Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Congratulations to the New Board Members!!

I am out of town at the moment and was not able to attend last night's meeting, but I will be given notes in the next day or so and will post them at that time.

But, in case you haven't heard, the two new candidates, Jeff Kagan and Michael Annunziata were voted onto the Board.

So, the University Towers Board for 2008-2009 is:

Doug Boettner (President)
Michael Annunziata
Rodney Hurley
Jeffrey Kagan
Diana Leidel

Congratulations, once again!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Scheduled Power Outage in 122: Friday, May 30th

According to Management, 122's building electricity will be taken off-line this Friday, May 30th at 10am to "remedy the cause of the previous episodes of blown fuses ... [as] identified by a licensed electrician [who] will resolve the issue by upgrading the fuse panel to a circuit breaker panel."

There is a sign posted by the lobby elevators which says that the outage may last about 2 hours, but the previous outage was under 15 minutes. I'll get a more accurate estimate from Management later today.

Power to apartments will not be affected.

Many of the building's systems will be affected, including the following:

  • elevators
  • lobby/hallway/stairwell lighting
  • water pumps
  • boiler (heating/hot water)
  • laundry facilities
  • electromagnetic door locks (swiper entry) on external doors

Since the outage will be for such a short time, residents should not notice any difference in heating and hot water.

The lobby and hallways will be dark; stairwells will be unlocked and lit with emergency lighting.

The keycard swipers will be offline, and all three entrances will remain unlocked. Additional staff will be available to maintain security.

Elevators will be brought to the lobby approximately 10 minutes prior to the outage, where they will remain until power is restored.

Residents will be asked not to begin washing/drying any laundry after 8am so the laundry room may be closed at 9:30am. The laundry room will be reopened approximately an hour after the outage.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Brooklyn Bridge 125th Birthday Celebrations This Weekend!!!

Whether you remember the 1983 celebrations or not, this will be a special treat for all New Yorkers and visitors -- only this time, it will go on for five days, starting tonight at 7:45pm with a Brooklyn Philharmonic concert in the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park (between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges.)

For a quick guide to the festivities, which will include performances, tours, fireworks, a spectacular light display every evening from 9pm to 11pm, and more, go to the Official NYC Visit site, or view the Daily News' 52-page brochure.

You may also find the quick links in this Gothamist article useful.

The weather should be sunny and warm this weekend, so get out there, enjoy yourself, and wish our beautiful bridge a happy 125th!!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Candidate Spotlight: Robin Lance

In preparation for the upcoming election for UT's Board of Directors, The Blog has invited all candidates to submit a statement about themselves and their vision for UT's future.

University Towers (UT) is a diverse, open community centered in a prime downtown Brooklyn location. UT has grown through the years into its own character of presence and sustainability while changes occur on every corner of its boundaries.

In the future, UT has to continue to maintain its integrity and be competitive with the dynamics of the surrounding community. We will have to be vigilant with our public perception and maintain our property in a state of good repair. In doing so, our efforts need to be balanced between changes that directly affect our property, either internally or externally with decisions inclusive of the entire community. This would include keeping in mind that which impacts our shareholders’ quality of life and our financial stability.

I think that as a Board member, I will be pro-active and watchful for the issues affecting the UT property and the concerns of its shareholders.

Robin Lance

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Candidate Spotlight: Jeff Kagan

In preparation for the upcoming election for UT's Board of Directors, The Blog has invited all candidates to submit a statement about themselves and their vision for UT's future.

Dear Members of the University Towers Community,

I would like to formally announce my intent to run for the University Towers Board of Directors.

Some of you know me, but many of you do not. I hope to meet you all in the upcoming weeks and months. For now, I'll tell you a little bit about myself and why I am asking for your support at the upcoming Annual Meeting on Monday, June 9, 2008.

I have decided to run for the Board to be more involved in the community in which I live, working with the current Board and management to make University Towers one of the best "destinations" in Brooklyn. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, with new buildings going up on all sides of us, I feel that we have the ability to shine a little brighter than we already do, and show the real estate market that UT is the place to be!

I have been a shareholder at University Towers since November, 2006. I am a Brooklyn native, born in Crown Heights (40 years ago this July...). I have a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Trenton State College, and a Master of Arts in Television Broadcasting from Montclair State University. I've been working at Home Box Office (HBO) for the past 16 years, and I am currently a Manager in the HBO Program Scheduling Department where I create on-air schedules for the HBO Family and HBO Comedy channels. I hope many of you enjoy my work.

I am a self-starter. I believe in honesty, accountability, and fairness. I am extremely resourceful and bring creativity and innovation to the table. I have years of experience working with people, both on an individual level and in the group dynamic. I'm very approachable and I always look at every situation in an objective manner. I have served on four Boards for various nonprofit organizations over the past 15 years.

My first focus, if elected, will be to work with the current Board on ways to improve communications to the shareholders, by advocating for a more active website and more frequent updates on the discussions and decisions made by the Board. I realize that serving on the Board is a great responsibility which must be juggled along with one's own full-time job and other personal activities. I feel that I can assist the Board in streamlining the communication process with a more effective means of reaching the shareholders, while at the same time, not adding too much to the current workload.

