Asking a doorman to watch packages and the front door simultaneously has become unsustainable in today’s package-happy world, but that’s the reality in many buildings. Marilyn Sygrove, president of Sygrove Associates , recounts how one Upper East Side co-op tackled a dysfunctional lobby that was set up so the doorman had to do both — a security nightmare that frustrated everyone. In this episode S...

Imagine cutting your building's energy costs by 25%, while keeping residents comfortable and complying with Local Law 97. One Queens co-op did just that, saving $24,000 using smart heating sensors. Izzy Friedman, director of technical services, and Daniel Berg, account manager at Entech , reveal how indoor temperature sensors can transform your building's heating system from a money-drai...

With the 2030 carbon emissions deadline approaching fast and major retrofits looming by 2035, New York City board members need to listen up. Mark Balsam, president of ReDocs , an energy and compliance consultancy, reveals why so many buildings are still scrambling despite years of advance notice — and more importantly, what smart boards are doing about it. Learn how analyzing your building's...

When a century-old building's terracotta cornice started cracking, the board faced what seemed like a straightforward fix: replace the damaged sections with new terracotta. But a closer examination of the numbers told a different story, says Michael Wolfe, president of Wolfe Realty Services, who consulted with the board. The cornice work cost $750,000, and the total project totalled $1.2 mill...

Board members struggling with constant water damage need to hear this: Jerry Kestenbaum, CEO of the technology and service provider Aware Buildings , explains how one 220-unit luxury co-op in Sutton Place transformed from having staff literally walk hallways listening for leak alarms to deploying a sophisticated wireless sensor network that catches problems in real time. Learn how this building in...

Tired of sky-high heating bills and residents complaining about wildly uneven temperatures? In this interview, Kelly-Ann Corrigan, CEO at the technology and service provider Runwise , reveals exactly how a 191-unit Bronx co-op transformed their bottom line using wireless sensor technology and strategic system upgrades. You'll discover how they invested just $60-70K and now save $50-60K every...

Think your digital payment system is safely depositing maintenance fees directly into your building's account? Think again. This eye-opening episode reveals how a Queens co-op discovered their payments were making mysterious detours through unauthorized intermediary accounts before reaching their bank. Carl Cesarano, managing shareholder at the auditing and accounting firm Cesarano & Khan...

Smart moves save money - just ask 160 West End Avenue. When this Manhattan co-op faced a $4 million facade repair project, their board sought a second opinion. The result? A more targeted approach that brought the cost down to under $900,000. John Galetta, principal at Superstructures Engineers and Architects tells the story to Habitat’s Paula Chin. Lesson learned: a thorough investigation before...

A new board at a 150-unit Westchester co-op was eager to take charge and make changes only to find themselves struggling with their current management company. The board couldn’t get access to the building’s financial records, had a never-ending temporary boiler instead of a completed boiler replacement and mounting tension with their current property manager. The board reached out to Tina Larsson...

With nearly 40% of a typical $2 million facade project going to "soft costs" like scaffolding and sidewalk sheds, smart planning of these inspections can lead to massive savings. In this episode, Gene Ferrara, president of JMA Consultants , offers an example of how one upper West Side building could save almost $900,000 by combining multiple inspections into one project. As NYC buildings...

During the period when a new condominium comes on the market and the sponsor finally turns over control to the condo board, who is paying for the condo’s operating expenses? The building is not fully sold so there aren’t enough paying owners to fund the budget, yet the building is operating as if it was fully occupied. Christopher Saray, manager at the accountancy firm of WilkinGuttenplan , explai...

A Yorkville co-op's successful HVAC upgrade demonstrates how boards can tackle Local Law 97 compliance while achieving significant cost savings. The $900,000 project, overseen by the ENPOWER Group , replaced an inefficient gas-powered absorption chiller with an electric heat pump system, eliminating $80,000 in annual carbon penalties and generating $80,000 in yearly energy savings, with a pro...

