Problem Solved! For Co-ops and Condos Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:49:15 -0400 http://www.habitatmag.com en © 2026 Problem Solved! For Co-ops and Condos yes f6219981-405f-5e32-b3db-4df9c0866644 publisher@habitatmag.com Habitat Magazine episodic false From building repairs and maintenance, energy upgrades, insurance, lobby redesigns, accounting and financing - the challenges facing co-op and condominium board directors are endless. In this series, Habitat Magazine editors interview New York City experts to learn how problems have been solved at their client co-op and condo buildings. We take a deep dive into the issues being confronted, the possibilities for solutions, the costs, the challenges, and the outcomes. Habitat Magazine, founded in 1982, is the trusted resource for New York City co-ops and condo board directors. Visit us at www.habitatmag.com

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) condominiums, co-ops, apartments, real estate, New York City, board of directors Habitat Magazine publisher@habitatmag.com https://storage.buzzsprout.com/gfs6aquzo2ziye4swbw2ft4710sn?.jpg Problem Solved! For Co-ops and Condos http://www.habitatmag.com Two Inches Down, a Queens Garage Got Complicated Two Inches Down, a Queens Garage Got Complicated A routine facade project turned into a $1.6 million garage overhaul at a Queens condo, and the board never saw the biggest surprise coming. Michel Monteiro, senior project engineer at Cowley Engineering, walks through what happened once crews started working on the concrete. He explains why the worst damage was not where anyone expected, how the board paid for the work, and how phasing the repairs kept 150 parking spaces from sparking a resident revolt. Monteiro also shares the warning signs every board member should know and the testing that can head off a dangerous discovery. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A routine facade project turned into a $1.6 million garage overhaul at a Queens condo, and the board never saw the biggest surprise coming. Michel Monteiro, senior project engineer at Cowley Engineering, walks through what happened once crews started working on the concrete. He explains why the worst damage was not where anyone expected, how the board paid for the work, and how phasing the repairs kept 150 parking spaces from sparking a resident revolt. Monteiro also shares the warning signs every board member should know and the testing that can head off a dangerous discovery. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19928593 Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:00:00 -0400 889 Season 4 4 18 full false How a $140,000 Facade Job Became a $1.9 Million Headache How a $140,000 Facade Job Became a $1.9 Million Headache A Local Law 11 facade inspection at a pre-war Upper East Side co-op looked like a routine, modestly budgeted job. Then the leaks entered the picture. Luke Pantaleo, partner at RAND Engineering and Architecture, shares how this 52-unit building's plans changed again and again, why finding the source of a leak is far harder than it sounds, and how the board's tough decisions affected shareholders. He explains why tracking down a leak is so tricky in century-old solid-wall construction, and what he would do differently if his team could start over. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A Local Law 11 facade inspection at a pre-war Upper East Side co-op looked like a routine, modestly budgeted job. Then the leaks entered the picture. Luke Pantaleo, partner at RAND Engineering and Architecture, shares how this 52-unit building's plans changed again and again, why finding the source of a leak is far harder than it sounds, and how the board's tough decisions affected shareholders. He explains why tracking down a leak is so tricky in century-old solid-wall construction, and what he would do differently if his team could start over. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19894537 Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:00:00 -0400 952 Season 4 4 17 full false How Forensic Audits Expose What Developers Leave Behind How Forensic Audits Expose What Developers Leave Behind New condo buildings can look flawless on the surface, but that polish sometimes hides problems that only become obvious once people have already moved in. In this episode, Joseph Cosentino, managing director and head of mechanical engineering at FSI Architecture, explains forensic audits, the deep investigations boards call for when something isn't adding up. Cosentino explains how his team pieces together what really happened during construction, comparing design documents and offering plans against what they find walking from the building's mechanical rooms to rooftops. He shares what tends to get overlooked, how these investigations connect to litigation against developers, and what timelines and costs actually look like. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> New condo buildings can look flawless on the surface, but that polish sometimes hides problems that only become obvious once people have already moved in. In this episode, Joseph Cosentino, managing director and head of mechanical engineering at FSI Architecture, explains forensic audits, the deep investigations boards call for when something isn't adding up. Cosentino explains how his team pieces together what really happened during construction, comparing design documents and offering plans against what they find walking from the building's mechanical rooms to rooftops. He shares what tends to get overlooked, how these investigations connect to litigation against developers, and what timelines and costs actually look like. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-19857962 Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:00:00 -0400 680 4 16 full false The Secret to Getting a Quorum The Secret to Getting a Quorum Getting people to run for a co-op or condo board is harder than it sounds, and one Brooklyn condo's experience shows just how much a broken process can hold a building back. Corinne Arnold and Will Kwan, managing partners at EZ Election Solutions, talk about what it really takes to turn apathy into engagement, from the subtle red flags that make a candidate risky to the surprisingly simple fixes that get more people to step up. They also unpack why quorum trouble is rarely just about disinterest, and how the right systems can change that before a meeting even starts. Whether you've sat through an election that dragged on for weeks or wondered why your building's board always seems to have empty seats, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at what separates a smooth election from a stalled one. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Getting people to run for a co-op or condo board is harder than it sounds, and one Brooklyn condo's experience shows just how much a broken process can hold a building back. Corinne Arnold and Will Kwan, managing partners at EZ Election Solutions, talk about what it really takes to turn apathy into engagement, from the subtle red flags that make a candidate risky to the surprisingly simple fixes that get more people to step up. They also unpack why quorum trouble is rarely just about disinterest, and how the right systems can change that before a meeting even starts. Whether you've sat through an election that dragged on for weeks or wondered why your building's board always seems to have empty seats, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at what separates a smooth election from a stalled one. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19823852 Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:00:00 -0400 1178 Season 4 4 15 full false The Real Cost of a Bad Laundry Room Contract The Real Cost of a Bad Laundry Room Contract Laundry rooms rarely make headlines, but when machines break down or vendors go quiet, they become the most talked-about amenity in the building. In this episode, Sandra DiLollo, sales manager at Automatic Industries, walks through what boards need to know before switching laundry vendors. She explains why timing matters so much, how vend pricing gets set, and what happens to the room during a changeover. DiLollo also breaks down the service guarantees that separate a good vendor from a frustrating one, and why boards should decide upfront whether they want the amenity to generate revenue or simply keep residents happy. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Laundry rooms rarely make headlines, but when machines break down or vendors go quiet, they become the most talked-about amenity in the building. In this episode, Sandra DiLollo, sales manager at Automatic Industries, walks through what boards need to know before switching laundry vendors. She explains why timing matters so much, how vend pricing gets set, and what happens to the room during a changeover. DiLollo also breaks down the service guarantees that separate a good vendor from a frustrating one, and why boards should decide upfront whether they want the amenity to generate revenue or simply keep residents happy. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19787611 Mon, 07 Sep 2026 13:00:00 -0400 511 Season 4 4 14 full false A Manhattan Condo's Race Against Carbon Fines A Manhattan Condo's Race Against Carbon Fines A 1960s condo on Manhattan's East Side was staring down carbon fines that would climb past $250,000 a year — until its board decided to act. Michael Scorrano, managing director and founder of the EN-POWER GROUP, a Verdantas Company, walks through how they swapped an aging, gas-fired heating and cooling system for electric chillers and heat pumps, all without disturbing a single shareholder's apartment. He breaks down how the building tackled its fuel switch and what other boards can learn, from the surprising mechanical hiccup that slowed things down mid-project to the rebate programs that helped offset the cost. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A 1960s condo on Manhattan's East Side was staring down carbon fines that would climb past $250,000 a year — until its board decided to act. Michael Scorrano, managing director and founder of the EN-POWER GROUP, a Verdantas Company, walks through how they swapped an aging, gas-fired heating and cooling system for electric chillers and heat pumps, all without disturbing a single shareholder's apartment. He breaks down how the building tackled its fuel switch and what other boards can learn, from the surprising mechanical hiccup that slowed things down mid-project to the rebate programs that helped offset the cost. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19745692 Mon, 31 Aug 2026 13:00:00 -0400 1104 Season 4 4 13 full false The Simple Tech Solution to Missing Equipment The Simple Tech Solution to Missing Equipment Luggage carts have a way of disappearing in doorman buildings, tucked into hallways and forgotten until someone else needs one and can't find it anywhere. It's the kind of small, everyday annoyance most residents just shrug off. On this episode of Problem Solved, Jerry Kestenbaum, founder and CEO of Aware Buildings, explains how one frustrated building turned that minor mystery into something much bigger: a real-time tracking system built on Bluetooth beacons and a clever wearable device. What started as a way to locate carts quickly evolved into something bigger, as staff found their own creative uses for the system. Kestenbaum walks through real installation costs, the surprising ways one building repurposed the system to monitor cleaning staff coverage, and where the technology is headed next: tracking service contractors to confirm they're actually showing up and doing the work they're paid for. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Luggage carts have a way of disappearing in doorman buildings, tucked into hallways and forgotten until someone else needs one and can't find it anywhere. It's the kind of small, everyday annoyance most residents just shrug off. On this episode of Problem Solved, Jerry Kestenbaum, founder and CEO of Aware Buildings, explains how one frustrated building turned that minor mystery into something much bigger: a real-time tracking system built on Bluetooth beacons and a clever wearable device. What started as a way to locate carts quickly evolved into something bigger, as staff found their own creative uses for the system. Kestenbaum walks through real installation costs, the surprising ways one building repurposed the system to monitor cleaning staff coverage, and where the technology is headed next: tracking service contractors to confirm they're actually showing up and doing the work they're paid for. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19662162 Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:00:00 -0400 932 Season 4 4 12 full false What It Really Costs to Get a Lobby Right What It Really Costs to Get a Lobby Right A West Village condo opened with a lobby designed by a high-profile architect, the kind of detail that helped sell apartments before anyone moved in. But once residents settled in, the design started working against them: materials that couldn't handle daily wear, finishes that felt more showroom than home, and a layout that made simple things harder than they should have been. Marilyn Sygrove, president of Sygrove Associates Design Group, unpacks what actually went wrong and how her team rebuilt the space from the ground up, balancing artistic ambition with everyday practicality. She shares how the board sourced local artists to anchor the redesign, the survey tactics that actually get honest resident input, and a budgeting approach that reframes a lobby project as a decades-long investment rather than a one-time expense. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A West Village condo opened with a lobby designed by a high-profile architect, the kind of detail that helped sell apartments before anyone moved in. But once residents settled in, the design started working against them: materials that couldn't handle daily wear, finishes that felt more showroom than home, and a layout that made simple things harder than they should have been. Marilyn Sygrove, president of Sygrove Associates Design Group, unpacks what actually went wrong and how her team rebuilt the space from the ground up, balancing artistic ambition with everyday practicality. She shares how the board sourced local artists to anchor the redesign, the survey tactics that actually get honest resident input, and a budgeting approach that reframes a lobby project as a decades-long investment rather than a one-time expense. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19647801 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:00:00 -0400 1068 Season 4 4 11 full false How a $38,000 Upgrade Paid for Itself in a Year How a $38,000 Upgrade Paid for Itself in a Year Insurance costs have become one of the biggest headaches for New York co-op and condo boards, and umbrella policies are feeling the squeeze hardest. Sophie Bird, senior vice president at IMA Corp., explains why boards today are buying a fraction of the coverage they once did, and what's driving the market to shrink this way. She also reveals a lesser-known path some buildings are using to secure far more protection for far less money, though it comes with strict conditions most people wouldn't expect insurance to care about. Bird shares a real example of a building that made one targeted investment and saw dramatic savings within a year, along with practical advice on the everyday factors that can quietly disqualify a building from the best options. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Insurance costs have become one of the biggest headaches for New York co-op and condo boards, and umbrella policies are feeling the squeeze hardest. Sophie Bird, senior vice president at IMA Corp., explains why boards today are buying a fraction of the coverage they once did, and what's driving the market to shrink this way. She also reveals a lesser-known path some buildings are using to secure far more protection for far less money, though it comes with strict conditions most people wouldn't expect insurance to care about. Bird shares a real example of a building that made one targeted investment and saw dramatic savings within a year, along with practical advice on the everyday factors that can quietly disqualify a building from the best options. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19610741 Mon, 03 Aug 2026 13:00:00 -0400 665 Season 4 4 10 full false How One Missed Detail Nearly Derailed a Filing Deadline How One Missed Detail Nearly Derailed a Filing Deadline Garage inspections sound like unremarkable, until a single overlooked detail turns a routine repair into a race against a filing deadline. In this episode, Charles Phillips, senior project manager at Merritt Engineering, takes us inside a Brooklyn co-op's compliance scramble, where solid structural conditions weren't the problem — details were. Phillips unpacks how communication can break down between a board, its management company, and the engineers doing the work, and what it actually takes to course-correct before penalties kick in. He also shares the physical red flags anyone parking in a building's garage should recognize, plus everyday maintenance choices that quietly extend a structure's life or shorten it. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Garage inspections sound like unremarkable, until a single overlooked detail turns a routine repair into a race against a filing deadline. In this episode, Charles Phillips, senior project manager at Merritt Engineering, takes us inside a Brooklyn co-op's compliance scramble, where solid structural conditions weren't the problem — details were. Phillips unpacks how communication can break down between a board, its management company, and the engineers doing the work, and what it actually takes to course-correct before penalties kick in. He also shares the physical red flags anyone parking in a building's garage should recognize, plus everyday maintenance choices that quietly extend a structure's life or shorten it. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19578269 Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:00:00 -0400 1015 Season 4 4 9 full false Six Buildings, One Facade Crisis, and a Plan That Worked Six Buildings, One Facade Crisis, and a Plan That Worked A five-year, nearly $10 million facade restoration across six Manhattan high-rises sounds like a board's worst nightmare, but careful planning turned it into a success story. Michael Stripunsky, associate principal at SUPERSTRUCTURES, unpacks the project's toughest challenges: coordinating repairs across 700-plus units without disrupting residents or the building's commercial tenants, deciding which facades to prioritize first, and finding a way to shrink the sidewalk shed's footprint long before the project was finished. He also details a documentation method that kept the contractor accountable at every stage of the concrete repair process, a small shift that made an outsized difference in efficiency. For boards bracing for their own facade project, Stripunsky offers insight into what actually keeps timelines and budgets under control, and what separates a project that runs smoothly from one that spirals. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A five-year, nearly $10 million facade restoration across six Manhattan high-rises sounds like a board's worst nightmare, but careful planning turned it into a success story. Michael Stripunsky, associate principal at SUPERSTRUCTURES, unpacks the project's toughest challenges: coordinating repairs across 700-plus units without disrupting residents or the building's commercial tenants, deciding which facades to prioritize first, and finding a way to shrink the sidewalk shed's footprint long before the project was finished. He also details a documentation method that kept the contractor accountable at every stage of the concrete repair process, a small shift that made an outsized difference in efficiency. For boards bracing for their own facade project, Stripunsky offers insight into what actually keeps timelines and budgets under control, and what separates a project that runs smoothly from one that spirals. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19526424 Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:00:00 -0400 623 Season 4 4 8 full false What Happens When a Co-op Can't Reach Quorum What Happens When a Co-op Can't Reach Quorum A 450-unit co-op in the Bronx spent years unable to get enough shareholders engaged to hold a valid board election. Linda Gibbs, owner and president of Honest Ballot, has spent nearly three decades helping buildings like this one solve that exact problem, mixing paper ballots, phone voting, and online systems to chase down the votes that keep slipping away. She talks candidly about what it takes to rebuild trust in a community that's stopped showing up, the surprising tension that erupts once ballots are finally counted, and one election gone so wrong that security had to get involved. It's a rare look inside the machinery that keeps community governance running, and a reminder that even routine elections can turn into something far more dramatic than anyone expects. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A 450-unit co-op in the Bronx spent years unable to get enough shareholders engaged to hold a valid board election. Linda Gibbs, owner and president of Honest Ballot, has spent nearly three decades helping buildings like this one solve that exact problem, mixing paper ballots, phone voting, and online systems to chase down the votes that keep slipping away. She talks candidly about what it takes to rebuild trust in a community that's stopped showing up, the surprising tension that erupts once ballots are finally counted, and one election gone so wrong that security had to get involved. It's a rare look inside the machinery that keeps community governance running, and a reminder that even routine elections can turn into something far more dramatic than anyone expects. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19509414 Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:00:00 -0400 989 Season 4 4 7 full false When a Management Transition Goes Quietly Wrong When a Management Transition Goes Quietly Wrong A management company transition should be routine: the old firm hands everything off, the new one takes over, and life goes on. But Carl Cesarano, principal at Cesarano & Khan, has spent years watching these handoffs quietly unravel, leaving boards scrambling months later when the annual audit comes due and nobody can locate records. Boxes get shipped, stored, and forgotten. Agents blame each other. And suddenly a building that's been operating for decades finds itself unable to produce a basic financial statement.

