Newsletter
Fall/Winter 2005
UPGRADE UPDATES
New Boilers.
The major work of removing the oldest of the inefficient and frequently inept boilers in both buildings was accomplished in October. The construction of one new, state-of-the-art-boiler for each building followed with the North Wing lagging just a bit behind the South
By Thanksgiving, the installation of new piping, pipe-covering, painting and identity-marking was pretty much a done deal. By the time you read this, both new boilers should be fired and ready to see us through what promises to be an unpredictable winter. (Keep in mind that perfrection is elusive and some tweakilng during the season will probably be likely.) While these new will operate more efficiently, it's too early to say if any savings will offset rising fuel costs. (See MONEY MATTERS.)
Basement Window & Ironwork replacement begain in October and has now been completed in both buildings. Though behind the new walls, the re-do is functional as well as cosmetic.
New Brick Walls in Driveway Crescents.
Hard not to notice was the digging of foundation trenches in October, and the brickwork that began soon after.
The face-lift won't truly be complete untill the Spring when new plantings -- shielded from basement exhaust -- will appear and we hope thrive.
Intercom.
Delays continue due to a) residents not providing phone numbers, which, in turn, b) slowed Verizon's work in linking phones to the new system.
Once the new system is up and running, the constantly failing old intercom will be discontinued and residents not providing phone numbers may find themselves without intercom service.
Cell phones? Sorry. The new system require a landline connection. As technology catches up, that situation may be remedied. But if you're using a cell phone exclusively, please contact Rosedale 212-581-4180 and a landline instrument will be installed at no expense to you.
All resident phone numbers remain confidential. Doormen will contact you via your apartment number.
MONEY MATTERS -- LOOKING FORWARD
A few observations from the autumn issue of the Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums Newsletter:
Fuel costs are skyrocketing and are impacting on the cost of electricity, and of virtually all transported items. Insurance is still very expensive. Buildings higher than six stories face major facade work for their Local Law 11 filing* The tax rate for fiscal 2006 has not yet been decided, but it is likely to be slightly higher than 2005. And the contracts with Local 32B-32J of the Building Service Employees International Union will be negotiated during the year 2006. These are just some of the considerations facing boards as they try to establish realistic budgets for the year to come.
*Mosf of this work at Coliseum has been completed.
2006 MAINTENANCE INCREASE
As announced in the recent Shareholder letter, our maintenance rises from $2.00 per share per month to $2.10 as of January 1, 2006. Among the unknowns challenging our 2006 budget: Where will fuel costs be this winter? How much will tghe City raise real estate taxes? What will the new building employee contract coming up in the Spring require in salary and benefit increases?
The Finance Committee has done its best to estimate next year's costs based on previous experience and on projections from professionals in those fields. Some indicators suggest a larger increase might be more prudent, but Your Board has chosen to begin 2006 with a modest increase and consider other steps only if and when absolutely necessary.
BOOM OR BALOON?
According to a recent Halstead Property Marketing Report, sale prices for one, two, and thre bedroom apartments on the West Side have risen 19% over 2004. Studios only 4%, compared to 20% for the East Side. Larger East Side apartments have ballooned between 20% and 28%.
Prices, according to Halstead have begun to soften, and many experts are sure there's an end in sight, but no one is confident (or foolish) enough to say where or when.
HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT YOUR COMPLAINTS?
Sure, you've complained over and over and over again about that noisy, abusive neighbor, or about the poor performance oif a member of the staff but nothing is done! Well, if nothing happens, could it be because the complaint isn't in writing?
Okay, you don't want to go on record. Maybe you're fearful of reprisals or of being known as a "complailner." But without the Who, What, When, and Where, with your signature at the bottom, what we have is little more than "gossip."
And if it ever becomes necessary to go to court, lack of documentation will certainly prejudice the suit, as will an unwillingness to testify in court, which may result in the cost of legal fees to us all.
Similarly, staff complaints without written documentation make it difficult to discipline the person, and almost impossible to appeal to the union for redress.
Be assured, action will be taken and your identity not revealed unless a hearing or court appearance becomes absolutely necessary.