Rainwater is becoming more intense and groundwater tables are rising throughout New York City. 10 Plaza Street East, a Brooklyn co-op, felt this full force during 2021's Hurricane Ida when its entire subcellar floor flooded, including the storage room, the laundry room and the bike room. It happened again in 2022, and the board took matters in hand by bringing in Cowley Engineering . Habitat’...

When a loft condominium faced a potential collapse, residents were forced to vacate, revealing the financial and logistical challenges of such emergencies. Carl Cesarano, the accountant for the condo and principal at Cesarano and Khan , discusses the complex process of securing emergency funding, the importance of reserve funds, and the critical role of engineering assessments. Habitat’s Carol Ott...

Budgeting is always a complicated affair and increasing insurance costs have made this even more challenging. Jason Schiciano, co-president at Levitt-Fuirst Insurance & Bonding , shares how the timing of insurance renewals can help – or hinder – the challenge, and how boards can work with their brokers to stay on top of renewal timing before budgeting mistakes occur. Habitat’s Paula Chin condu...

Board members of newly constructed condominiums often find themselves battling a sponsor over construction defects, leading many to wonder why does this happen so often?  Each building is different, but RAND Engineering & Architecture’s president, Stephen Varone, and engineer Roger Krupp point to several reasons why these defects seem to occur frequently. For boards figuring out how to address...

What approach works best with façade issues: Band-Aid repairs or full-blown replacement? Depends on each building, and 245 West 99th St, a 34-story condominium, faced this issue when inspection of 17,000 rainscreen tiles revealed cracks that could cause tiles to fall, water leaks or other failures. Eric Vonderhyde, a principal at Bertolini Architectural Works , shares what the condo board consider...

It was a dark, dim lobby with no package storage, a small mail room, faux fireplaces with two sad chairs on each side, and no curb appeal. A redesign was in order, and Marilyn Sygrove, president of Sygrove Associates Design Group, explains the process used to transform it from a totally non-functional dark space into one that set a positive tone for this east side co-op in New York City. Habitat’s...

Construction defects aren’t just a new building problem, they can happen anytime a co-op or condo hires someone to take hammer and nail to something. In this episode Akaash Kancharla, CEO of aRoboticsCompany , shares how he used robotic tools to pinpoint leaks in a newly built deck at a 50-unit Astoria co-op, saving the board millions in repair costs. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview....

Sometimes the smallest parts can play an outsized role in reducing your building’s energy consumption. If you’ve got radiators, look no further than the steam trap or the oddly named orifice plate to see how these components, with a bit of diligence and care, can really deliver significant savings to your building’s energy usage. Habitat’s Carol Ott interviews Spencer Kraus, Vice President of Fred...

Apartment lobbies come in all sizes and shapes, but one thing most have in common are mailboxes. Jonathan Baron of Jonathan Baron Interiors shares how he modernized this vital area for one co-op, including the addition of a package storage cabinet. New postal code requirements for mailbox size and package storage lockers framed the redesign. Habitat’s Paula Chin interviews Jonathan Baron. Thanks f...

Hiring building staff can be a daunting exercise, particularly if it’s a key position such as a super or resident manager. One large Manhattan co-op faced this task head on when it fired its resident manager and turned to Spark Super, a third-party staffing company, for a temporary placement. James Park, Managing Director of Spark Super, shares the challenges such a significant hire brings, and ho...

Using wireless technology to monitor conditions in your building is the gold standard of catching leaks and other dangers. In this episode Jerry Kestenbaum, founder of Aware Buildings , explains how it can be successfully done at a price point that makes sense. The side benefit to these systems is its significant impact on your building’s insurance loss record – catch a leak before it does damage...

Retrofitting a building’s elevator is one challenge, but equally important are its aesthetics. Louis Lipson, a principal at Ethelind Coblin Architects, unpacks the story of a 1910 co-op that was upgrading its elevators to meet current building codes, but had historical elevator doors that were integral to their ambience. In this interview, conducted by Habitat’s Paula Chin, he explains how the two...