Cesarano breaks down the questions boards rarely think to ask during a handoff, and why a treasurer's diligence in the first few weeks can make or break an entire fiscal year. It's a study in what happens when "we'll sort it out later" becomes the plan, and a roadmap for making sure your building doesn't end up in the same bind. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A management company transition should be routine: the old firm hands everything off, the new one takes over, and life goes on. But Carl Cesarano, principal at Cesarano & Khan, has spent years watching these handoffs quietly unravel, leaving boards scrambling months later when the annual audit comes due and nobody can locate records. Boxes get shipped, stored, and forgotten. Agents blame each other. And suddenly a building that's been operating for decades finds itself unable to produce a basic financial statement.

Cesarano breaks down the questions boards rarely think to ask during a handoff, and why a treasurer's diligence in the first few weeks can make or break an entire fiscal year. It's a study in what happens when "we'll sort it out later" becomes the plan, and a roadmap for making sure your building doesn't end up in the same bind. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19465353 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:00:00 -0400 939 Season 4 4 6 full false The Repairs That Made a Facade Worse The Repairs That Made a Facade Worse A landmark Upper West Side co-op thought its terracotta facade just needed another round of repairs. Instead, it uncovered nine cycles of patchwork that had made things worse. Raul Mayta, principal architect and co-founder of M+S Architects and Engineers, walks through how his team used laser scanning and hands-on investigation to find hidden cracks masked by old waterproofing, and why some sections had to be fully replaced rather than repaired again. He explains the real difference between stabilizing and replacing terracotta, how digital documentation can save future boards time and money, and why accurate surveys set the tone for an entire project's budget and timeline. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A landmark Upper West Side co-op thought its terracotta facade just needed another round of repairs. Instead, it uncovered nine cycles of patchwork that had made things worse. Raul Mayta, principal architect and co-founder of M+S Architects and Engineers, walks through how his team used laser scanning and hands-on investigation to find hidden cracks masked by old waterproofing, and why some sections had to be fully replaced rather than repaired again. He explains the real difference between stabilizing and replacing terracotta, how digital documentation can save future boards time and money, and why accurate surveys set the tone for an entire project's budget and timeline. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19438364 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:00:00 -0400 979 Season 4 4 5 full false The Six Inches That Could Cost Your Building Thousands The Six Inches That Could Cost Your Building Thousands Replacing a roof sounds straightforward — until it isn't. For co-op and condo boards, a routine repair can spiral into a cascade of unexpected consequences, all triggered by something as small as a change in thickness. In this episode, Craig Tooman, principal at CTA Architects, talks about how today's energy code is quietly rewriting the rules of roof replacement in ways most boards never see coming. There's a high-tech solution that sounds almost too good to be true, but Tooman explains why it might not be the right call for every building. The tradeoffs are real, and boards who hear them now will be far better prepared when the time comes. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Replacing a roof sounds straightforward — until it isn't. For co-op and condo boards, a routine repair can spiral into a cascade of unexpected consequences, all triggered by something as small as a change in thickness. In this episode, Craig Tooman, principal at CTA Architects, talks about how today's energy code is quietly rewriting the rules of roof replacement in ways most boards never see coming. There's a high-tech solution that sounds almost too good to be true, but Tooman explains why it might not be the right call for every building. The tradeoffs are real, and boards who hear them now will be far better prepared when the time comes. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19402511 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:00:00 -0400 962 Season 4 4 4 full false The Financial Landmines Inside Every Management Transition The Financial Landmines Inside Every Management Transition Switching managing agents sounds straightforward — until it isn't. In this episode Meredith Wettach, manager at WilkinGuttenplan, unpacks the financial surprises that quietly derail co-op and condo buildings during management transitions. Wettach has seen it all: missing records, dormant accounts nobody knew existed, and six-figure expenses that slipped through the cracks for years before anyone noticed. She walks boards through the specific documents, accounts, and vendor relationships that demand immediate attention when a new agent takes over — and explains why even well-intentioned, hardworking boards so often miss them. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Switching managing agents sounds straightforward — until it isn't. In this episode Meredith Wettach, manager at WilkinGuttenplan, unpacks the financial surprises that quietly derail co-op and condo buildings during management transitions. Wettach has seen it all: missing records, dormant accounts nobody knew existed, and six-figure expenses that slipped through the cracks for years before anyone noticed. She walks boards through the specific documents, accounts, and vendor relationships that demand immediate attention when a new agent takes over — and explains why even well-intentioned, hardworking boards so often miss them. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19361629 Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:00:00 -0400 731 Season 4 4 3 full false The ADA Complaint That Went Federal The ADA Complaint That Went Federal Accessibility complaints are one of those slow-moving threats that co-op and condo boards rarely see coming — until they're already in trouble. In this episode, Louis Lipson and Eric Cohen, principals and architects at Ethelind Coblin Architect, walk through a real case that landed a New York City building in the crosshairs of the Department of Justice. What started as a single complaint from a patient visiting a doctor's office turned into a year-long process involving federal regulators, city agencies, attorneys, and some genuinely creative architectural problem-solving. Lipson and Cohen are candid about the constraints, the costs, and the moments where there simply wasn't a perfect answer. If you've ever wondered how buildings navigate the gap between what the law demands and what's physically possible, this might be the answer. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Accessibility complaints are one of those slow-moving threats that co-op and condo boards rarely see coming — until they're already in trouble. In this episode, Louis Lipson and Eric Cohen, principals and architects at Ethelind Coblin Architect, walk through a real case that landed a New York City building in the crosshairs of the Department of Justice. What started as a single complaint from a patient visiting a doctor's office turned into a year-long process involving federal regulators, city agencies, attorneys, and some genuinely creative architectural problem-solving. Lipson and Cohen are candid about the constraints, the costs, and the moments where there simply wasn't a perfect answer. If you've ever wondered how buildings navigate the gap between what the law demands and what's physically possible, this might be the answer. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-19327908 Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:00:00 -0400 1364 Season 4 4 2 full false Your Roof Is Hiding a Massive (But Fixable) Energy Problem Your Roof Is Hiding a Massive (But Fixable) Energy Problem If your building's energy bills feel like they're running on autopilot, it's time for a wake-up call. John Stevens, founder of Alternative Sustainability, reveals how rooftop exhaust fans could be costing your building up to $70,000 a year. He breaks down how newer fan technology can slash energy use by up to 87%, with a return on investment in as little than 1.6 years. Whether your building has five fans or forty-five, Stevens explains how boards can phase in replacements gradually without blowing the budget. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> If your building's energy bills feel like they're running on autopilot, it's time for a wake-up call. John Stevens, founder of Alternative Sustainability, reveals how rooftop exhaust fans could be costing your building up to $70,000 a year. He breaks down how newer fan technology can slash energy use by up to 87%, with a return on investment in as little than 1.6 years. Whether your building has five fans or forty-five, Stevens explains how boards can phase in replacements gradually without blowing the budget. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-19249513 Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:00:00 -0400 912 Season 4 4 1 full false When Century-Old Gas Pipes Finally Fail When Century-Old Gas Pipes Finally Fail A 1912 building on the Upper East Side failed its gas inspection and faced a terrifying reality: repairs could exceed half a million dollars, with residents losing cooking gas for an indefinite period. Peter Varsalona, principal at RAND Engineering & Architecture, walked the board through a systematic approach that ultimately saved them over $300,000 and minimized apartment disruptions. Varsalona explains exactly how they isolated the problem areas and why his testing strategy worked, but also reveals what happens when it fails spectacularly. He shares the specific changes that protect buildings and discusses why converting to electric might not be the solution everyone thinks it is. If your prewar building uses gas, this episode could save you from an expensive crisis. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A 1912 building on the Upper East Side failed its gas inspection and faced a terrifying reality: repairs could exceed half a million dollars, with residents losing cooking gas for an indefinite period. Peter Varsalona, principal at RAND Engineering & Architecture, walked the board through a systematic approach that ultimately saved them over $300,000 and minimized apartment disruptions. Varsalona explains exactly how they isolated the problem areas and why his testing strategy worked, but also reveals what happens when it fails spectacularly. He shares the specific changes that protect buildings and discusses why converting to electric might not be the solution everyone thinks it is. If your prewar building uses gas, this episode could save you from an expensive crisis. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-18470513 Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:00:00 -0500 823 Season 3 3 25 full false Why Your Governing Documents Are Sabotaging Your Insurance Rates Why Your Governing Documents Are Sabotaging Your Insurance Rates A newer Upper West Side condominium was facing a crisis: three water damage claims over four years had pushed their insurance premium from $50,000 to $130,000. Sophie Bird, Senior Vice President at IMA Financial Group, reveals how her team discovered the real culprit wasn't the building itself, but something hidden in the bylaws that was driving up claim costs. Bird explains the unconventional strategy her team used to help this condo escape the expensive non-admitted insurance market and start bringing premiums back down. Along the way, she shares insider knowledge about when boards should actually report claims and why frequency matters more than severity. Whether your board is currently struggling with rising insurance costs or wants to prevent future problems, this case study offers a roadmap for using governing documents strategically to protect your building's financial health. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A newer Upper West Side condominium was facing a crisis: three water damage claims over four years had pushed their insurance premium from $50,000 to $130,000. Sophie Bird, Senior Vice President at IMA Financial Group, reveals how her team discovered the real culprit wasn't the building itself, but something hidden in the bylaws that was driving up claim costs. Bird explains the unconventional strategy her team used to help this condo escape the expensive non-admitted insurance market and start bringing premiums back down. Along the way, she shares insider knowledge about when boards should actually report claims and why frequency matters more than severity. Whether your board is currently struggling with rising insurance costs or wants to prevent future problems, this case study offers a roadmap for using governing documents strategically to protect your building's financial health. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-18433634 Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0500 588 Season 3 3 24 full false Laser Scans and Leaning Towers: How Technology Is Revealing Facade Faults Laser Scans and Leaning Towers: How Technology Is Revealing Facade Faults What happens when a multi-million-dollar condo conversion hides serious structural problems in plain sight? Restoration architect Hannah Sebastian, co-founder of Mayta + Sebastian Architecture, walks board directors through a real-world case involving a landmarked former church near Washington Square, where leaks, failing marble, and a visibly — but not obviously — leaning spire sparked years of debate with shareholders. Board members will learn how advanced tools like laser scanning and BIM modeling helped cut through skepticism, clearly communicate risk, and ultimately build consensus for critical (and costly) repairs. The conversation offers practical lessons and concrete strategies on how data-driven visuals can defuse shareholder resistance, and why accurate records and phased capital planning are essential — especially in landmark buildings. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> What happens when a multi-million-dollar condo conversion hides serious structural problems in plain sight? Restoration architect Hannah Sebastian, co-founder of Mayta + Sebastian Architecture, walks board directors through a real-world case involving a landmarked former church near Washington Square, where leaks, failing marble, and a visibly — but not obviously — leaning spire sparked years of debate with shareholders. Board members will learn how advanced tools like laser scanning and BIM modeling helped cut through skepticism, clearly communicate risk, and ultimately build consensus for critical (and costly) repairs. The conversation offers practical lessons and concrete strategies on how data-driven visuals can defuse shareholder resistance, and why accurate records and phased capital planning are essential — especially in landmark buildings. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-18416494 Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0500 955 Season 3 3 24 full false The Hidden Price of Delaying Your FISP Inspection The Hidden Price of Delaying Your FISP Inspection An 18-story Upper West Side condo thought they were being financially prudent by delaying their facade inspection. Instead, they ended up paying half a million dollars more than they should have. Gene Ferrara, president at JMA Consultants, walks through exactly what went wrong with this building and why the problems kept compounding. The terracotta repairs turned out to be far more complicated than anyone expected, involving structural steel issues and difficult conversations with residents about moving furniture. The delays meant dealing with access agreements that became increasingly expensive and complex. Ferrara explains what this building could have done differently and offers specific guidance on timing that could help other buildings avoid the same costly mistakes. The technical details are fascinating, but what really comes through is how much money and headaches buildings could save with better planning and honest communication. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> An 18-story Upper West Side condo thought they were being financially prudent by delaying their facade inspection. Instead, they ended up paying half a million dollars more than they should have. Gene Ferrara, president at JMA Consultants, walks through exactly what went wrong with this building and why the problems kept compounding. The terracotta repairs turned out to be far more complicated than anyone expected, involving structural steel issues and difficult conversations with residents about moving furniture. The delays meant dealing with access agreements that became increasingly expensive and complex. Ferrara explains what this building could have done differently and offers specific guidance on timing that could help other buildings avoid the same costly mistakes. The technical details are fascinating, but what really comes through is how much money and headaches buildings could save with better planning and honest communication. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-18359735 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0500 986 Season 3 3 24 full false Cutting Cornice Costs Without Sacrificing Historic Character Cutting Cornice Costs Without Sacrificing Historic Character When a 1927 Emery Roth building on the Upper West Side faced a crumbling cornice, the board could have spent a fortune on traditional terracotta and waited two years for installation. Instead, Oswald Bertolini and Eric Vonderhyde, partners at Bertolini Architectural Works, came up with an unconventional solution that cut both costs and timelines while satisfying Landmarks' strict requirements. This conversation reveals the collaboration between architects, manufacturers, and preservationists that made the project work, plus insider strategies for managing complex facade repairs across multiple seasons. The results transformed how historic buildings approach restoration while honoring their architectural legacy. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When a 1927 Emery Roth building on the Upper West Side faced a crumbling cornice, the board could have spent a fortune on traditional terracotta and waited two years for installation. Instead, Oswald Bertolini and Eric Vonderhyde, partners at Bertolini Architectural Works, came up with an unconventional solution that cut both costs and timelines while satisfying Landmarks' strict requirements. This conversation reveals the collaboration between architects, manufacturers, and preservationists that made the project work, plus insider strategies for managing complex facade repairs across multiple seasons. The results transformed how historic buildings approach restoration while honoring their architectural legacy. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-18344067 Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0500 762 Season 3 3 23 full false How to Prepare for the Number 4 Oil Phase-Out How to Prepare for the Number 4 Oil Phase-Out New York City’s phase-out of No. 4 heating oil is accelerating, and Jeff Cohn, Director of Energy Programs at Approved Oil, lays out the practical steps every No. 4 oil-fueled building must take to stay compliant, control costs, and avoid mid-winter emergencies. Drawing on a real-world conversion at 95 Park Terrace, he explains how to evaluate your tank room, prepare for DOB inspections, adjust older boilers for lighter fuels, and tap into the savings and cleaner performance of biofuel blends.You’ll learn clear, actionable steps to take for a  fuel transition before deadlines and prices tighten. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> New York City’s phase-out of No. 4 heating oil is accelerating, and Jeff Cohn, Director of Energy Programs at Approved Oil, lays out the practical steps every No. 4 oil-fueled building must take to stay compliant, control costs, and avoid mid-winter emergencies. Drawing on a real-world conversion at 95 Park Terrace, he explains how to evaluate your tank room, prepare for DOB inspections, adjust older boilers for lighter fuels, and tap into the savings and cleaner performance of biofuel blends.You’ll learn clear, actionable steps to take for a  fuel transition before deadlines and prices tighten. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-18245542 Mon, 24 Nov 2025 13:00:00 -0500 749 Season 3 3 22 full false What Happens When Nobody's Watching Your Election What Happens When Nobody's Watching Your Election A 200-plus-unit Manhattan condo thought they were holding a routine virtual election. Votes were cast through Zoom chat and emergency intervention was required to certify the results. In this episode, Corinne Arnold and Will Kwan from EZ Election Solutions explain why they were brought in to salvage the situation. They walk through what went wrong, why the managing agent running the election created problems nobody anticipated, and how the chaos could have been avoided entirely. The conversation unpacks the warning signs other boards should watch for and reveals practical lessons about election security, voter privacy, and when to bring in outside help. If your building handles its own elections, this case study offers a cautionary tale worth hearing. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A 200-plus-unit Manhattan condo thought they were holding a routine virtual election. Votes were cast through Zoom chat and emergency intervention was required to certify the results. In this episode, Corinne Arnold and Will Kwan from EZ Election Solutions explain why they were brought in to salvage the situation. They walk through what went wrong, why the managing agent running the election created problems nobody anticipated, and how the chaos could have been avoided entirely. The conversation unpacks the warning signs other boards should watch for and reveals practical lessons about election security, voter privacy, and when to bring in outside help. If your building handles its own elections, this case study offers a cautionary tale worth hearing. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-18231884 Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500 662 Season 3 3 21 full false How Smart Building Controls Pay for Themselves How Smart Building Controls Pay for Themselves Warren House, a 330-unit post-war condo in Murray Hill, was staring down rising utility bills and Local Law 97 fines. What happened next offers a blueprint for other buildings facing similar pressures. Robert Post, vice president of co-op and condo at Parity, walks through the challenges Warren House encountered with their fan coil heating and cooling system, the technology solution they implemented, and why their first-year results blew past initial projections. He explains their approach of optimizing existing systems rather than replacing them, and details why collecting data throughout the building can be an invaluable asset for future planning. The conversation offers an inside look at how smart automation is transforming building operations, all while keeping residents comfortable and budgets intact. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Warren House, a 330-unit post-war condo in Murray Hill, was staring down rising utility bills and Local Law 97 fines. What happened next offers a blueprint for other buildings facing similar pressures. Robert Post, vice president of co-op and condo at Parity, walks through the challenges Warren House encountered with their fan coil heating and cooling system, the technology solution they implemented, and why their first-year results blew past initial projections. He explains their approach of optimizing existing systems rather than replacing them, and details why collecting data throughout the building can be an invaluable asset for future planning. The conversation offers an inside look at how smart automation is transforming building operations, all while keeping residents comfortable and budgets intact. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-18191206 Mon, 10 Nov 2025 13:00:00 -0500 767 Season 3 3 20 full false The Condo that Stopped Replacing “A with A” The Condo that Stopped Replacing “A with A” Residents of 1 Grand Army Plaza — a sleek, all-glass condo in Brooklyn — struggled with sweltering corridors and soaring repair bills, and set out to find why. Unfortunately, the “why” turned out to be a fundamental design flaw in the building’s ventilation system. The fix, shared by Amalia Cuadra, senior director of engineering at En-Power Group, was a phased capital project that not only restored comfort but also cut energy use, improved the building’s letter grade, and reduced carbon emissions — without blowing the budget. Cuadra urges boards to think beyond “replace A with A” and instead take a holistic, forward-looking approach to capital upgrades, which this Brooklyn condo successfully did. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Residents of 1 Grand Army Plaza — a sleek, all-glass condo in Brooklyn — struggled with sweltering corridors and soaring repair bills, and set out to find why. Unfortunately, the “why” turned out to be a fundamental design flaw in the building’s ventilation system. The fix, shared by Amalia Cuadra, senior director of engineering at En-Power Group, was a phased capital project that not only restored comfort but also cut energy use, improved the building’s letter grade, and reduced carbon emissions — without blowing the budget. Cuadra urges boards to think beyond “replace A with A” and instead take a holistic, forward-looking approach to capital upgrades, which this Brooklyn condo successfully did. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-18144607 Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:00:00 -0500 971 Season 3 3 19 full false Why Your Insurance Premium Just Tripled — and What To Do Why Your Insurance Premium Just Tripled — and What To Do Insurance carriers are abandoning New York buildings at an alarming rate, and your co-op or condo could be next. Jason Schiciano, co-president of Levitt-Fuirst Insurance and Bonding, reveals how a 108-unit cooperative saw their premium nearly triple after being non-renewed by their carrier. Learn why insurance companies are walking away from New York buildings and discover the red flags that could put your building at risk. Schiciano shares practical strategies to protect your building's insurability, and reveals why addressing maintenance issues now could save your board from a financial crisis later. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Insurance carriers are abandoning New York buildings at an alarming rate, and your co-op or condo could be next. Jason Schiciano, co-president of Levitt-Fuirst Insurance and Bonding, reveals how a 108-unit cooperative saw their premium nearly triple after being non-renewed by their carrier. Learn why insurance companies are walking away from New York buildings and discover the red flags that could put your building at risk. Schiciano shares practical strategies to protect your building's insurability, and reveals why addressing maintenance issues now could save your board from a financial crisis later. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-18105503 Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0400 922 Season 3 3 18 full false The Co-op That Lost Its Tax Break — and How It Got It Back The Co-op That Lost Its Tax Break — and How It Got It Back When a small Manhattan co-op suddenly saw its budget spike, rising costs weren’t the culprit — it was an administrative filing error. Turns out the co-op had lost its co-op tax abatement worth $60,000 because its management company had missed the rule regarding prevailing wage requirements. Avi Zanjirian, partner at Czarnowski & Beer walks us through how the board discovered the oversight, fixed the problem, and ultimately got the abatement reinstated. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When a small Manhattan co-op suddenly saw its budget spike, rising costs weren’t the culprit — it was an administrative filing error. Turns out the co-op had lost its co-op tax abatement worth $60,000 because its management company had missed the rule regarding prevailing wage requirements. Avi Zanjirian, partner at Czarnowski & Beer walks us through how the board discovered the oversight, fixed the problem, and ultimately got the abatement reinstated. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-18064308 Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0400 578 Season 3 3 17 full false Garage Ramps: The Canary in the Coal Mine Garage Ramps: The Canary in the Coal Mine When a routine facade inspection uncovered a catastrophic structural failure, the garage at an Upper East Side co-op became a ticking time bomb. In this episode, Michael Monteiro, senior project engineer at Cowley Engineering, explains why ramps are the canary in the coal mine for structural issues, what warning signs residents can spot themselves, and how ignoring deterioration can lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs. With 1,600 NYC properties still non-compliant with new inspection rules and the DOB conducting surprise inspections, this conversation could save your building from disaster.  Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When a routine facade inspection uncovered a catastrophic structural failure, the garage at an Upper East Side co-op became a ticking time bomb. In this episode, Michael Monteiro, senior project engineer at Cowley Engineering, explains why ramps are the canary in the coal mine for structural issues, what warning signs residents can spot themselves, and how ignoring deterioration can lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs. With 1,600 NYC properties still non-compliant with new inspection rules and the DOB conducting surprise inspections, this conversation could save your building from disaster.  Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-18015939 Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:00:00 -0400 739 3 16 full false The Simple System That Caught Over 3,000 Leaks The Simple System That Caught Over 3,000 Leaks Water damage is insidious: it will eat into your building's budget and drive up insurance costs. John Rusk, president and co-founder of ProSentry, reveals how an affordable leak detection system can transform your building's risk profile through the story of a condominium that saved $300,000 on insurance after installing sensors throughout the building. You'll learn about the surprisingly simple installation process and how you may even end up with a discount on your insurance. If you're facing rising insurance premiums or struggling with repeated water damage, this episode offers practical solutions that pay for themselves. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Water damage is insidious: it will eat into your building's budget and drive up insurance costs. John Rusk, president and co-founder of ProSentry, reveals how an affordable leak detection system can transform your building's risk profile through the story of a condominium that saved $300,000 on insurance after installing sensors throughout the building. You'll learn about the surprisingly simple installation process and how you may even end up with a discount on your insurance. If you're facing rising insurance premiums or struggling with repeated water damage, this episode offers practical solutions that pay for themselves. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-17989573 Mon, 06 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0400 1409 Season 3 3 15 full false Turn $100K Fines Into Smart Building Investments Turn $100K Fines Into Smart Building Investments Time is running out for New York co-op and condo boards facing Local Law 97's 2030 compliance deadline, but there's a smart path forward. Punit Shah, Vice President of Existing Buildings at Bright Power, shares the surprising reality facing one Upper East Side condo that was looking at massive penalties. Shah reveals the three-phase approach that's transforming buildings across the city, from quick-payback retrofits to electrification readiness measures. Whether your building can achieve full electrification or needs hybrid solutions, this episode provides the actionable roadmap every board member needs to hear before 2028. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Time is running out for New York co-op and condo boards facing Local Law 97's 2030 compliance deadline, but there's a smart path forward. Punit Shah, Vice President of Existing Buildings at Bright Power, shares the surprising reality facing one Upper East Side condo that was looking at massive penalties. Shah reveals the three-phase approach that's transforming buildings across the city, from quick-payback retrofits to electrification readiness measures. Whether your building can achieve full electrification or needs hybrid solutions, this episode provides the actionable roadmap every board member needs to hear before 2028. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17904860 Mon, 22 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0400 666 Season 3 3 14 full false When Building Electrification Uncovers Decades of Hidden Problems When Building Electrification Uncovers Decades of Hidden Problems When a post-war Upper West Side co-op decided to electrify to meet Local Law 97 requirements, they thought they had a clear roadmap. But what started as a $2 million project quickly spiraled into something much bigger and much more complex. Tina Larsson, CEO of The Folson Group, reveals why even well thought out projects can double in cost and scope. If you're planning any major infrastructure work, her insights could save your building from similar surprises. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When a post-war Upper West Side co-op decided to electrify to meet Local Law 97 requirements, they thought they had a clear roadmap. But what started as a $2 million project quickly spiraled into something much bigger and much more complex. Tina Larsson, CEO of The Folson Group, reveals why even well thought out projects can double in cost and scope. If you're planning any major infrastructure work, her insights could save your building from similar surprises. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17868748 Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0400 860 Season 3 3 13 full false When the Gas Goes Out: A Bronx Co-op’s Laundry Saga When the Gas Goes Out: A Bronx Co-op’s Laundry Saga Gas shutdowns are every building's nightmare, and depending on which service is affected residents could be without heat, cooking or laundry service for who knows how long. Getting service restored can open a can of worms though, particularly in a laundry room. Ashley Erichsen, an account executive at Automatic Industries, explains why and details the journey of a large Bronx co-op to get its laundry room back up and running after a gas shutdown. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Gas shutdowns are every building's nightmare, and depending on which service is affected residents could be without heat, cooking or laundry service for who knows how long. Getting service restored can open a can of worms though, particularly in a laundry room. Ashley Erichsen, an account executive at Automatic Industries, explains why and details the journey of a large Bronx co-op to get its laundry room back up and running after a gas shutdown. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17796735 Mon, 01 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0400 435 Season 3 3 12 full false Why Your Sponsor May Still Owe Your Building Money Why Your Sponsor May Still Owe Your Building Money Board members taking control of new condominiums need to engage an independent accountant to perform a proper financial true-up — before it's too late. Amy Jennings, a manager at WilkinGuttenplan, reveals how one Manhattan condo board discovered their sponsor owed them six figures only after the waiver period (when the sponsor markets the building by waiving common charges) ended. The building had secretly been running at a loss for at least a year. Worse, this isn't an isolated incident. Jennings explains the crucial differences in accounting that create these budgeting gaps. If your building recently transitioned from sponsor control, this episode could save your building substantial money. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Board members taking control of new condominiums need to engage an independent accountant to perform a proper financial true-up — before it's too late. Amy Jennings, a manager at WilkinGuttenplan, reveals how one Manhattan condo board discovered their sponsor owed them six figures only after the waiver period (when the sponsor markets the building by waiving common charges) ended. The building had secretly been running at a loss for at least a year. Worse, this isn't an isolated incident. Jennings explains the crucial differences in accounting that create these budgeting gaps. If your building recently transitioned from sponsor control, this episode could save your building substantial money. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17744470 Mon, 25 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0400 887 Season 3 3 11 full false How a Harlem Condo Uncovered Hidden Water Waste How a Harlem Condo Uncovered Hidden Water Waste Water waste is often a silent drain on your building’s finances, and it takes a bit of sleuthing to find the source. Alan Rothschild, president of the Vantage Group, a water cost management consultancy, reveals how one Harlem condominium discovered their commercial tenant was secretly using water-cooled refrigeration equipment that bypassed their sub-meter, costing the building thousands annually. He shares practical strategies for  identifying waste, the real cost of sub-metering commercial spaces, and what professional water conservation tune-ups actually accomplish. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Water waste is often a silent drain on your building’s finances, and it takes a bit of sleuthing to find the source. Alan Rothschild, president of the Vantage Group, a water cost management consultancy, reveals how one Harlem condominium discovered their commercial tenant was secretly using water-cooled refrigeration equipment that bypassed their sub-meter, costing the building thousands annually. He shares practical strategies for  identifying waste, the real cost of sub-metering commercial spaces, and what professional water conservation tune-ups actually accomplish. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17711451 Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0400 673 Season 3 3 10 full false The Hidden Alteration Risk That Could Bankrupt Your Building The Hidden Alteration Risk That Could Bankrupt Your Building When an Upper East Side co-op’s gas pipes failed Local Law 152 inspection and service was immediately shut off, what happened next could have cost over half a million dollars. Instead, smart planning kept repairs under $200,000, and engineering expert Peter Varsalona, principal at Rand Engineering and Architecture, reveals the step-by-step strategy that saved this building from disaster. Learn why testing gas systems in sections was crucial and how individual apartment meters created unexpected complications. Discover why waiting for the mandatory four-year inspection is a costly mistake, learn specific alteration agreement language that protects your building from shareholder-caused gas shutdowns, and understand when converting to electric makes financial sense. This real-world case study could save your building hundreds of thousands of dollars and months of resident disruption. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When an Upper East Side co-op’s gas pipes failed Local Law 152 inspection and service was immediately shut off, what happened next could have cost over half a million dollars. Instead, smart planning kept repairs under $200,000, and engineering expert Peter Varsalona, principal at Rand Engineering and Architecture, reveals the step-by-step strategy that saved this building from disaster. Learn why testing gas systems in sections was crucial and how individual apartment meters created unexpected complications. Discover why waiting for the mandatory four-year inspection is a costly mistake, learn specific alteration agreement language that protects your building from shareholder-caused gas shutdowns, and understand when converting to electric makes financial sense. This real-world case study could save your building hundreds of thousands of dollars and months of resident disruption. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17653855 Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0400 561 Season 3 3 9 full false Why Your Building Could Lose Insurance Coverage Tomorrow Why Your Building Could Lose Insurance Coverage Tomorrow 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 these are, why simple sidewalk cracks and damaged curbs have become threats to your building's insurability and why old strategies for getting insurance no longer work. Reynolds shares real case studies, including how one Manhattan co-op nearly lost coverage due to administrative delays, and explains the specific timeline pressures boards face. This isn't theoretical — it's happening to buildings across New York City right now, and your board needs to know what to do to protect your community's future. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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 these are, why simple sidewalk cracks and damaged curbs have become threats to your building's insurability and why old strategies for getting insurance no longer work. Reynolds shares real case studies, including how one Manhattan co-op nearly lost coverage due to administrative delays, and explains the specific timeline pressures boards face. This isn't theoretical — it's happening to buildings across New York City right now, and your board needs to know what to do to protect your community's future. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17625225 Mon, 04 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0400 1028 Season 3 3 8 full false From Dysfunctional Entrance to Stunning Space for $800K From Dysfunctional Entrance to Stunning Space for $800K 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, Sygrove shares her three-step approach to solving design challenges such as this one, breaks down the financial reality of a lobby renovation, and provides strategies for financial planning, including assessments and payment schedules. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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, Sygrove shares her three-step approach to solving design challenges such as this one, breaks down the financial reality of a lobby renovation, and provides strategies for financial planning, including assessments and payment schedules. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17558625 Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0400 778 Season 3 3 7 full false Stop Throwing Money at Your Heating Bills Stop Throwing Money at Your Heating Bills 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-draining guessing game into a precision operation. Learn how these systems catch expensive problems before they become disasters, like the building that was hemorrhaging 1,100 gallons of water daily due to an underground leak that sensors detected within a week.