You will have the opportunity to meet me in person at the "Meet the Candidates" event on Wednesday, May 21st in the UT Community Room. I look forward to telling you more about myself, as well as answer any and all questions about my intent as a Board member.

The above information may help you when deciding who to vote for on June 9th. If you have any questions, I'm more than happy to answer them. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to focus my abilities on my UT community, to help make University Towers better for everyone.

I encourage everyone to get involved and vote on June 9th, regardless of the candidate(s) you support.

Thank you,

-- Jeff

Monday, May 12, 2008

Voting Q&A and Meet The Candidates, Wednesday May 21st @ 7pm

In an effort to raise community awareness about the importance of voting in our co-op -- which is, after all, a mini-democracy -- several members of the Yahoo Group (including me) assembled information about the current candidates and voting procedures.

And, yes, we've been standing around in the lobbies during the evening, meeting many of you and sharing thoughts and concerns.

For your convenience, those documents are posted in their entirety here.

We hope to see all of you at the Meet the Candidates forum next week!


Dear Shareholder,

Over the last few weeks, some of the shareholders have been gathering the answers to some “frequently asked questions” about University Towers, the Board and the upcoming election procedures. This information was collected during informal meetings, as well as from the Yahoo Group.

Attached is a document which we hope will assist the shareholders in better understanding the procedures involved with the Annual Meeting and Election of Board of Directors, as well as knowing a little moreabout the role the Board plays in the University Towers community.

Please read through them so you are fully aware of the procedures.

If you have a question that is not represented, or if you’d like clarity on any of these answers, you should contact a member of the current Board of Directors. Their contact information is below.

The following individuals are running for the Board in the June, 2008 election:

Doug Boettner

Current Board President, Shareholder
191 Willoughby Street
dboettner@universitytowersapts.com .

Tania Gordon

Current Board Vice President, Shareholder
191 Willoughby Street

tgordon@universitytowersapts.com

Rodney Hurley

Current Board Vice President, Tenant
122 Ashland Place
rhurley@universitytowersapts.com

Jeff Kagan

New Board Candidate, Shareholder

191 Willoughby Street

jeff@kaganville.com

Robin Lance

Current Board Vice President, Shareholder
191 Willoughby Street
rlance@universitytowersapts.com

Diana Leidel

Current Board Vice President, Shareholder

122 Ashland Place

dleidel@universitytowersapts.com

Thank you,

Residents Group of University Towers

Annual Meeting & Election: Frequently Asked Questions


What is the purpose of the Annual Meeting and Election of Board of Directors?

Every year, in accordance with the by-laws of University Towers, the shareholders must gather for a meeting (called the “Annual Meeting”) at which time the Board of Directors and Management report on the current status of our co-op, as well as upcoming plans, and a recap of the past year. At this meeting, an election is held to decide who will be elected to serve on the Board for the next 12 months. Shareholders each get a specific number of votes, depending on the number of shares they own in the co-op, and they cast these votes for the candidates of their choice.

To summarize the “big picture,” there are 7 seats on the Board of Directors at UTAC. Because over 70% of UTAC shares have been sold, shareholders vote for 70% of those Board seats—currently 5 seats out of 7. Theremaining two seats belong to the sponsor, Rothenberg & Rosenfield, Inc. (RRI), and shareholders do not vote for those. At some point during the year, we expect that new apartment sales will push us over 80% sold, and we will gain another Board seat (and RRI will lose one).

Who is running? How do I learn about the candidates?

Come to the Meet The Candidates event on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 7:00pm in the Community Room at 122 Ashland Place. The candidates will be part of a moderated Q&A session, and after, they will answer shareholder’s individual questions. If you are unable to attend this event, feel free to contact the candidates via email.

In an effort to educate voters on each candidate’s positions on hot topics, a questionnaire will be distributed to each candidate. Their answers will be made accessible to shareholders as soon as possible. All candidates will be encouraged to return this questionnaire along with any other items they wish to be considered with their profile.

Why should I vote?

Your vote is VERY important in each election. As a shareholder, your participation in this process is crucial for two reasons: First, it is necessary that a quorum exists before the election can qualify as legal, meaning there must be a minimum of 51% of the shareholders participating the election, either in person, or by proxy.

Without 51% shareholder participation, the meeting is canceled and rescheduled for a future date.

Second, your participation works to your benefit, by helping to select the next group of Board Members who will represent YOU in decisions about the UT community. Please take the time to stand up and be counted in theelection process.

How do I vote? How many votes am I entitled to?

Voting takes place at the Annual Meeting, which will be held at the Long Island University Campus, 1 University Plaza, on Monday, June 9, 2008 at 6pm. Please arrive early to check-in.

For now, what is important is that shareholders are voting to fill 5 seats.

At the Annual Meeting, first, determine the total number of shares you have to vote:

Multiply your shares by the number of non-sponsor Board seats. Again, for the June 2008 election, there are 5 non-sponsor Board seats. This is the total number of votes you have.

You may distribute your votes across the five candidates in any way you choose.

For example, a shareholder in Apartment 4-X has 802 shares. That shareholder will multiply 802 by 5 (the number of non-sponsor Board seats) and get the number 4,010. This is how many votes that shareholderhas. These 4,010 votes may be used however you choose.

IMPORTANT: Do not exceed the maximum number total votes, or your entire ballot will be disqualified and none of your votes will be counted.

