Page 26 - CooperatorNews New Jersey Spring 2022
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26 COOPERATORNEWS NEW JERSEY   —SPRING 2022  NJ.COOPERATORNEWS.COM  THE BEST TIME TO    FIND AN EXPERT   IS BEFORE    YOU NEED ONE.    MEADOWLANDS EXPOSITION CENTER  WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 10:00AM-4:00PM  FREE REGISTRATION: NJ-EXPO.COM  look for another ingress/egress option, or   perhaps recommend a collapsible ramp.   My advice is to be ‘conservative’ in re-  modeling your space in ways that might   trigger ADA requirements.”  By contrast, Baron continues, build-  ings with more services may be able to   make meaningful updates without nec-  essarily incurring exorbitant expenses.   “For example, if you have services like a   concierge desk, when you’re building a   new desk or replacing an existing one, it   might be designed as a dual-level surface   with a 42-inch-high surface for standing   individuals and a 30-inch-high surface   for  individuals using wheelchairs. This   is where ADA compliance and Universal   Design meet.”  Cohen reiterates that “the ADA was   initiated as a civil rights act, not as a pre-  scription of dimensional code require-  ments” and stresses that understanding   the users of a space and what they want   and need is what is most important. He   points to New York City’s Inclusive De-  sign Guidelines, which the city’s Depart-  ment of Design and Construction pub-  lishes in collaboration with the Center   for Inclusive Design & Environmental   Access at the State University of New   York (SUNY) Buffalo, as “an outstanding   UNIVERSAL...  continued from page 25  building to divert the water. Typically, it’s   simple to check. Use a level to see the grade.   In garden apartment basement structures,   water often comes in through a window or   window well. Check the window wells, too.   We have to make sure window wells are   FLOOD RISK  continued from page 17  of the 2022 Hall of Fame Award from   the New Jersey chapter of the Commu-  nity Associations Institute (CAI-NJ). The   award, presented at the chapter’s annual   awards celebration on February 24, rec-  ognizes Magid’s industry excellence and   outstanding dedication to the chapter.  “We are thrilled that Jim’s tremendous   efforts in support of New Jersey’s CAI   chapter are being recognized and cel-  ebrated,” says Michael Mendillo, presi-  dent, FirstService Residential. “Jim is an   incredible representation of FirstService   Residential as he embraces our culture,   core  values,  and  commitment  to  excel-  lence for the communities we serve.”  Magid has been with FirstService Res-  idential for more than 25 years and has   more than 35 years of property manage-  ment experience. He is responsible for   the executive-level oversight of the team   that serves condo/homeowner associa-  tions throughout New Jersey, says the   outlet.  Magid has served  on several  CAI-NJ   committees  over  the  past 35 years  and   was its 2005 president. For the last 10   years he has also sat on the NJ Chapter   of the CAI National Legislative Action   Committee (LAC)—a volunteer com-  mittee of community association home-  PULSE  continued from page 6  example  of  a document  that  meshes  an   understanding of accessibility codes with   the nuances of how differently-abled us-  ers make use of spaces and facilities,” from   those with mobility challenges to those of   varied heights, including children. “Each   section describes recommended charac-  teristics but also includes advisory notes   that allow for nuances in consideration.”   A full PDF of the guidelines can be found   here: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/ddc/  downloads/publications/guides-manu-  als/universal-design-ny.pdf  In the final analysis, Universal De-  sign—design for everyone—is a concept   whose time is definitely here, but also   one that has evolved organically over   decades.  It has also meshed  and  grown   with the practical implications of the   Americans with Disabilities Act to make   real and lasting changes in how we build,   what we build, and who we build it for.   n  A.J. Sidransky is a staff writer/reporter for   CooperatorNews, and a published novelist.   drained from the bottom and that water is   diverted away from the window well and   doesn’t fill it.”  Mahan advises that there are also censor   systems that can detect water buildup and   flooding. They are used in sump pump sys-  tems and set off an alarm to warn of water   in the area. “The reality of torrential storm   events in Chicago has been most prominent   in garden level units, where streets flooded   and water rose up and overflowed entire   foundations. If the water table is above the   floor line,” he says, “just get out.” Another   issue, explains Mahan, is that we don’t have   absorptive materials around most build-  ings. Instead, “We have concrete. Water will   rise until it finds relief.”  The  pros  agree  that the  clock has  run   out; we need to pivot from the notion of   stopping climate change to mitigating—  and possibly slowing—the  effects  already   being felt by so many. “Now it’s urgent,”   says Beauchamp. “What we should have   learned is that the effects of climate change   are coming sooner rather than later.” Refer-  ring to the damaging back-to-back storms   that the tri-state area experienced in the   summer of 2021, she adds, “This previously   unknown flooding \[in New York\] occurred   twice in just two weeks. People lost every-  thing. We need to address the problem.”    n  A J Sidransky is a staff writer/reporter for   CooperatorNews, and a published novelist. 


































































































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