Beyond the immediate savings, Friedman and Berg explain how predictive maintenance can extend your boiler's life and eliminate those dreaded emergency repairs. No matter what kind of system you're running, this smart building technology can pay for itself in under a year while giving you the data to make informed decisions about your property's future. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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-draining guessing game into a precision operation. Learn how these systems catch expensive problems before they become disasters, like the building that was hemorrhaging 1,100 gallons of water daily due to an underground leak that sensors detected within a week.

Beyond the immediate savings, Friedman and Berg explain how predictive maintenance can extend your boiler's life and eliminate those dreaded emergency repairs. No matter what kind of system you're running, this smart building technology can pay for itself in under a year while giving you the data to make informed decisions about your property's future. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17526607 Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0400 728 Season 3 3 6 full false Beat the Clock on Local Law 97 Without Breaking the Bank Beat the Clock on Local Law 97 Without Breaking the Bank 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 square footage differently could slash your carbon targets, why paying penalties might hurt your financing and insurance options, and which compliance strategies actually deliver ROI. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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 square footage differently could slash your carbon targets, why paying penalties might hurt your financing and insurance options, and which compliance strategies actually deliver ROI. Habitat's Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17477981 Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:00:00 -0400 591 Season 2 3 5 full false The Terracotta Trap: Why the 'Obvious' Fix Isn't Always Right The Terracotta Trap: Why the 'Obvious' Fix Isn't Always Right 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 million when scaffolding and mobilization was factored in. By thinking ahead, this building avoided spending another $300,000-$400,000 on future mobilization costs when those terracotta patches would inevitably fail again. In this episode, Wolfe shares why it might pay to spend more upfront — sometimes the "obvious" solution isn't the smartest one — especially when you're planning for the long haul. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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 million when scaffolding and mobilization was factored in. By thinking ahead, this building avoided spending another $300,000-$400,000 on future mobilization costs when those terracotta patches would inevitably fail again. In this episode, Wolfe shares why it might pay to spend more upfront — sometimes the "obvious" solution isn't the smartest one — especially when you're planning for the long haul. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17433966 Mon, 30 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0400 874 Season 3 3 4 full false How One NYC Co-op Stopped Playing Whack-a-Mole with Water Leaks How One NYC Co-op Stopped Playing Whack-a-Mole with Water Leaks 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 invested $85,000 upfront to eliminate the chaos of battery-operated sensors that died at the worst moments, and discover the surprising connectivity solutions that work when cellular signals fail and running new cables isn't an option. Beyond immediate leak detection, Kestenbaum explains the critical insurance implications that could save your building from being dropped by carriers entirely. With water damage claims forcing insurers to abandon "leaky buildings," this technology isn't just about convenience anymore — it's about maintaining insurability and competitive rates in an increasingly difficult market. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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 invested $85,000 upfront to eliminate the chaos of battery-operated sensors that died at the worst moments, and discover the surprising connectivity solutions that work when cellular signals fail and running new cables isn't an option. Beyond immediate leak detection, Kestenbaum explains the critical insurance implications that could save your building from being dropped by carriers entirely. With water damage claims forcing insurers to abandon "leaky buildings," this technology isn't just about convenience anymore — it's about maintaining insurability and competitive rates in an increasingly difficult market. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17365688 Tue, 24 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400 854 Season 3 3 3 full false How One Bronx Co-op Cut $100K Annually Through Smart Building Technology How One Bronx Co-op Cut $100K Annually Through Smart Building Technology 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 year on heating costs alone, plus an additional $50K in water savings by switching from fixed-rate to metered billing.

Board will learn practical strategies for detecting hidden problems like steam distribution issues and water leaks that silently drain budgets. Corrigan covers everything from understanding master steam venting to navigating Local Law 97 compliance, plus how modern building monitoring can extend equipment lifespan and prevent costly emergency repairs. Whether you're facing budget pressures or preparing for carbon emission regulations, this episode offers a roadmap for turning building efficiency into serious savings. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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 year on heating costs alone, plus an additional $50K in water savings by switching from fixed-rate to metered billing.

Board will learn practical strategies for detecting hidden problems like steam distribution issues and water leaks that silently drain budgets. Corrigan covers everything from understanding master steam venting to navigating Local Law 97 compliance, plus how modern building monitoring can extend equipment lifespan and prevent costly emergency repairs. Whether you're facing budget pressures or preparing for carbon emission regulations, this episode offers a roadmap for turning building efficiency into serious savings. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-17365648 Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0400 978 Season 3 3 2 full false Digital Payment Platforms May Be Secretly Routing Your Building's Money Digital Payment Platforms May Be Secretly Routing Your Building's Money 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, exposes the hidden risks lurking in popular payment platforms. You'll learn why that convenient digital system might actually be creating dangerous blind spots in your financial oversight, how these payment delays can wreck your building's cash flow planning, and what red flags to watch for when reviewing your bank statements.

Whether you're a treasurer trying to track down missing payments or a board member wondering why your budget projections keep falling short, this episode delivers the insider knowledge you need to protect your building's finances. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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, exposes the hidden risks lurking in popular payment platforms. You'll learn why that convenient digital system might actually be creating dangerous blind spots in your financial oversight, how these payment delays can wreck your building's cash flow planning, and what red flags to watch for when reviewing your bank statements.

Whether you're a treasurer trying to track down missing payments or a board member wondering why your budget projections keep falling short, this episode delivers the insider knowledge you need to protect your building's finances. Habitat's Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-17325940 Mon, 09 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0400 657 3 1 full false The $3 Million Second Opinion The $3 Million Second Opinion 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 starting repairs can lead to massive savings. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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 starting repairs can lead to massive savings. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-16173113 Tue, 26 Nov 2024 07:00:00 -0500 1008 Season 2 2 27 full false Breaking Up With Your Property Manager? Here's Your Roadmap to Success Breaking Up With Your Property Manager? Here's Your Roadmap to Success 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, founder and CEO of the Folson Group, for help. In this interview Larson, acting as a consultant to the board, explains how she helped the board figure out what it was looking for and then move forward with finding new management and negotiating contract terms. Habitat’s Paula Chin conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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, founder and CEO of the Folson Group, for help. In this interview Larson, acting as a consultant to the board, explains how she helped the board figure out what it was looking for and then move forward with finding new management and negotiating contract terms. Habitat’s Paula Chin conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-16134237 Tue, 19 Nov 2024 11:00:00 -0500 893 Season 2 2 26 full false How Bundling NYC Building Inspections Could Save Co-ops Nearly $1M How Bundling NYC Building Inspections Could Save Co-ops Nearly $1M 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 face the end of the ninth facade inspection cycle and the beginning of the tenth in 2025, Ferrara shares practical strategies for boards to navigate these overlapping regulations while keeping costs down. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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 face the end of the ninth facade inspection cycle and the beginning of the tenth in 2025, Ferrara shares practical strategies for boards to navigate these overlapping regulations while keeping costs down. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-16099286 Wed, 13 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0500 749 Season 2 2 25 full false Following the Money: What New Condo Boards Need to Know About Sponsor Exit Following the Money: What New Condo Boards Need to Know About Sponsor Exit 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, explains the how this works, what new condo boards need to understand about the budget when they take over and what condo buyers should be aware of. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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, explains the how this works, what new condo boards need to understand about the budget when they take over and what condo buyers should be aware of. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-16064599 Thu, 07 Nov 2024 11:00:00 -0500 1070 Season 2 2 24 full false A Practical Blueprint: Yorkville Co-op's Decarbonization Plan A Practical Blueprint: Yorkville Co-op's Decarbonization Plan 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 projected 5-year payback period. Habitat's Emily Myers interviews ENPOWER's Michael Scorrano, managing director, to understand this practical blueprint for other NYC buildings facing similar challenges.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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 projected 5-year payback period. Habitat's Emily Myers interviews ENPOWER's Michael Scorrano, managing director, to understand this practical blueprint for other NYC buildings facing similar challenges.

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]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-16003428 Mon, 28 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0400 987 Season 2 2 23 full false Rising Waters, Brooklyn Battles: Fixing Floods in the Heart of NYC Rising Waters, Brooklyn Battles: Fixing Floods in the Heart of NYC 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’s Emily Myers interviews Michael Monteiro, senior project manager at the engineering firm to find out why the subcellar continued to flood and what the fix was.

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]]> 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’s Emily Myers interviews Michael Monteiro, senior project manager at the engineering firm to find out why the subcellar continued to flood and what the fix was.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15977080 Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:00:00 -0400 813 Season 2 2 23 full false The Financial Consequences of a Condo's Near Collapse The Financial Consequences of a Condo's Near Collapse 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 conducts the interview.

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]]> 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 conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15929328 Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0400 1257 Season 2 2 22 full false Meeting Your Property's Insurance Challenge Meeting Your Property's Insurance Challenge 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 conducts the interview.

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]]> 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 conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15883537 Mon, 07 Oct 2024 12:00:00 -0400 950 Season 2 2 21 full false How to Create A “Best Case” Repair Program How to Create A “Best Case” Repair Program 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 needs to be fixed, Varone and Krupp offer some real-world solutions on how to take an expensive critical problem and turn it into an affordable nuisance. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

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]]> 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 needs to be fixed, Varone and Krupp offer some real-world solutions on how to take an expensive critical problem and turn it into an affordable nuisance. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

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]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15840689 Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:00:00 -0400 1691 Season 2 2 20 full false Facade Fix or Repair: One Board's Decision Journey Facade Fix or Repair: One Board's Decision Journey 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 considered when faced with repair or replacement options. Habitat’s Paula Chin conducts the interview.

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]]> 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 considered when faced with repair or replacement options. Habitat’s Paula Chin conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15806598 Tue, 24 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400 895 Season 2 2 19 full false Taking the Right Steps In A Lobby Transformation Taking the Right Steps In A Lobby Transformation 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 Paula Chin conducts the interview.

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]]> 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 Paula Chin conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15783134 Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:00:00 -0400 776 Season 2 2 18 full false How A Robotics Sleuth Came To The Rescue How A Robotics Sleuth Came To The Rescue 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.

