Page 19 - CooperatorNews New Jersey Spring 2022
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YOU’LL LEARN SO MUCH  YOUR HEAD COULD EXPLODE.   (Our lawyers said we had to warn you.)  MEADOWLANDS EXPO CENTER, SECAUCUS — WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 10–4   FREE REGISTRATION: NJ-EXPO.COM  and have 280 trees on our property—some of  shrubs can separate areas and provide visual   which are among the most beautiful of their  interest. Especially since the coronavirus pan-  species in all of Manhattan.”  Anastasio goes on to reveal that “A whole  at the dead space on their property and think-  mess of trees were just totally decimated by  ing about revamping it to accommodate to-  Local Law 11”—the requirement of all city  day’s needs.   buildings over six stories to undergo inspec-  tions and repairs every five years, also known  ing the importance of selecting what they call   as the Façade Inspection and Safety Program  “bulletproof plants” that can survive and thrive   (FISP). The co-op’s size and age have meant  in harsh urban environments. They point out   that its four residential buildings have had  that street-level plantings face the likelihood   sidewalk bridging up for half a decade while it  of being picked at, dumped on, or otherwise   continues to remediate   structural issues un-  covered by FISP, which   has been “the worst   friend to trees,” as An-  astasio puts it.   Another tree “fail”   that Anastasio brings   up is in an outdoor   area above Seward   Park’s garage that was   renovated  about 20   years ago after the ga-  rage collapsed. “Who-  ever did that landscape   design,”  she laments,   “just thought about   putting trees in planters—not whether it’s  one with aesthetic and natural appeal is one of   the right tree in the right place. So you have  the easiest ways for a co-op or condo to add   overstory trees in small cement planters. Their  a popular, valuable amenity—particularly for   roots go around and around and eventually  smaller or older buildings that are looking for   strangle  themselves  and  die.  Almost  any  of  ways to compete with all the shiny new de-  the trees that are in failing condition are those  velopments. In a double-win, it can also have   trees; the rest of the trees on the property are  positive implications for the environment—a   doing great.”   Size Doesn’t Matter  Since not all boards are lucky enough to  don’t need much space—or money—to install   have a certified plant expert among their  a bird feeder or a pollinator house, for exam-  membership, it is helpful to consult with pros  ple. If you crave more nature, allow nature to   who are used to dealing with the sometimes  come to you.  laborious decision-making process character-  istic of this type of governance structure.   QG Floral & Landscape in New York City  and providers  that serve boards,  managers,   frequently collaborates with boards and com-  mittees to make use of limited outdoor areas.  Please join us for the CooperatorEvents New   Even the smallest spaces can be designed in a  Jersey Expo at the Meadowlands in Secaucus   way to maximize usability and accommodate  on June 8, 2022! For more information and to   different populations—a shady alcove can  register, visit   be designed for passive activities like read-  ing or meditating; a breezeway can be paved   for more active games and play; planters and   demic, many of their clients are now looking   The pros at QG echo colleagues in stress-  violated,  by  people, pets, or   pests. Pollution   also  dictates  which types of   plants will do   well,  and fac-  tors like rodent   control  also  need to be con-  sidered.   With  the  right  plan  and the right   choices, turn-  ing  an under-  used space into   consideration that has more and more im-  portance to home buyers in all markets. You   Interested in meeting New Jersey landscape   professionals or scores of other businesses   and residents of co-ops, condos, and HOAs?   www.nj-expo.com.  n  Darcey Gerstein is Associate Editor and a   Staff Writer for CooperatorNews.  “When creating a   planting plan for small   spaces with limited light,   high winds, or other   challenges, picking the   right plant for the area   is paramount.”  — Nicholas Carnovale  of all that, inspection laws change fre-  quently—often in reaction to a structural  tions have become one of the biggest   or systemic failure in another building  pains to their existence, because the codes   that results in damage to life or property.  are constantly changing and constantly   The ultimate goal is to maximize building  requiring more and more budgetary con-  safety and prevent disaster.  These inspections can be costly in and  projects that are disruptive to anyone   of themselves—and the price tag can soar  whose building is undergoing this type of   even  higher  when  factoring  in  remedia-  tion  of any  problems they  uncover.  But  to contractors and engineers, because the   the cost for noncompliance—whether  cost of these projects can be exorbitant.   from fines, penalties, legal expenses, or  And many times buildings are not well   one of those systemic failures just men-  tioned—is far greater, and more impor-  tant to avoid.   Exteriors  One of the more vexing inspections for  spokesperson  for  the  New  York  Depart-  property managers and boards of direc-  tors is of the building exterior walls and  tions, previously known as Local Law 11   appurtenances—usually referred to as  inspections, are now referred to as the Fa-  the ‘façade’ or the ‘envelope.’ Since co-ops  çade Inspection & Safety Program—FISP   and condos tend to be large, multi-story  for short—and must be performed every   structures made of brick or other ma-  sonry, their exteriors have many points  which amounts to nearly 15,000 buildings   of wear and deterioration. Their size and  citywide. The resulting report must be   composition also make them more sus-  ceptible to the elements; their height and  rior Wall Inspector (QEWI)—a New York   location in densely populated areas mean  State-licensed professional engineer (PE)   that any structural failures can have cata-  strophic consequences.   Adding to this complexity, the gover-  nance structure and shared financial re-  sponsibility among the owners or share-  holders of common interest communities  changes to FISP requirements in the cur-  can make the process of planning and  rent Cycle 9, which started in February   paying for property-wide inspections  2020. “In response to concerns about the   more protracted, and the disruptions they  accuracy of some of the prior reporting,”   occasionally cause more problematic. In  he says, “the City determined that more   dense cities like New York, Boston, Chi-  cago,  or  Jersey  City  (all  of  which  have  necessary. And that requires putting up   façade inspection laws on the books), a  scaffolding and doing drops”—which   building’s proximity to its neighbors can  Finkelstein explains is the process of us-  mean that inspections and their safety  ing  cranes,  hoists,  and  other  suspension   measures like sidewalk bridging and scaf-  folding may necessarily encroach onto an  to allow inspectors to get up close to the   adjoining property—and vice versa. All  bricks and assess and photograph their   of this must be worked out in advance,  condition, as the new code requires. “All   before the scope or duration of the in-  spection process is even known.  New York City attorney Adam Finkel-  stein of law firm Kagan Lubic Lepper Fin-  kelstein & Gold has seen these difficulties   firsthand. He says, “In my conversations   with property managers, façade inspec-  straints, as well as physical construction   work. At the same time, it’s been a boon   prepared for what’s discovered when the   inspections take place and scope of work   is ultimately determined.”    According to Andrew Rudansky, a   ment of Buildings (DOB), these inspec-  five years on all buildings over six storeys,   filed with the DOB by a Qualified Exte-  or registered architect (RA)—who is pri-  vately contracted by the building owner,   which in the case of a co-op or condo is   the board.   Finkelstein explains that there were   physical, hands-on inspections were   equipment against the building façade   BUILDING...  continued from page 1  continued on page 20  NJ.COOPERATORNEWS.COM  COOPERATORNEWS NEW JERSEY   —SPRING 2022   19


































































































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