Here are some vote distribution samples:

Sample A: You may cast all of your votes for one candidate.

Candidate 1 ---------- 0
Candidate 2 ---------- 0
Candidate 3 ---------- 0
Candidate 4 ----- 4,010
Candidate 5 ---------- 0


Total votes: ---- 4,010

Sample B: You may divide your votes up in different amounts, as long as they add up to the total you’ve calculated.

Candidate 1 ----- 1,000
Candidate 2 ------- 500
Candidate 3 ----- 2,000
Candidate 4 ------- 500
Candidate 5 -------- 10

Total votes: ---- 4,010

Sample C: You may divide your votes up in equal amounts, as long as they add up to the total you’ve calculated.

Candidate 1 ------ 802
Candidate 2 ------ 802
Candidate 3 ------ 802
Candidate 4 ------ 802
Candidate 5 ------ 802

Total votes: ---- 4,010

When do I vote?

At the Annual Meeting on Monday, June 9, 2008 at 6pm. RRI has mailed the details to all shareholders already, well in advance of the meeting.

What if I can’t make it to the Annual Meeting?

Your votes are still very important! You may vote by proxy. A proxy is another person (shareholder or non-shareholder) whom you designate to vote on your behalf. A proxy form is attached to this packet for your convenience.

How do I fill out a proxy form?

See below. The first priority is to designate your proxy. Fill out a Proxy Form and return it to the Management Office at 191 Willoughby Street in Brooklyn, or to Rothenberg & Rosenfield, Inc. at 505 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10022.

This is what the first section of the Proxy Form looks like:

IMPORTANT: If you do not cross out the names “Michael L. Rothenberg, Daniel L. Rosenfield,” your proxy will automatically be Rothenberg and Rosenfield (the Sponsors), regardless of whom you indicate on the line below. If you write in a proxy name, you must cross out the sponsor’s names to make your choice of proxy eligible.

The person you choose as your proxy must attend the Annual Meeting at LIU on Monday, June 9, 2008, 6pm. They must bring identification. The election hosts will hand your ballot to your proxy. The proxy must then fill out the ballot as illustrated above. The individual you select to be your proxy should be someone you know and trust to vote of your behalf.

What are the responsibilities of the Board of Directors?

The Board of Directors ensures sound management of the co-op resources; acts as trustees on behalf of the shareholders; sets long-range goals and plans for the future.

To fulfill these responsibilities, the Board of Directors oversees many aspects of the University Towers Community including hiring and evaluating co-op management, long-range strategic planning, financialoversight, interviewing potential buyers, security issues, and the general quality of life of the residents.

The Board is required to meet approximately every 6 weeks for its regular Board meetings. Additionally, the Board meets once a month to interview prospective new residents and it is expected that Board members chairone of the Board committees and attend those meetings.

May I run for a Board seat?

Yes. Anyone may run for the Board. Shareholders will receive an information packet about the Annual Meeting in the mail. If you are not a shareholder, you should be able to obtain a packet from the ManagementOffice. You are encouraged to promote your interest as a candidate by coming to the Meet the Candidates event, as well as posting comments on the University Towers Yahoo Group and University Towers Blog.

I’m not interested in being a Board Member, but how else can I get involved?

There are so many ways to get involved at University Towers! Here are some:

• Initiate ideas and post them to the Yahoo Group for discussion. The Yahoo Group can be found at (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/universitytowers).

• Join a committee: Quality of Life, Security, Finance, or one of the ad-hoc committees that are created from time to time (e.g. Holiday Party, Easter Egg Hunt, etc.)

• Have a good idea? Write a brief proposal and pitch it to the Board.

• Write an article for the University Towers Blog (http://universitytowers.blogspot.com/)

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Second (Quarterly?) Pot Luck

For four hours during the evening of Saturday, May 3, 2008, University Towers residents gathered in the 122 Community Room, sharing delicious food, drink and good conversation.

The buffet table overflowed with various baked pastas, Asian noodle and rice dishes, pulled pork, chicken casserole, an out-of-this world vegetarian chili, pies, cookies and ultra-fresh Beard Papa cream puffs (provided by yours truly, who can't cook to save her life).

Like the first Pot Luck in February, the party was more about having fun and getting to know each other than UT-related business. Conversations revolved around everything from Fort Greene Park, children (two of which were in attendance :-> ), celebrity sightings, our favorite episode of Star Trek, and so on and so on.

But, towards the end of the evening, we spent about a half-hour talking about the upcoming election for UT's Board of Directors.

The Pot Luck had initially been promoted as a "Meet the Candidates" event, in addition to a party, but Jeff Kagan and current board member Diana Leidel were the only two candidates who were able to attend the event due to the short notice in planning it.

Fortunately, both were very articulate about their desires for the development of the University Towers community.

Diana shared the degree to which she and other board members have participated in various community groups -- including Community Board 2 (she noted that while it is difficult to get a seat on the Board, Robin has attended many meetings to stay abreast of developments).

Jeff expressed a desire for a clearer definition of UT's Board roles. For example, no one is designated as Secretary, Treasurer, etc., as is the case in the other boards on which he serves. Further, he stressed the importance of improving communication between the Board and the UT shareholders.