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]]> 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.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15720181 Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:00:00 -0400 804 Season 2 2 17 full false Steam Traps and Orifice Plates, Oh My! Steam Traps and Orifice Plates, Oh My! 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 Smith Plumbing, to learn the ins and outs of the dynamic role these small parts can play.

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]]> 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 Smith Plumbing, to learn the ins and outs of the dynamic role these small parts can play.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15697697 Sun, 08 Sep 2024 13:00:00 -0400 815 Season 2 2 16 full false How Form And Function Guides A Lobby Re-Design How Form And Function Guides A Lobby Re-Design 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.

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]]> 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 for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15596525 Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400 765 Season 2 2 15 full false How To Overcome Building Staff Hiring Challenges How To Overcome Building Staff Hiring Challenges 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 how it can be met. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

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]]> 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 how it can be met. Habitat’s Emily Myers conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15569323 Mon, 12 Aug 2024 11:00:00 -0400 1160 full false Why Your Building's Best Friend Should Be Wireless Technology Why Your Building's Best Friend Should Be Wireless Technology 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 and you can avoid filing insurance claims for the repairs. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

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]]> 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 and you can avoid filing insurance claims for the repairs. Habitat’s Carol Ott conducts the interview.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15538770 Tue, 06 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400 1081 Season 2 2 13 full false How a 1910 Co-op Conquered Elevator Retrofit Challenges How a 1910 Co-op Conquered Elevator Retrofit Challenges 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 challenges were met.

 


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> 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 challenges were met.

 


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]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15500241 Tue, 30 Jul 2024 11:00:00 -0400 1155 Season 2 2 12 full false How An Action Plan Helped A Condo Overcome Insurance Challenges How An Action Plan Helped A Condo Overcome Insurance Challenges A relatively new 41-unit condo on the lower east side of Manhattan was plagued by leaking PTAC units in owner apartments, and it filed $500,000 dollars in insurance claims over four years. That helped pay for the fix, but over the years their annual insurance premiums doubled from $35,000 to $70,000, with the prospect of a renewal costing over $100,000. Habitat’s Paula Chin speaks with Sophie Bird, senior VP at IMA Financial Group, to find out what they did to rein in these costs and make themselves more attractive to other carriers so they could get insured. 

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]]> A relatively new 41-unit condo on the lower east side of Manhattan was plagued by leaking PTAC units in owner apartments, and it filed $500,000 dollars in insurance claims over four years. That helped pay for the fix, but over the years their annual insurance premiums doubled from $35,000 to $70,000, with the prospect of a renewal costing over $100,000. Habitat’s Paula Chin speaks with Sophie Bird, senior VP at IMA Financial Group, to find out what they did to rein in these costs and make themselves more attractive to other carriers so they could get insured. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15460795 Tue, 23 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400 1031 Season 2 2 11 full false Terracotta Troubles: How a Fifth Avenue Co-op Faced the Challenges of Facade Repair Terracotta Troubles: How a Fifth Avenue Co-op Faced the Challenges of Facade Repair Many apartment buildings with terracotta details are beautiful to look at, but with beauty comes expense if the material needs repair. Dane Barnes P.E, partner at Joseph K. Blum, was hired to do a façade inspection at a prominent Fifth Avenue co-op and found multiple cracks on the terracotta cornice. Small cracks often signify dangerous conditions underneath. “When we see these kinds of conditions our heart sinks because we know we’re going to have to give bad news to the board.” In this episode of Problem Solved, Habitat editor Paula Chin interviews Dane Barnes to learn how the bad news was delivered, what materials were proposed for the fix, how the project passed all the regulatory hurdles, the project cost and the final outcome.

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]]> Many apartment buildings with terracotta details are beautiful to look at, but with beauty comes expense if the material needs repair. Dane Barnes P.E, partner at Joseph K. Blum, was hired to do a façade inspection at a prominent Fifth Avenue co-op and found multiple cracks on the terracotta cornice. Small cracks often signify dangerous conditions underneath. “When we see these kinds of conditions our heart sinks because we know we’re going to have to give bad news to the board.” In this episode of Problem Solved, Habitat editor Paula Chin interviews Dane Barnes to learn how the bad news was delivered, what materials were proposed for the fix, how the project passed all the regulatory hurdles, the project cost and the final outcome.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15413310 Mon, 15 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400 880 2 10 full false Laundry Rooms: Tech, Compliance and Contracts Laundry Rooms: Tech, Compliance and Contracts Some people own multi-million-dollar apartments, others on a more modest scale, but doing laundry in a communal laundry room is one activity that levels the playing field. That makes the choice of a laundry room vendor crucial to providing a space that meets the needs of the community while at the same time a much-needed revenue source.  In this episode Habitat Magazine's Carol Ott speaks to Automatic Industries president Denise Savino about user-friendly solutions for diverse demographics, laundry room legalities, technology, different types of laundry room contracts and the timing sequence of searching for a new vendor or negotiating with your current one.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Some people own multi-million-dollar apartments, others on a more modest scale, but doing laundry in a communal laundry room is one activity that levels the playing field. That makes the choice of a laundry room vendor crucial to providing a space that meets the needs of the community while at the same time a much-needed revenue source.  In this episode Habitat Magazine's Carol Ott speaks to Automatic Industries president Denise Savino about user-friendly solutions for diverse demographics, laundry room legalities, technology, different types of laundry room contracts and the timing sequence of searching for a new vendor or negotiating with your current one.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15379561 Mon, 08 Jul 2024 13:00:00 -0400 816 2 9 full true From Steam to Green: How A Beekman Hill Co-op Made the Leap From Steam to Green: How A Beekman Hill Co-op Made the Leap Around 1500 buildings in New York City use Con Ed steam for heating and cooling, and many are considering moving to electricity to reduce their carbon emissions. If your building has a distribution system that uses the same pipes for heating and cooling, like the Beekman Hill co-op discussed in this episode, there are steps to take and timing issues to consider. Habitat Magazine's Carol Ott speaks to Controlled Combustion president Michael Bendjouya about what those are.

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]]> Around 1500 buildings in New York City use Con Ed steam for heating and cooling, and many are considering moving to electricity to reduce their carbon emissions. If your building has a distribution system that uses the same pipes for heating and cooling, like the Beekman Hill co-op discussed in this episode, there are steps to take and timing issues to consider. Habitat Magazine's Carol Ott speaks to Controlled Combustion president Michael Bendjouya about what those are.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15296679 Mon, 08 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400 791 2 8 full false How A Small Condo Tackled A Shared Expense Problem How A Small Condo Tackled A Shared Expense Problem It's not uncommon for condos with commercial space to find the owner of that space isn't contributing adequately to the shared expenses of the building. The board then finds itself doing assessments for residential owners while the commercial owner's monthly payments stay flat. The question is, how to get out of this situation without discord or a lawsuit? Avi Zanjirian, CPA and partner at Czarnowski & Beer shares how a 15-unit condo-op on Manhattan's West 3rd Street accomplished this. Habitat Magazine's Emily Myers interviews Avi Zanjirian.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> It's not uncommon for condos with commercial space to find the owner of that space isn't contributing adequately to the shared expenses of the building. The board then finds itself doing assessments for residential owners while the commercial owner's monthly payments stay flat. The question is, how to get out of this situation without discord or a lawsuit? Avi Zanjirian, CPA and partner at Czarnowski & Beer shares how a 15-unit condo-op on Manhattan's West 3rd Street accomplished this. Habitat Magazine's Emily Myers interviews Avi Zanjirian.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15284229 Mon, 01 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0400 845 2 7 full false Energy Dashboard: Why You Have to See It Before You Can Control It Energy Dashboard: Why You Have to See It Before You Can Control It Apartment buildings that are heated and cooled by centralized systems are prime candidates for technology that can monitor and adjust all the controls needed to power the systems. In this episode, Habitat’s Emily Myers talks with  Robert Post, senior sales engineer at Parity, to learn how a Harlem co-op embraced this technology to lower their energy costs by monitoring and tweaking motor speeds, temperature settings and pressure set points. 

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]]> Apartment buildings that are heated and cooled by centralized systems are prime candidates for technology that can monitor and adjust all the controls needed to power the systems. In this episode, Habitat’s Emily Myers talks with  Robert Post, senior sales engineer at Parity, to learn how a Harlem co-op embraced this technology to lower their energy costs by monitoring and tweaking motor speeds, temperature settings and pressure set points. 

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-14914129 Mon, 17 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400 811 2 6 full true Resident Insurance Compliance: What You Need to Know Resident Insurance Compliance: What You Need to Know Managing risk in co-op and condo buildings is more crucial than ever as insurance rates soar. Many boards are now requiring residents to have their own apartment insurance, but enforcing this is no small feat. In this episode, Habitat’s Carol Ott talks with Kara Ryan, Director of Compliance at Mackoul Risk Solutions Insurance, to uncover the challenges of specifying adequate insurance, tracking policies, and ensuring compliance. Join us to discover practical solutions for safeguarding your building and maintaining peace of mind.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Managing risk in co-op and condo buildings is more crucial than ever as insurance rates soar. Many boards are now requiring residents to have their own apartment insurance, but enforcing this is no small feat. In this episode, Habitat’s Carol Ott talks with Kara Ryan, Director of Compliance at Mackoul Risk Solutions Insurance, to uncover the challenges of specifying adequate insurance, tracking policies, and ensuring compliance. Join us to discover practical solutions for safeguarding your building and maintaining peace of mind.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15129564 Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:00:00 -0400 598 2 5 full false A Tale of Two Systems: How a Manhattan Condo Reimagined Heating/Cooling Comfort A Tale of Two Systems: How a Manhattan Condo Reimagined Heating/Cooling Comfort In the heart of Manhattan, a towering condominium grappled with a recurring nightmare: leaky Con Ed steam pipes wreaking havoc on its residents' homes. Each incident left a trail of destruction, prompting the board to confront a crucial decision: persist with costly repairs or embark on a bold transformation. Faced with a repair bill soaring between $15 to $20 million, the board discarded the old centralized system in favor of sleek, modern in-unit heat pumps, a transformational move priced at $7 million. Not only did this stop the leaks, it allowed residents to determine their own heating and cooling needs within their own walls. Ramez Afify, principal at E4P Consulting Engineering  explains what the condo faced and the details of its choices.  Habitat Magazine's Carol Ott conducts the interview. This episode is sponsored by Parity.

