Newsletter #119    Acrobat file    Return to archive    Newsletter #121

350 BLEECKER STREET CO-OP NEWSLETTER
January 24, 2000
Number 120

The board met on January 20, 2000. Among the issues discussed:

APARTMENT RENOVATION

Planning to re-do your kitchen or bathroom? Want to buy the apartment next door and combine it with your own? If you're planning some construction, please consult a board member in advance.

The board and the co-op's engineer or architect must approve your plans. The architect or engineer costs will be paid by the co-op, but you'll have to reimburse the co-op. The architect or engineer will also do an inspection during and/or after the work is finished.

If a filing with the Buildings Department is required, the co-op board will ask for a $500 deposit, to be refunded after your filings and work are both completed. If your work requires a change to the building's Certificate of Occupancy, the deposit will be $1,500 instead of $500. The deposit helps protect the co-op if your filing is not completed properly, since the co-op may have to hire an architect or engineer to complete the Buildings Department paperwork.

Many people believe that a Certificate of Occupancy change is needed to legally combine apartments. Alex Neratoff (one of our architects) advised the board that a new Certificate of Occupancy is needed when creating more apartments, not combining apartments.

The board's architects and engineers help minimize the cost of their inspections and plan reviews by trying to do the work while they are in the building on other co-op business, anyway. Since they charge by the hour, this keeps everyone's costs down. You need not hire the building's architects or engineers to do the design or file the papers or supervise the construction. They simply do the review to protect the building. Of course, if you want to hire them for the actual design, supervision, filing, etc., you can do so, too.

The reviews can be done by any of the following:

To avoid conflicts of interest, if you hire Alex to work for you, then the board will hire KRA to do the review. If you hire KRA to do the work for you, the board will hire Alex to do the review. If you hire neither Alex nor KRA to do the work for you, you can choose whichever one to do the review.

The rules concerning the deposits were passed unanimously by the board at the January 20 meeting, and apply to all projects started after January 20.

POSSIBLE PROJECTS FOR THE FUTURE

The board brainstormed a "wish list" of possible improvements to the co-op. If you have any further suggestions, please contact any board member. The items on this list will have cost estimates made, and then shareholders' preferences will be surveyed.

a. New larger mailboxes (includes expansion of the lobby and replacement of a/c unit)
b. New intercom system
c. Change building from co-op to condominium
d. Install water filtration system
e. 24 hour, 7 day doorman service
f. Paint stairwells
g. Paint basement hallway
h. Install pavers on roof above stores
i. Apply to Landmarks to permanently remove blue "daisy" panels on fire escapes
j. Replace all window frames (they are starting to corrode)
k. Extend roof garden to entire roof
l. Completely rebuild exercise room (new lighting, floor, dehumidifier, etc.)
m. Complete lobby renovation (marble walls and floors, new lighting, etc)
n. Dog run near Charles Street alley
o. Extend the building along Charles Street alley
p. Create recycling chutes
q. Refurbish elevator cabs
r. Install dual-speed elevator controls (our elevators are currently single-speed)
s. Sprinkler system for fire protection
t. Air condition elevator machinery room
u. Security cameras in elevators
v. Electronic entry system to replace keys

ROOF GARDEN

Planning to have a party on the roof? If you have 7 guests or more, board permission in advance is required. Other roof rules are posted on the wall in the stairwell leading to the roof.