The remaining time was spent assembling a Q&A about the voting procedures at UT, as well as a list of questions that can be asked of the candidates at the upcoming "Meet the Candidates" session, this Wednesday, May 21st, in the Community Room -- at which, I hope, most if not all of the candidates will be present!!

Both the Q&A and Question List will be published on this blog during the next week.

At the end of the night, as we cleared the tables, happy and well-fed, many residents suggested that this would be a nice event to hold on a quarterly basis.

But instead of "meeting the candidates" perhaps it would be a nice way for new residents to get to know their new neighbors -- and for the rest of us to get to know each other a bit beyond saying "hi" in the elevator (but isn't it nice that we do that here! :-> ).

Friday, May 2, 2008

Quality of Life Meeting - April 30, 2008, 7pm-9pm

Here are "unofficial" minutes taken by Yahoo Group member (and all-around wonderful person) Kiko Mikani.

Un-Official MINUTES from Quality of Life Meeting, April 30, 2008, 7pm-9pm

1. The Meeting began with show-and-tell of hand-sketch work prepared by Mr. John Lee, Landscape Architect (LA).

2. Proposed Landscape for $50k

a. Every and each year, UTAC spends $42k± on landscaping services people see performed by Bill & Co.

b. The Board approved $50k to hire LA to design a landscape master plan for UTAC property. The $50k package includes thirteen (13) ornamental trees and new up-right lights.

i. These new lightings may be concern for some Residents who may be affected; check with Management Office for Detailed Plans and Sketches by LA.

ii. LA's "idea of lighting" has been approved but not necessary the final location nor the types.

c. LA proposes for additional money four (4) water foundation at $1k±/each and about twenty (20) trees throughout the property; however, all trees in the first $50k and additional funding are all ornamental trees and not shade trees. This plan has not been approved by the Board, yet.

3. Michael U. mentioned that one (1) additional tree at 175 will come down due to fungus growth at parking space #174.

4. The 4 trees that were recently cut down:

a. The Developer plans for new 20-foot high, 6"thick wall along the Lot Line UTAC shares on the northern border.

b. UTAC had choices:

i. Keep UTAC's existing wall as is.

ii. Demolish existing UTAC's 10-foot, 6" thick wall the Board chose this alternative based on the following.

a) UTAC may be able to utilize the 6" UTAC gain from demolishing existing UTAC 10-foot, 6" thick wall and another 6" from current UTAC northern Lot Line to Developer's face of future 20-foot, 6" thick wall.

b) UTAC has no say on Developer's future 20-wall, 6" thick materials.

c) UTAC may plant any plants UTAC wishes on UTAC's side; UTAC plans to plant ivy (economical plant option) temporarily during the Developer's construction for next 2-3 years.

d) Developer will pay for demolition work of existing UTAC 10-foot, 6" wall.

5. During Construction:

a. Residents shared concern for security during Developer's wall construction work (both demolition and construction); the Board promises all will be secured.

b. The Board and Michael U. expect and plan for two (2) vehicles to pass each other at the BBQ area; however, Shareholders share their current condition that negate such situation that, only one (1) car can go at a time now and is creating and will continue the inconvenience.

c. Suggestion of additional speed bumps throughout the UTAC parking lot was made; one person noted the use of speed bumps is not effective.

6. Future possible pedestrian access between UTAC Lot and Supermarket Lot

a. The Board shared that this topic is still in discussion but too early to talk about.
The Board promises to look into formal and legal Easement with Developer through the Lawyers.

7. UTAC future 24 parking spots.

a. The Board promises to look into if Shareholder may purchase more than one (1) parking space.

b. There currently are four (4) spaces available as of last winder 2007; the Board is considering raising price from $25k/space.
c. Additional twenty (20) spaces will be developed and are definitely more than $25k/space.

8. Developer's Lot and wall:

a. A Shareholder noted that, it is important to realize and be prepared for not only the future 20-foot wall that replaces existing UTAC 10-foot wall along our northern Property Line, but also there are going to be additional 60-foot high-rise condo building, and two other 80-foot condo buildings.

b. The Developer has welcomed UTAC to select the wall finishes on UTAC side; a Shareholder suggested art ideas perform on noise walls along highway projects, while others mentioned about the use of sun's reflection on the wall as well.

9. Jonathan's presentation:

a. Shade trees (oak) vs. ornamental trees (magnolia, dog tree) shade trees are preferred, although they are costly, but they intake more carbon; thus, plant them when they are small & young and let them grow to save in cost.

b. Jonathan would have been able to get 25 (10-foot tall, 1"-2" diameter) for FREE from Jed Marcus of Fort Green Association (FGA) via City Jonathan at the last minutes on Wednesday received this notice and wished to incorporate into LA's design since LA does not have any shade trees in his scope; however, this plan did not work out.

i. At the end of QOL Meeting, I was told the Board Members APPROVED Jonathan's Plan revised Plan for (10) fee shade trees.

ii. Then, I spoke with Jed Marcus to capture remaining (15) free shade trees for MY JOB. I was informed that UTAC declined the offer.

End of Minutes.

******
Note, a Yahoo Group member subsequently noted: "Jonathan informed Jed Marcus that he only needed ONE tree which will be planted on the Willoughby Street sidewalk. Logistics/ liabilities stood in the way of getting the free trees for UTAC with such short notice."