Sure, it's sometimes uncomfortable to "go on record," but not doing so many allow the unpleasantness that got you ticked off in the first place to continue unabated.
One of those awful choices life asks of us, ain't it?
CIG SNEAKING IN YOUR STAIRWELL?
Where can someone go these days to get a quiet puff or two without being harrassed, pilloried, or patronized? Well, one of the worst places to sneak a smoke is an enclosed stairwell, where the smoker is not onlyu subject to the direct hit but also to that lingering cloud of second-hand smoke.
That smell and it s unwholesome content continue to hang in the air for some time after the secret-smoker has left, affecting unsuspecting neighbors taking out their garbage, or heading downstairs with their youngsters. If you can't smoke in your apartment where it's allowed by law, maybe it's time to quit.
MONSOON-LIKE RAIN &
THE LITTLE TREE THAT WOULDN'T QUIT.
Rain, rain, rain, and some more rain. And once again the little tree in the southwestern garden was uprooted by the early Fall wet and wind. But it's upright again, re-staked and as determined as ever to be a tree.
LIBRARY D'WASH
Polly Bookout and her team of bibliophiles, Barbara Greenburg, David Grunberg, Sally Ludlow, and Mary-Ellen Siegel continue to earn our thanks for the task of taking care of the Laundry Libraries.
Your Editor has availed himself of a tome or two and is pleased to have such an amenity close at hand. Check it out.
SURFING SITES
Some useful website cribbed from the NY Times that you might want to browse:
www.nyc.gov City Government's main website with access to sites of city agencies (including Police Dept.) community boards, etc.
gis.nyhc.gov/doitt/mp/Portal.do links to block and lot numbers, school zones, community boards, census data, and data on neighborhood-by-neighborhood complaints about problems such as noise and rats.
http://www.cnyc.com web home of the Council of New York Cooperatives and Condominiums is the go-to site for news and views on co-op and condo interests in NYC.
SAD NEWS
Phil Heller, the mature, quiet Doorman who greeted you with a nod and a smile, passed away on October 25 following a brief hospitalization. For a bit more than three years Phil served in both buildings. His gentle presence will be missed.
Phill is survived by his wife of many years, his children and grandchildren. Notes, cards, other expressions of sympathy for Phil's family should be given to Vincent, as can Christmas tips itended for Phil.
THE NOSTRODAMUS CORNER
DATELINE: DECEMBER, 2020
COLISEUM BOARD CONSIDERING MILLION DOLLAR PURCHASE OF FOUR NEW AUTOMATED LUGGAGE CARTS.
The Artificial Intelligence Group at M.I.T. has developed a luggage cart designed to return itself to a pre-set Home Base without human interventioin. Residents too busy to return borrowed carts simply unload the cart, open their front door and Robo-Cart will automatically travel to pre-signalled elevators to return to the lobby where Robo-Casrt will park itself, ready for the next use. (Caution: Not opening your front door to allow Robo-Cart egress may result in damage to your door.)
At $25,000 each, Robo-Carts seem an efficient approach to solving the persistant and pervasive problem of people not returning the cards, leaving them in, or just shoving them off the elevators, or using them off-premises, making it difficult for others to find one when needed.
The downside, apart from cost, is that elevators may be more difficult to get because they will be programmed to respond first to Robo-Cart calls.
Requiring Doormen to leave their posts to check on the whereabouts o;f manually operated carts presents a security/convenience issue of the front doors being unattended. The even simpler, more cost-effective solution -- people returning borrowed carts to their Home Bases after use -- has proved futile.
BEST WISHES TO ONE AND ALL FOR A HAPPY HOLIDAY & PEACEFUL NEW YEAR!
IF THE ELECTRIC POWER FAILS... NOT TO WORRY...
Con Edison reports the 11 new gas turbine generators it installed around the city this spring are ample insurance against power outages (NY Times, Sunday, June 10, 2001). But Con Ed's chief distribution engineer says that while citywide power failures are unlikely, localized cutoffs may occur because of mechanical breakdown.
Will it happen at Coliseum Park Apartments -- who knows? But if it does, there are things you should be aware of, and some things you can do to keep you and your family comfortable and your electronic equipment safe.