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]]> In the heart of Manhattan, a towering condominium grappled with a recurring nightmare: leaky Con Ed steam pipes wreaking havoc on its residents' homes. Each incident left a trail of destruction, prompting the board to confront a crucial decision: persist with costly repairs or embark on a bold transformation. Faced with a repair bill soaring between $15 to $20 million, the board discarded the old centralized system in favor of sleek, modern in-unit heat pumps, a transformational move priced at $7 million. Not only did this stop the leaks, it allowed residents to determine their own heating and cooling needs within their own walls. Ramez Afify, principal at E4P Consulting Engineering  explains what the condo faced and the details of its choices.  Habitat Magazine's Carol Ott conducts the interview. This episode is sponsored by Parity.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-15125097 Mon, 03 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0400 1300 2 3 full false Why The Smallest Apartment Renovation Might Need A Proper Work Permit Why The Smallest Apartment Renovation Might Need A Proper Work Permit When apartment owners in a  NYC co-op or condo want to renovate their units, most will sign an alteration agreement and then their plans are sent to the building's architect for review. Difficulties ensue when the reviewing architect says the work needs a permit from the city, and the apartment owner insists it doesn't.  Kevin Bone, co-founder of Bone/Levine Architects, explains the ramifications of this push-back and why boards should be strict about allowing certain types of work to proceed without a permit.  Habitat Magazine's Emily Myers conducts the interview. This episode is sponsored by NYSERDA.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When apartment owners in a  NYC co-op or condo want to renovate their units, most will sign an alteration agreement and then their plans are sent to the building's architect for review. Difficulties ensue when the reviewing architect says the work needs a permit from the city, and the apartment owner insists it doesn't.  Kevin Bone, co-founder of Bone/Levine Architects, explains the ramifications of this push-back and why boards should be strict about allowing certain types of work to proceed without a permit.  Habitat Magazine's Emily Myers conducts the interview. This episode is sponsored by NYSERDA.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-14762566 Tue, 07 May 2024 18:00:00 -0400 760 2 1 full false Daytime Noise Becomes New Distraction In NYC Apartments Daytime Noise Becomes New Distraction In NYC Apartments In New York City noise is a common problem. Sleep issues used to be the biggest complaint, but as the world has shifted to remote work, day-time noise has become a new distraction in apartment buildings.  Developers of new condos in commercial areas are facing day-time noise issues and it's  impacting the sale of their units. Michael Lentin, Founder of CitiQuiet Windows, a brand of interior soundproof windows, shares how his firm has worked with developers to proactively address this post-pandemic concern. And in the era of climate change, even Con Edison has jumped on the interior window bandwagon to provide incentives for buildings to use an interior window as a less expensive alternative to a complete window overhaul. Habitat Magazine's Carol Ott interviews Michael Lentin, founder and owner of CitiQuiet Windows. This episode has been brought to you by NYSERDA.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> In New York City noise is a common problem. Sleep issues used to be the biggest complaint, but as the world has shifted to remote work, day-time noise has become a new distraction in apartment buildings.  Developers of new condos in commercial areas are facing day-time noise issues and it's  impacting the sale of their units. Michael Lentin, Founder of CitiQuiet Windows, a brand of interior soundproof windows, shares how his firm has worked with developers to proactively address this post-pandemic concern. And in the era of climate change, even Con Edison has jumped on the interior window bandwagon to provide incentives for buildings to use an interior window as a less expensive alternative to a complete window overhaul. Habitat Magazine's Carol Ott interviews Michael Lentin, founder and owner of CitiQuiet Windows. This episode has been brought to you by NYSERDA.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-14762736 Tue, 07 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400 825 2 2 full false A Bronx Success Story: All About Energy A Bronx Success Story: All About Energy It takes a motivated board — or at least one motivated board member — to jump-start energy reduction projects. That describes a Bronx board president, who not only wanted to improve his building’s energy performance but also wanted to reduce the operating costs for shareholders. Thomas Morrison, director of energy management at the engineering firm En-Power Group, describes how this mission was accomplished in an interview with Bill Morris of Habitat Magazine.


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]]> It takes a motivated board — or at least one motivated board member — to jump-start energy reduction projects. That describes a Bronx board president, who not only wanted to improve his building’s energy performance but also wanted to reduce the operating costs for shareholders. Thomas Morrison, director of energy management at the engineering firm En-Power Group, describes how this mission was accomplished in an interview with Bill Morris of Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12867238 Wed, 17 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400 464 season1 1 24 full false Elevator Repairs: It’s Complicated Elevator Repairs: It’s Complicated Unforeseen problems, delays, cost overruns — elevator repair jobs rarely go off without a hitch, which can cause big dents in a building's repair budget. In today’s episode, Donald Gelestino, president at Champion Elevator, shares two cautionary tales that offer the same lesson: When tackling elevator repairs, you’d be wise to expect the unexpected. Donald Gelestino is interviewed by Paula Chin of Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Unforeseen problems, delays, cost overruns — elevator repair jobs rarely go off without a hitch, which can cause big dents in a building's repair budget. In today’s episode, Donald Gelestino, president at Champion Elevator, shares two cautionary tales that offer the same lesson: When tackling elevator repairs, you’d be wise to expect the unexpected. Donald Gelestino is interviewed by Paula Chin of Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12821883 Wed, 10 May 2023 09:00:00 -0400 486 season1 1 23 full false Asleep At The Switch Asleep At The Switch When it comes to managing co-op and condo finances, boards can’t afford to be complacent — yet, some are. Take the case of one New York co-op, which found itself owing $300,000 in real estate taxes and water and sewage bills due to negligent management.  Avi Zanjirian, a partner at the accounting firm Czarnowski & Beer, is here to tell the cautionary tale. Avi Zanjirian is interviewed by Paula Chin of Habitat Magazine.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When it comes to managing co-op and condo finances, boards can’t afford to be complacent — yet, some are. Take the case of one New York co-op, which found itself owing $300,000 in real estate taxes and water and sewage bills due to negligent management.  Avi Zanjirian, a partner at the accounting firm Czarnowski & Beer, is here to tell the cautionary tale. Avi Zanjirian is interviewed by Paula Chin of Habitat Magazine.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12776950 Wed, 03 May 2023 11:00:00 -0400 534 season1 1 22 full false The Bane of Condo Maintenance — Competing Board Interests The Bane of Condo Maintenance — Competing Board Interests When a condo is governed by a board with competing interests, getting things fixed can be slow going. At one such Manhattan condo ongoing water infiltration from a public plaza was compromising structural integrity of a below grade parking garage. Figuring out what needed to be fixed and getting the approval from owners with different interests and involvement, well, that’s not an easy task. Kevin Bone, principal at Bone/Levine Architects, tells the story of what needed to be done and how, ultimately, all agreed to do it.  Kevin Bone is interviewed by Carol Ott of Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When a condo is governed by a board with competing interests, getting things fixed can be slow going. At one such Manhattan condo ongoing water infiltration from a public plaza was compromising structural integrity of a below grade parking garage. Figuring out what needed to be fixed and getting the approval from owners with different interests and involvement, well, that’s not an easy task. Kevin Bone, principal at Bone/Levine Architects, tells the story of what needed to be done and how, ultimately, all agreed to do it.  Kevin Bone is interviewed by Carol Ott of Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12685706 Wed, 19 Apr 2023 17:00:00 -0400 641 season1 1 20 full false Budgeting in Real Time Budgeting in Real Time Between high inflation, rising expenses, and the lingering effects of the pandemic, it’s never been harder for co-op and condos to balance their budgets. Carl Cesarano, principal at the accounting firm Cesarano & Khan, explains how boards can navigate today’s challenging landscape — whether negotiating commercial leases, refinancing the mortgage or trimming expenses — by evaluating and readjusting their options in real time. Carl Cesarano is interviewed by Paula Chin of Habitat Magazine.


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]]> Between high inflation, rising expenses, and the lingering effects of the pandemic, it’s never been harder for co-op and condos to balance their budgets. Carl Cesarano, principal at the accounting firm Cesarano & Khan, explains how boards can navigate today’s challenging landscape — whether negotiating commercial leases, refinancing the mortgage or trimming expenses — by evaluating and readjusting their options in real time. Carl Cesarano is interviewed by Paula Chin of Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12588626 Tue, 04 Apr 2023 15:00:00 -0400 392 season1 1 19 full true All About The Terracotta Fix All About The Terracotta Fix There are countless buildings in New York City that owe their elegance to terracotta. Caring for it, though, has grown more complicated and expensive in the past few years. Richard Koenigsberg, the founder and president of Koenigsberg Engineering, explains why this is so and what to expect if terracotta is on your building.  Richard Koenigsberg is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> There are countless buildings in New York City that owe their elegance to terracotta. Caring for it, though, has grown more complicated and expensive in the past few years. Richard Koenigsberg, the founder and president of Koenigsberg Engineering, explains why this is so and what to expect if terracotta is on your building.  Richard Koenigsberg is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12393211 Tue, 07 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0500 631 season1 1 19 full true Don’t Get Squeezed on Liability Insurance Don’t Get Squeezed on Liability Insurance It’s much more difficult for co-ops and condos to get a good general liability insurance policy today. There are fewer carriers, coverage is shrinking and price tags are growing. In this episode, Jonathan Steward, vice president at OSA Insurance Brokerage Services, explains what co-op and condo boards need to do to find an affordable carrier in this challenging market. Jonathan Steward is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> It’s much more difficult for co-ops and condos to get a good general liability insurance policy today. There are fewer carriers, coverage is shrinking and price tags are growing. In this episode, Jonathan Steward, vice president at OSA Insurance Brokerage Services, explains what co-op and condo boards need to do to find an affordable carrier in this challenging market. Jonathan Steward is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12393209 Tue, 07 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0500 413 season1 full false Hot Water Without the Wait Hot Water Without the Wait When apartment residents have to wait 15 to 20 minutes for hot water to reach them, it’s not only a nightmare but it’s wasteful and expensive. In this episode, Peter Varsalona, principal and vice president at RAND Engineering & Architecture, outlines the fix at one Manhattan condo to recirculate the water at a faster pace and cut costs in doing so. Peter Varsalona is interviewed by Habitat's Carol Ott.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When apartment residents have to wait 15 to 20 minutes for hot water to reach them, it’s not only a nightmare but it’s wasteful and expensive. In this episode, Peter Varsalona, principal and vice president at RAND Engineering & Architecture, outlines the fix at one Manhattan condo to recirculate the water at a faster pace and cut costs in doing so. Peter Varsalona is interviewed by Habitat's Carol Ott.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12393206 Tue, 07 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0500 492 season1 1 17 full false How to Keep An Insurance Carrier From Walking Away How to Keep An Insurance Carrier From Walking Away A Westchester condo thought it had an insurance deal from a new carrier. But after the carrier inspected the property, it decided the physical conditions weren’t up to snuff and it wanted to walk, leaving the condo in the lurch. In this episode, Jason Schiciano, co-president at Levitt-Fuirst Insurance, explains what happened next, and offers some words of insurance wisdom to others who might be facing the same situation. Jason Schiciano is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> A Westchester condo thought it had an insurance deal from a new carrier. But after the carrier inspected the property, it decided the physical conditions weren’t up to snuff and it wanted to walk, leaving the condo in the lurch. In this episode, Jason Schiciano, co-president at Levitt-Fuirst Insurance, explains what happened next, and offers some words of insurance wisdom to others who might be facing the same situation. Jason Schiciano is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12347892 Tue, 28 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0500 449 season1 full false Got Water Leaks? Robots to the Rescue Got Water Leaks? Robots to the Rescue Detecting the source of water leaks on building roofs and exterior walls can sometimes be more difficult than fixing the problem. But Akaash Kancharla, chief executive at aRoboticsCompany, has some good news for co-ops and condos — a new generation of sophisticated robotic machines that can pinpoint air and water leaks in buildings for far less than paying humans to do the job. Akaash Kancharla is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Detecting the source of water leaks on building roofs and exterior walls can sometimes be more difficult than fixing the problem. But Akaash Kancharla, chief executive at aRoboticsCompany, has some good news for co-ops and condos — a new generation of sophisticated robotic machines that can pinpoint air and water leaks in buildings for far less than paying humans to do the job. Akaash Kancharla is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12251697 Tue, 14 Feb 2023 12:00:00 -0500 360 season1 full false Riding the Solar Roller Coaster Riding the Solar Roller Coaster It’s no surprise that it’s hard to keep up with programs and subsidies involving solar energy; the industry changes so fast that it’s jokingly referred to as the solar coaster. In this episode, Russell Wilcox, founder and CEO of the solar developer Urban Energy, describes “Behind the Meters,” a configuration that flows electricity directly to apartments rather than into the wider electric grid. Russell Wilcox is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> It’s no surprise that it’s hard to keep up with programs and subsidies involving solar energy; the industry changes so fast that it’s jokingly referred to as the solar coaster. In this episode, Russell Wilcox, founder and CEO of the solar developer Urban Energy, describes “Behind the Meters,” a configuration that flows electricity directly to apartments rather than into the wider electric grid. Russell Wilcox is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12188203 Sun, 05 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0500 309 season1 full false Avoiding The Mortgage Refinancing Mistake Avoiding The Mortgage Refinancing Mistake Among the many financing decisions facing co-op and condo boards, refinancing the property's underlying mortgage — which is typically done to pay for capital repairs — is one of the most challenging, and complicated. In this episode, Harley Seligman, senior vice president at the National Cooperative Bank, sheds light on the biggest misstep boards make when refinancing  — which is not borrowing enough. Harvey Seligman is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Among the many financing decisions facing co-op and condo boards, refinancing the property's underlying mortgage — which is typically done to pay for capital repairs — is one of the most challenging, and complicated. In this episode, Harley Seligman, senior vice president at the National Cooperative Bank, sheds light on the biggest misstep boards make when refinancing  — which is not borrowing enough. Harvey Seligman is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.

Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12095247 Wed, 25 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0500 321 season1 full false Why Tackling Two Projects At Once Is a Smart Strategy Why Tackling Two Projects At Once Is a Smart Strategy It may seem counter-intuitive, but co-op and condo boards can save money by doing major building repair projects back-to-back. Leon Geoxavier, senior project manager at Howard Zimmerman Architects, and Evan Petkanas, president of STONE Engineering & Architecture, are here to tell us how one building facing both a roof replacement and facade repairs did just that. The price tag was hefty, but smaller than if the projects had been done separately. Leon Geoxavier and Evan Petkanas are interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> It may seem counter-intuitive, but co-op and condo boards can save money by doing major building repair projects back-to-back. Leon Geoxavier, senior project manager at Howard Zimmerman Architects, and Evan Petkanas, president of STONE Engineering & Architecture, are here to tell us how one building facing both a roof replacement and facade repairs did just that. The price tag was hefty, but smaller than if the projects had been done separately. Leon Geoxavier and Evan Petkanas are interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12062463 Tue, 17 Jan 2023 13:00:00 -0500 346 season1 full false Insurance Gaps Happen More Often Than You Think Insurance Gaps Happen More Often Than You Think When it comes to property insurance, co-op and condo boards can’t be too careful about making sure they are adequately protected. In this episode, Gina Corso, business account manager at the insurance firm Mackoul Risk Solutions, tells the story of how one oceanfront condo discovered its carrier didn’t cover its beachfront exposure — and had to scramble to find a solution.  Gina Corso is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> When it comes to property insurance, co-op and condo boards can’t be too careful about making sure they are adequately protected. In this episode, Gina Corso, business account manager at the insurance firm Mackoul Risk Solutions, tells the story of how one oceanfront condo discovered its carrier didn’t cover its beachfront exposure — and had to scramble to find a solution.  Gina Corso is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-12027149 Wed, 11 Jan 2023 20:00:00 -0500 290 season1 full false Today’s Soft Costs Are Tomorrow’s Hard Expenses Today’s Soft Costs Are Tomorrow’s Hard Expenses Brace yourself for the next cycle of New York City’s facade inspection program, because projects are becoming top heavy with soft costs. Take the initial inspection. In the past that could cost a 15-story co-op or condo $9,000, now it’s anywhere from $31,000 to $53,000. That’s only the start, and you haven’t even replaced one brick. In this episode, Eugene Ferrara, president of the consulting and engineering firm JMA Consultants, explains how to navigate this difficult, and costly, market. Eugene Ferrara is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Brace yourself for the next cycle of New York City’s facade inspection program, because projects are becoming top heavy with soft costs. Take the initial inspection. In the past that could cost a 15-story co-op or condo $9,000, now it’s anywhere from $31,000 to $53,000. That’s only the start, and you haven’t even replaced one brick. In this episode, Eugene Ferrara, president of the consulting and engineering firm JMA Consultants, explains how to navigate this difficult, and costly, market. Eugene Ferrara is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-11974150 Tue, 03 Jan 2023 18:00:00 -0500 303 season1 1 10 full false Banishing Brown Water Banishing Brown Water It’s not just unsightly — the brown water coming out of the taps in your building contains particles and sediment that can damage everything from your basement boilers all the way up to your rooftop water tank. In this episode, Spencer Kraus,  vice president of Fred Smith Heating & Plumbing, explains how to stop brown water at the source before it damages your building’s plumbing systems. Spencer Kraus is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.




Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> It’s not just unsightly — the brown water coming out of the taps in your building contains particles and sediment that can damage everything from your basement boilers all the way up to your rooftop water tank. In this episode, Spencer Kraus,  vice president of Fred Smith Heating & Plumbing, explains how to stop brown water at the source before it damages your building’s plumbing systems. Spencer Kraus is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.




Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-11860501 Tue, 13 Dec 2022 16:00:00 -0500 369 season1 1 9 full false Building a Better Doorman Station Building a Better Doorman Station Location is everything, as they say, and that includes doorman stations. In older co-op and condo buildings, they are often situated in places that make the doorman's job a lot harder, especially when the doorman is also responsible for accepting packages. In this episode, Marilyn Sygrove, president of Sygrove Associates Design Group, shares how one co-op renovated its old, dysfunctional doorman station into one that works for today’s requirements. Marilyn Sygrove is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Location is everything, as they say, and that includes doorman stations. In older co-op and condo buildings, they are often situated in places that make the doorman's job a lot harder, especially when the doorman is also responsible for accepting packages. In this episode, Marilyn Sygrove, president of Sygrove Associates Design Group, shares how one co-op renovated its old, dysfunctional doorman station into one that works for today’s requirements. Marilyn Sygrove is interviewed by Paula Chin for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-11824896 Wed, 07 Dec 2022 07:00:00 -0500 517 season1 1 8 full false Taking Your Building’s Energy Pulse Taking Your Building’s Energy Pulse If you’re concerned about your building’s energy use, and particularly if you want to lower it, you’ll need to pay attention to its systems. Not just when something breaks, but all the time. Technology can do that, allowing data to be collected so that systems can be adjusted and monitored for performance. Darren Johnson, account manager at Bright Power, an energy management company, explains how the smart technology works and how buildings can take advantage of it. Darren Johnson is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.


 


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> If you’re concerned about your building’s energy use, and particularly if you want to lower it, you’ll need to pay attention to its systems. Not just when something breaks, but all the time. Technology can do that, allowing data to be collected so that systems can be adjusted and monitored for performance. Darren Johnson, account manager at Bright Power, an energy management company, explains how the smart technology works and how buildings can take advantage of it. Darren Johnson is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.


 


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]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-11709119 Wed, 30 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0500 599 season1 full false Condo Challenges: How to Raise Money for Building Projects Condo Challenges: How to Raise Money for Building Projects To meet the high cost of maintaining condo properties, boards often have to make the hard choice between borrowing money or imposing assessments on unit-owners. Either way, there are decisions of fairness to consider and important operational details to work out. In this episode, Mohammed Salyani, a principal at the accounting firm WilkinGuttenplan, explains the ramifications of various options.  Mohammed Salyani is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> To meet the high cost of maintaining condo properties, boards often have to make the hard choice between borrowing money or imposing assessments on unit-owners. Either way, there are decisions of fairness to consider and important operational details to work out. In this episode, Mohammed Salyani, a principal at the accounting firm WilkinGuttenplan, explains the ramifications of various options.  Mohammed Salyani is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-11456317 Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0500 503 season1 full false Lobby Redesign: Turning Bad News Into Good Lobby Redesign: Turning Bad News Into Good One of the most controversial projects a co-op or condo can do is to redesign its lobby. One person likes green, another likes blue. One likes marble, another likes wood. Even if everyone can agree on the redo, last minute changes can cause tumult. On today’s episode, Louis Lipson, senior associate at the architecture firm Ethelind Coblin, shares the story of a lobby project at 785 Fifth Avenue in New York City, when last minute changes to a feature wall almost derailed everything. Louis Lipson is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.



Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> One of the most controversial projects a co-op or condo can do is to redesign its lobby. One person likes green, another likes blue. One likes marble, another likes wood. Even if everyone can agree on the redo, last minute changes can cause tumult. On today’s episode, Louis Lipson, senior associate at the architecture firm Ethelind Coblin, shares the story of a lobby project at 785 Fifth Avenue in New York City, when last minute changes to a feature wall almost derailed everything. Louis Lipson is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.



Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-11601072 Mon, 31 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0400 741 season1 full false Doing Double Duty On Your Roof Doing Double Duty On Your Roof Roof space can be a lovely amenity in a co-op or condo, but it can also be used for solar to reduce your building’s carbon emissions. Tina Larsson, co-founder and CEO of the Folson Group, a business consultancy for co-op and condo boards, shares how an Upper East Side co-op in Manhattan managed to do both by making every square foot count.  Tina Larsson is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.



Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Roof space can be a lovely amenity in a co-op or condo, but it can also be used for solar to reduce your building’s carbon emissions. Tina Larsson, co-founder and CEO of the Folson Group, a business consultancy for co-op and condo boards, shares how an Upper East Side co-op in Manhattan managed to do both by making every square foot count.  Tina Larsson is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.



Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Habitat Magazine Buzzsprout-11600988 Mon, 31 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0400 237 season1 full false Blowing Off Steam: Making the Switch To Gas and Electric Blowing Off Steam: Making the Switch To Gas and Electric In New York City, Con Edison steam is the most expensive form of heating and cooling buildings. Co-ops and condos are choosing to go from steam to natural gas and electricity not only to slash their energy bills, but also reduce carbon emissions and avoid paying fines under the city’s Climate Mobilization Act. Michael Scorrano, managing director and founder of En-Power Group, explains how one co-op made the switch. 
Michael Scorrano is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> In New York City, Con Edison steam is the most expensive form of heating and cooling buildings. Co-ops and condos are choosing to go from steam to natural gas and electricity not only to slash their energy bills, but also reduce carbon emissions and avoid paying fines under the city’s Climate Mobilization Act. Michael Scorrano, managing director and founder of En-Power Group, explains how one co-op made the switch. 
Michael Scorrano is interviewed by Carol Ott for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-11347546 Thu, 27 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0400 649 season1 1 3 full false Water, Water Everywhere Water, Water Everywhere Whether it’s caused by aging facades, construction defects, faulty pipes, or a roof that needs replacing, water leakage is a common problem for many co-op and condo buildings. Repairs need to be done quickly, but what’s a board to do if the leaks are caused by more than one issue? In this episode, Douglas Lister, president of the architecture firm Douglas J. Lister, explains what fixes should be tackled first, and what can be addressed later.
Douglas Lister is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Whether it’s caused by aging facades, construction defects, faulty pipes, or a roof that needs replacing, water leakage is a common problem for many co-op and condo buildings. Repairs need to be done quickly, but what’s a board to do if the leaks are caused by more than one issue? In this episode, Douglas Lister, president of the architecture firm Douglas J. Lister, explains what fixes should be tackled first, and what can be addressed later.
Douglas Lister is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-11346580 Sun, 09 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400 551 season1 1 2 full false Boosting Efficiency: Plug Your Building In Boosting Efficiency: Plug Your Building In As part of New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act, Local Law 97 places carbon caps on most buildings. Co-op and condo buildings are taking a close look at how to reduce their building’s energy consumption and carbon footprint — without going broke in the process. In this episode, James Hannah, managing director at Parity, an AI-driven energy management platform, shares how an Upper East Side co-op in Manhattan did just that.
James Hannah is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> As part of New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act, Local Law 97 places carbon caps on most buildings. Co-op and condo buildings are taking a close look at how to reduce their building’s energy consumption and carbon footprint — without going broke in the process. In this episode, James Hannah, managing director at Parity, an AI-driven energy management platform, shares how an Upper East Side co-op in Manhattan did just that.
James Hannah is interviewed by Bill Morris for Habitat Magazine.


Thanks for listening. Subscribe to this podcast for more stories on how New York co-ops and condos have solved a myriad of problems. Brought to you by Habitat Magazine, the "bible" that hundreds of board directors turn to every day!

]]> Buzzsprout-11306751 Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0400 565 season1 1 1 full false