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Heating Update in 122

As you may know, many residents in 122 went several days without heat over the past two weeks.

The problem was isolated and resolved this past weekend. Here is Michael Urena's rundown of events, and the actions taken by Management to restore heat as quickly as possible.


Principally, starting on Thursday, we had a confluence of issues that involved the vacuum end of the heating system.

Put in other words, there were no issues with boiler steam production or the ability to build the steam to the level that would be needed to satisfy heating requirements. We experienced the problem in the piping.

On every line, and every radiator, is a separate vertical line carrying steam. On the eighth floor, there is an "expansion joint" which allows for the fifteen-story high metal steam pipe to expand. These joints undergo wear and tear as time progresses.

We found defective expansion joints on the G line in the bedroom and in the H line in one of the smaller bedrooms. The leaks were sufficient to prohibit the distribution of heat to both sides of the building, leading anyone not close to the scene to think the boiler was the problem.

As we made repairs based upon our findings on Sunday, we encountered one more leaking expansion joint in the C line affecting your side of the building [Note: I am on the G side] and finally found a problem with the steam supply valve whose gauge registered a problem opening based upon the outside temperature, but whose mechanical linkage was prohibiting the opening from opening beyond a minimal, and grossly inadequate, point.

This affected the other side of the building.

This problem was masked by the leaking expansion joints. I really believe that University Towers is fortunate to have supers like Raphael Olive and Juan Perez who found the way around other responsibilities and focused hard on the problem.

Believe me these findings came after considerable leg work that tired them significantly. They, however, were determined to fix all problems before the beginning of the week and on the weekend, specifically by Sunday at 1 PM, licked the problem.

After a full heating season it is not unusual for the parts that work the most to need maintenance, but I must admit it has been quite a while since we last saw such a confluence of problems.

All in all, I believe it was a job well done by the staff, however, it may go somewhat unnoticed because not having heat may be the focus of residents' minds. I feel that you may appreciate the details.
On a personal note, I am particularly grateful that the issue in the G-line bedroom has been resolved as I have frequently complained that the bedroom is too cold in the winter.

Looking forward to sleeping warmly......

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Thursday's Scheduled Power Outage in 122: What You Need to Know

Per yesterday's post, at 10am Thursday, March 6th, 122's building electricity will be taken off-line for approximately five minutes so that old fuses can be replaced.

Power to apartments will not be affected.

Many of the bulding's systems will be affected, including the following:

  • elevators
  • lobby/hallway/stairwell lighting
  • water pumps
  • boiler (heating/hot water)
  • laundry facilities
  • electromagnetic door locks (swiper entry) on external doors

Since the outage will be for such a short time, residents should not notice any difference in heating and hot water.

The lobby and hallways will be dark; stairwells will be unlocked and lit with emergency lighting.

The keycard swipers will be offline, and all three entrances will remain unlocked. Additional staff will be available to maintain security.

Elevators will be brought to the lobby approximately 10 minutes prior to the outage, where they will remain until power is restored.

Residents will be asked not to begin washing/drying any laundry after 8am so the laundry room may be closed at 9:30am. The laundry room will be reopened approximately an hour after the outage.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Power Outage in 122 on Friday 2/29/08 and Ramp Entrance

At approximately 8pm on Friday, February 29th, the lobby, elevators and certain hallways were without power due to a blown fuse. The outage lasted approximately 25 minutes.

Power to apartments was not affected.

This is similar to the outage during the weekend of February 9th.

On the 9th, at least one resident was stuck in a elevator for about 10 minutes and Management acted quickly to restore power.

When the elevator cabs are upgraded later this year, an intercom will be added so that passengers can contact security.

After the first outage, Management ordered a fresh supply of fuses, which have not yet been installed.

This Thursday, they will interrupt the building's power for about five minutes at 10am to install the fuses. Once again, this will only affect power to the lobby, hallways, stairwells, elevators, water pumps and laundry facilities.

Power to apartments will not be affected.

And speaking of installation, the swipe card readers to the ramp entrances of 122 and 191 are up and running.

I had tested my card about two weeks ago and found it was working then, but I believe Management was still testing and didn't want to make an official announcement until now.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Shareholders’ Meeting - 2/26 Tuesday, 7pm-9:30pm

"Unofficial" notes taken by the ever wonderful Kiko. Many thanks!!

(40-50 Residents attendance)

1. Jed Marcus, a guest speaker from Fort Green Association (FGA) http://greenfgch.org/

-a. The organization’s GOALS at local level:

--i. To lower global warming

--ii. To raise awareness about resources

----1) Everyone can participate

----2) You don’t have to spend a lot

C Mail-in responses for wind/hydro powers

▪ http://www.conedsolutions.com/residential/greenpowermain.htm

▪ ConEd’s (your electric company) customers pay ONLY few cent’s more per kwh for choosing “green power” (I pay about $35-$40/mo in winter time for studio apt, FYI with ConEd solution option)

-3) Compact fluorescent light bulbs sales via local stores

▪ Uses ¼ electricity

▪ Lasts 10x longer

▪ $100 saving over the 1 bulb lifetime

-b. Since mid 2007…

--i. FGA assisted City Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) with Bloomberg’s tree projects in Fort Green area

--ii. FGA assisted City to install “Green Streets” – to help naturally soak up CO2

--iii. FGA encourages ConEd’s Solutions (bullet 1.a.2)

--iv. FGA distributes compact fluorescent light bulbs (bullet 1.a.3)

--v. FGA circulate “green maps”

-c. How people, organization/group, office/business use energy – what can “we” do?