What Would Happen if Power Fails?
Lights and all plug-in electric appliances in your apartment will shut down.
In the building, hallway and stairwell lights, elevators, intercom system, basement lighting, washers, driers, and water pumps won't operate. Building entrance doors won't operate automatically, but can be operated manually.
Will My Telephone Work?
Hard-wired, non-wireless phones will work as their power is supplied by the phone company. But answering machines powered by wall sockets will not, and other special functions (number storage, auto redial, etc.) on your phone might be affected if not backed up by battery power.
Cell phones will also work normally.
911 can be reached in an emergency by hard-wired and cell phones.
In an emergency, the Doormen can be called: 58th Street -- 265-6995 & 60th Street -- 265-6999.
How Can I Be Prepared?
Water: Keep a few gallon jugs of water in reserve in the refrigerator for cooking and washing. Coliseum's water supply comes from roof tanks filled by electric pumps. In a power outage only the water already in the tanks will be available and will run out quickly under normal use.
Computers, etc. Provide sensitive electronic equipment such as computers with surge protectors. When power is restored, it can come in a surge, or spike, that might damage sensitive equipment. If your computer is particularly essential to your work, you might consider purchase of backup battery power.
Flashlights/Portable Radio/Batteries. Have a supply of the appropriate battery sizes for flashlights, portable radios, and other important battery-operated equipment such as your special-featured telephone. Batteries keep longest in the refrigerator.
Candles. Have a supply of candles and use only in places away from drafts, flammable materials such as curtains, papers, etc., and where they are in no danger of being knocked over.
Elderly/Disabled/Neighbors. Contact neighbors you're concerned about and offer to check on them in the event of a power outage.
Life-Sustaining Equipment. If you or a member of your family use life-sustaining equipment, please contact Con Edison at the phone number on your bill 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). According to their website (www.conedison.com) they want to know if you'll need special attention in case of an emergency and will work with you to keep your service on.
What if Con Ed Warns of Potential Brownouts/Blackouts?
Check your flashlights to be sure they are in working order.
Check your candle supply. (See note above.)
Have a supply of backup batteries for all battery-powered appliances handy.
Cut back on use of air conditioners, clothes and dish washing machines, dryers, especially during hours of peak demand -- 7 to 10pm in residential areas. (Appliances that create cold or heat use the most electricity.)
And If an Outage Occurs?
Turn on a portable radio for news updates.
Access to the building will be through the lobby only. Stay out of the basement. It will be dark, and while the doors from the street into the basement can be opened with a key, the inner electrically operated gates will remain locked.
Avoid using building-supplied water. There is only a few hours supply of water in roof tanks and electric pumps to refill them will be inoperative.
Turn off or disconnect appliances that would go on automatically when service is restored, leaving one light on so you'll know when power is restored. A surge can result when power is restored and may damage equipment that has been left on and does not have a surge protector. Appliances not turned off may trip circuit breakers or fuses in an apartment when power returns.
Use only candles in holders and keep away from drafts, flammable materials such as curtains, and in low traffic places where they are in no danger of being knocked over.
The Staff have been supplied with a portable radio to keep abreast of the situation, and with large flashlights to provide assistance in an emergency. They have walkie-talkies and will be available in the lobbies.
What If I'm Caught in Our Elevator?
Not to worry. In a power outage building employees are instructed to check the elevators to be sure no one is inside. If you are, you will be found and you will be released.
If you have your cell phone with you, try reaching the Doormen: 58th Street -- 265-6995 and 60th Street -- 265-6999.
How Do I Keep Food in My Refrigerator & Freezer Safe?
Food will stay frozen between 36 and 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer with the door closed. Keep doors closed as much as possible. Each time the door is opened, heat enters.
What Do I Do Until the Power Returns?
Well, some who experienced the previous two major NYC blackouts in 1965 and 1977 turned the event into a get-to-know-your-neighbor party, sharing candlelight and wine (unchilled). In both instances the power returned and the birthrate went up. So, just keep calm and as cool as you can.
Updated 12.10.05
