Newsletter #162    Acrobat file    Return to archive    Newsletter #164

 

350 BLEECKER STREET CO-OP NEWSLETTER #163
April 23, 2003

 

The board met 5 times (total) in February, March, and April.

COURT RULING -- SECOND CIRCUIT FEDERAL COURT APPEAL

On April 23, the court decided against the co-op in its appeal of the garage case. The 16-page decision is posted on the co-op's web site at http://www.350bleecker.com/newsletters/lawsuit_index.html. The $22 million New York State court case against Ken Newman continues. However, there have been numerous settlement negotiations between the parties. As noted in Newsletter #161, unless and until it appears that a settlement is imminent, the settlement discussions will remain confidential.

MAILBOXES AND OTHER RENOVATION TO THE PUBLIC AREAS OF THE BUILDING

New mailboxes arrived and installation will start Monday April 28. As a temporary measure during the construction, the current mailboxes will be removed from the mailroom, and then mounted temporarily on the wall of the lobby.

After the new mailboxes are installed, the Post Office must inspect them for approval. After the approval is given, the new mailboxes can be utilized and the old mailboxes will be discarded. The construction and approval process takes 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the workload of the postal inspector. The new mailboxes are about twice the size of the current ones.

Once the old mailboxes are discarded the lobby and mailroom will be repainted. The hallways on every floor will also be touched up. New carpeting will be installed in floors 1 through 5, since that carpeting is over 10 years old. The lobby floor and the sixth floor had the carpeting replaced within the past 2 years.

The mailbox replacement ($10,620), carpeting ($20,000), and painting ($7,540) were all budgeted. The board is also taking bids for painting the stairwells.

POSSIBLE NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Newsletter #162 asked if any shareholders wanted to join the board, in case of mid-term vacancies. Since a board member is selling his apartment, at least 1 vacancy is likely soon. So far, two shareholders volunteered to be considered. One is a residential real estate broker and the other is married to a residential real estate broker. Both brokers are employed by firms actively selling apartments in the building from time to time.

Several years ago, for several terms, a real estate broker was a member of the board. She did not participate in sublet or sale interviews that involved her firm's clients and did not vote regarding them, either.

The board is seriously considering these people as possible replacements for vacancies. Assuming both people do not participate in interviews and votes for sales and sublets for clients served by their firm (or a spouse of theirs' firm) there would be no apparent conflict of interest. Before a decision is made, the board would like to hear from any shareholder who has questions, suggestions, or objections to this arrangement or the appointment of real estate brokers or spouses of real estate brokers.

GARDENING

The board hired Jack and Helen Katz to assist the building staff in taking care of the sidewalk tree pits, the planters along the front wall along Bleecker Street, the back yard, and the roof. For many years, Helen and Jack volunteered more time than anyone, taking care of the roof garden. This new arrangement is a test, subject to the mutual satisfaction of the co-op and Helen and Jack. The fees are $200 per week plus materials, and the cost was included in the budget for the year.

In recognition of Helen and Jack's voluntary work, the board members personally paid for a gift of a "night on the town".

FOR SALE

 

350 Bleecker Street Apartment Corp
January thru March 2003 spending vs budget

(unaudited)

                Jan thru
                March
      Jan thru     2003   versus annual
      Mar-03     Budget   budget
Income                
Commercial Rent     $22,059     $124,000   18%
Laundry Income     2,868     12,000   24%
Transfer Fees (2% of sales price)     37,980     89,500   42%
Maintenance     267,440     1,070,520   25%
Bike Room     0     1,400    
Interest and dividends     326     4,000    
Late fees     700     2,400    
Lockers     0     6,000    
Repair charges     0     2,500    
Sublet fees     0     1,200    
Misc income     -150               0           
Subtotal other income (Bike Rm thru Misc income)     876     17,500   5%
                 
Total Income     $331,223     $1,313,520   25%
                 
Expenses:                
Real Estate Tax     $167     $430,350   0%
Mortgage Interest & Principal     45,263     250,325   18%
Other Taxes     3,932     14,000   28%
Subtotal taxes and interest     49,362     694,675   7%
                 
Insurance     13,528     55,000   25%
Management Fee (Tudor)     10,477     41,910   25%
Legal Fees     98,999     125,000   79%
Accounting     3,290     8,300   40%
Bank charges     542     100    
Dues and subscriptions     569     2,500    
Internet site     75     500    
Licenses, permits, violations     2,282     250    
Misc     44     3,000    
Phone     299     1,000    
Postage     0     600    
Printing     30     1,000    
Security system     417     2,500             
Subtotal all other (Bank Charges thru Security)     4,259     11,450   37%
                 
Total Administration     130,553     241,660   54%
                 
Medical + dental insurance + ADP fees     8,077     25,600    
Payroll (incl Worker's Comp)     44,676     200,000             
Subtotal labor (ADP thru Payroll)     52,753     225,600   23%
Cable TV     76     300    
Electricity + gas for cooking     6,872     21,500    
Gas for steam heat + hot water     18,746     32,000    
Water and sewer               0     25,000             
Subtotal Utilities     25,694     78,800   33%
Architect + engineer     0     500    
Boiler, plumbing, a/c     2,443     7,500    
Electrician     550     1,000    
Elevator     3,214     10,000    
Equipment repair     0     1,500    
Exercise Room     333     2,000    
Exterminator     508     1,400    
Garden supplies     250     1,750    
Janitorial supplies     2,199     13,000    
Landscaping     250     10,000    
Other physical upkeep     200     3,000    
Other repairs     271     8,000    
Painting touch up + carpet repair     0     3,500    
Tools     0     1,500    
Uniform cleaning               0           600             
Subtotal Maint & Repairs (Arch thru Uniform)     10,218     65,250   16%
                 
Contingency     0     20,000   0%
                 
Carpet and painting     0     40,000   0%
Mailbox replacement     9,620     15,000   64%
Subtotal Construction/Capital Projects     9,620     55,000   17%
                 
Total Expense     $278,200     $1,380,985   20%
                 
Tax Rebate for 2003     0     $68,421   0%
                 
Net Operating Income/(Loss)     $53,024     $956    

 

Footnotes:

         At the end of March 2003, the co-op had $576,829.68 in cash.

 

Newsletter #162    Acrobat file    Return to archive    Newsletter #164

 


Copyright © 2010
350 Bleecker Street Apartment Corp.
All rights reserved.