--i. Are they using recycle products – reuse shopping bags?

--ii. Your dry cleaners – ask to reuse the hangers?

-d. Participate as a LEADER to reduce environmental impact at local level?

--i. Caring for newly planted DPR trees – watering, education

--ii. Green power/energy – information in lobby area

--iii. Sell FGA’s bulbs in co-op buildings (Kiko is working out the details w/ Jed for UTAC, stay tuned….)

2. Property Manager’s Report – operational aspects only, by Micheal U.

-a. 122 gas situation

-b. 122 black out – due to faulty fuse

-c. 191 dryers to be replaced by similar units as 122 within the next 1 month

--i. Major plumbing issues, sewer relocation, $$$ to be paid by vendor – currently in negotiation

--ii. Down-time about 1 week, forecasted

-d. Security – Committee has been meeting monthly

-e. Upcoming Spring 2008 work

--i. Re-striping/re-aligning/re-#-ing the parking spaces.

--ii. Perimeter sidewalk repairs at Fleet Street and tree roots

--iii. Elevator modernization

---1) Updating electrical and wiring to each cabs

---2) New drive machine

---3) Intercom/video capabilities

---4) Cab interior upgrade

---5) 10-12 week down-time per cab

---6) 12-week lead time after down-payment & order until delivery

---7) 1st start will be 191 – new/latest change

---8) 175 is next at this time, subject to change

---9) 1.5-year project – 12-week/cab x 6 cabs = 72 weeks

---10) Q: what happens during work if the only working elevator fails?

-----A: another co-op with the same set-up w/o freight/back-up elevator had done the same project previously; Board is investigating this case study.

--iv. 122/191 rear swiper card access now available

--v. Generator project – board approved

▪ Minimal lights among public space only

▪ 1 elevator cab per building

▪ Hallway and lobby only

▪ Parking lot lights

▪ Project at engineering phase

▪ People in need of assistance is already on list with the Building Security and ConEd

--vi. 122 Community Room use is UP – good news

▪ The current damage deposit of $100 may need to go up? If & when there is carpet damage, it is going to cost more than $100 to clean up

--vii. Vent shaft has never been cleaned. Michael U. has reminded the Board (since this topic had been brought up in Summer 2007 Shareholders’ Meeting) to visit this topic.

--viii. Q: vents – what’s up?

-------A: in general, inspection occurs 1x/month. There is a screen at the very top; if it gets clogged, ventilation will not work. There is also a fan belt; if it breaks, it will fail. In winter season, sometimes there will be positive pressure (air incoming into the apt) due to high winds, but otherwise, ventilation should work normally. In winter time, sometimes, the vent wants to be closed to keep your heat in your apt and not get vented out for obvious reasons. Grating inside your apt must be cleaned regularly. If necessary, handymen will help remove the grating but “not” clean for you.

--ix. Q: 191 Laundry Room Ceiling Plumbing – when will it get fixed (this particular damage has been there since last summer-ish)?

-----A: Micheal U. will not wait for next Board Meeting; he will submit request for sewer work approval to Board ASAP.

--x. Q: heat in 122 – what is the matter this year?

-----A: Michael U. to investigate each unit who report.

--xi. Q: UTAC e-mail request not working?

-----A: when submitting, one must attention to Michael U. and follow up as well.

3. Security – by Robin

-a. Has been led by Michael U. and Robin

-b. Meetings with Security Company Management since Summer 2007

-c. Seeking for PERFORMANCE from Security Company

--i. To do list

--ii. Nothing specific to share with Residents b/c it’s a long list

-d. New Account Manager on Site

--i. More time to be spent

--ii. Hope for BETTER PERFORMANCE

-e. Security Handbook – DRAFT

--i. Completed and submitted to Board

--ii. May be able to share with Residents at next Shareholders’ Meeting?

-f. Guards must wear their nametags

-g. High turn-around among GUARDS – PROBLEM?

-h. High turn-around among TENANTS (renters) – PROBLEM?

--i. Guards

--i. Unable to speak English???

--ii. Unable to read English???

--iii. Un-trained???

-i. Forms – Shareholders to take RESPONSIBILITY & INITIATIVE

-j. If noise complaint WITHIN UTAC….

---1) CALL Security and inform

---2) FILE complaint in writing on FORM

▪ Request INCIDENT FORM to be completed by the Guard

▪ If Guard does not, do it yourself

--i. 1 copy to MGMT

--ii. 1 copy at Security

--iii. 1 copy for you

▪ YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW UP

-k. Package issues – continues…

--i. Robin had asked Security Company “if they had enough keys” and they told her YES

--ii. Residents had been told by Guards that, there are not enough keys, when Residents are not informed of their packages arrival

--iii. Packages continue to be MIA

-l. 191/5th Floor

--i. Strangers?

--ii. Possible daycare operations?

-m. 191/10th Floor

--i. Previous 2 weeks – loud music 2am, 5am

-n. 191/9th Floor

--i. Dog issues

---1) Smell

---2) Barks

4. Quality of Life

-a. Playgroup

--i. Parents only program – no sitters, no grandparents

--ii. Up to 3 kids per parent

--iii. Clean up your own

--iv. 2 volunteers on floor at all times

--v. Sign-up – membership program

--vi. Possibly insurance/liability issues to be resolved next week

--vii. Only a “pilot” project for winter time and not summer time & only when there is no other events in 122 Community Room

--viii. Door must be locked at all times to prevent non-members to enter – liability issues

--ix. Access only accompanied by Guard and only after sign-in – liability issues

--x. This is “not” a nursery

--xi. No sitter/daycare programs will be allowed

--xii. Q: what will happen to the maintenance/up-keep of 122 Community Room? Who will pay the extra wear & tear from “kids?”

-----A: clean up by parents, no refrigerator/food storage, no spillage, only “pilot program – if it’s a problem, it will not happen/go.

--xiii. Q: why is Board so worried legally only in 122 Community Room? Why not Playground? Why not anywhere else in the Complex? How is 122 Community Room different?

------A: no specific answer…, it was only said that the room was not intended for such use.

-b. Spring Egg Hunt

--i. Saturday, March 22nd

--ii. Planning Meeting, Tuesday, March 4th, 7p for volunteers

5. Co-op Finances

-a. Forgiveness Debt Act

--i. Deduct your mortgage interest

--ii. You should have received a Form from MGMT by now; if not, contact MGMT

-b. 0% increase in maintenance this calendar year

--i. Air rights – compensate shareholders $4.4 millions in bank

--ii. Recession

--iii. Operational budget is UP

---1) Details in Finance Committee

---2) For capital projects

--iv. Capital budget = $5.8 ± million

---1) $440+ k before air rights

---2) $1.3 million held per mortgage pre-air rights

---3) $4.4 million w/ air rights

-c. Mortgage refinance?

--i. Save on interest?

--ii. Volatile market – interest rate / treasury note forecast

--iii. Pre-payment penalty

--iv. Conclusion 􀃆 not good option

--v. Current return - 4±%

-d. Developer for 3 condos may sell out?

--i. Q: should UTAC consider purchasing the land to acquire the entire BLOCK to enhance property/investment value?

----A: too expensive – it’s not something we can afford.

-e. Garden apt

--i. 175/Unit 1P - $375k each have been sold to LIU as professional spaces

-f. Current 175 LIU professional spaces will be sold back to sponsor; they have been assessed at $1.5± million

6. Capital Projects

-a. Generator

--i. Elevator – only for elderly and needy use (others expected to use stairs)

--ii. Water

--iii. ASK OURSELVES: what do we really need to survive the 24-48 hours? Remember/think back to the last black out.

--iv. Evacuation

--v. ID who needs assistance

--vi. Communication/notification system – non-cell phone/e-mail

---1) Mega-phone

---2) Door-to-door

---3) Local precinct

--vii. Parking spots

---1) Resurfacing has been approved for Spring – 7 previously approved “new” spots north of 122

---2) Additional 15 newer spots have “not” been approved by Board, yet – this is the area with TREES….

▪ This is to be further studied, thus, these trees are not in any imminent danger; the project is on hold.

▪ Old & large trees overhang to the developer’s side – may have to come down; too large to re-locate.

▪ A Resident has submitted alternative parking layout to save trees – this can be viewed at http://kaganville.com/ut/trees_1.gif http://kaganville.com/ut/trees_2.gif

▪ If interested in newer parking spaces, call MGMT to get on “wait list.”

▪ The newer parking spaces – the 1st 7 spaces will go to the Sponsor, for 270 spaces are Sponsor’s by default. Any spaces beyond 270 will be open to non-Sponsors.

7. Suggestion was made to make the parking lot more pedestrian friendly

8. Suggestion was made to put benches in the Complex

9. Update – gas loss, possible credit to maintenance for 122 Residents from the days they had no gas services.

-a. This inquiry was brought up at recent QOL Meeting; it is in process of being looked into

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

BANG! BONG!! BOOM!! Construction Continues Along Myrtle Avenue

So it looks like Mr. Catsimatidis' credit concerns have not stopped construction along Myrtle Avenue, after all -- as we all learned around 7am this morning when the thunderous noise began.

It seemed to be coming from the Prince Street side of the lot, yet it was loud enough in my Ashland-facing apartment -- with the windows shut and a rattley fan going -- to wake me up. And it kept me up, even with ear plugs.

So I called 311 this afternoon and learned that those of us who work at night (and those who want peace and quiet during the day) may rest easy again.

Last year, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection completely revamped its noise pollution laws. According to their Noise Code Brochure, "[construction noises that] exceed ambient sound levels by more than 10 decibels as measured from inside any property or on a public street at 15 feet from the source" are prohibited. (I've uploaded a copy of the Brochure to the Yahoo Group's Files folder.)

And since 10 dB is about the level of a whisper, I would definitely say that the racket echoing from the construction pit was out of bounds today.

So I called in the complaint and was told that the DEP will check it out within the next day or so. Most likely they are not soundproofing to the degree set forth in the City's Noise Codes.

Please keep your ears and eyes open during this construction project, and let the Board know that we know our rights.

They and Management must stay vigilant and in contact with the Catsimatidis people so that our quality of life is duly protected during the many, many months that this construction is underway.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Meeting Notes: Quality of Life, Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Special thanks to Kiko Mikani for her superb note-taking! Please report any errors or omissions to tandavadance @ gmail.com.

I. Play Group Pilot Program Membership Guidelines.
A. The Board is looking into this, but have not made any official decision about it because of insurance policy issues; they hope to sort out within the month.
B. There are also some managerial issues to be sorted out, as the Board and Management expect it to be a parent-run program so that responsibility doesn’t fall on the board.
C. There is a copy of “Play Group Pilot Guidelines” available in the “Files” folder of the Yahoo Group site.

II. Update on Community Activity and Local Traffic Conditions
A. Diana, Rodney, and Tania met with a DOT representative and two representatives from the Car Wash.
1. The Board/UTAC suggested the following to address traffic issues on Willoughby Street:
(a) Mark lanes on Willoughby at Flatbush to delineate pedestrians and traffic.
(b) Post "Yield to pedestrians" signs on Willoughby.
(c) Allow two-way traffic on Willoughby.
(d) Increase the amount traffic enforcement officers for the area.
(e) Place a traffic light at Flatbush Avenue and Fleet Street.
2. The DOT responded as follows:
(a) “Yield” signs will be posted
(b) Traffic enforcement officers will be increased during rush hours.
(c) The DOT expects that the construction of a direct thru-street from Fleet Street & Willoughby to Myrtle will be accelerated to completion by June 2008 and suggested we wait on that development.
(d) There are two street-parking spaces in front of 165 and 167 Willoughby Street which are slated to be moved to the south side of Willoughby near the Department of Health building. This change may force right-turning Willoughby traffic onto the right side of the street – directly in front of the Car Wash, which will prevent the Car Wash from using that space for its business operation.
(e) The Car Wash has offered UTAC residents special discount business cards for those who are interested in servicing their vehicles at their business location.
3. The Board mentioned their concern about LIU expanding their athletic field in northward direction, taking over the wide sidewalk along Willoughby.
(a) There is no official word from LIU about this, and notes do not indicate the DOT’s view; there are three factors, however, which suggest LIU might not expand the field:
(i) LIU recently resurfaced that sidewalk, at its own expense (see http://nyc.gov/html/dot/html/faqs/sidewalkfaqs.shtml#maintaining for legal details)
(ii) LIU has superior a athletic field on its Long Island campus, which is its primary facility.
(iii) Expanding the field would require considerable expense of taking down the stadium lighting at the north end of the field.
4. The Board concluded that this meeting resulted in a win-win outcome for all.

III. Security (this is to be re-opened at formal and upcoming Security Meeting, so I am only putting the questions that were raised).
A. What is the difference between our security guards and doormen?
B. Many residents loan their swiper cards to non-residents; should this be allowed?

IV. Pedestrian Access with Future Neighbor on Myrtle (possible supermarket)
A. There has no discussion between developer and UTAC regarding vehicular access.
B. The Board plans to raise pedestrian access in developer's plans, but security between the two lots will be an issue.

V. City DOT Parking Resident Passes for $75-125/year
Little comment was offered by the Board on this issue, but there is more info here: http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/02/05/dot-relax-brooklyn-rpps-not-just-for-downtown/

VI. Elevators - Upgrade, Cab Refurbishing.
A. The base cost will be more than $600,000 for all buildings.
B. The Board and Management have not decided which building and cab will go first.
C. They had originally planned to do 122 first. (Note: in the October meeting, they said 122 was not going to be the first building) but 175 began to have greater and more imminent problems.
D. The contract was recently signed, and there is a 11-week lead time after signing contract, so the first cab will be renovated in Fall 2008.
E. One cab will be done at a time, 11 weeks per cab.
F. Air circulation will be improved, but there will be no air conditioning.
G. A CCTV feature for security will be installed in the cabs.
H. Each cab will have an intercom feature for emergencies. For example, there was a blackout affecting the 7th and/or 8th floors of 122 during the prior weekend, leaving a family stuck in an elevator; an intercom would have enabled the family to communicate with Security. (The blackout seemed mainly to affect the halls and some stairwell lights; it may have been caused by a blown fuse).
I. Decisions are still being made about the cab interior colors and materials.
J. The Board purchased a Generator Backup System.

VII. Mid-Lobby Upgrade.
A. The area in front of the lobby elevators will be upgraded – likely after the cab installations are completed since both renovations could create logistics problems.
B. Enhancements that are being explored include:
1. mirror walls
2. panel walls
3. directions to apt units on each floor
4. different floor materials (carpet/tiles/current)
5. paintings on walls
6. improved lighthing
C. The Board will share its explorations in a poster board.

VIII. Children's Spring Egg Hunt - Planning, Volunteers Needed.
A. It is scheduled for the Saturday before Easter, March 22nd, rain or shine.
B. Preparation will be during the day/evening of Saturday, possibly Friday, March 21st.

IX. Fort Greene Conservancy.
A. This is a not-for-profit organization devoted to preserving and enhancing Fort Greene Park. Go to http://www.fortgreenepark.org/pages/contents.htm for details.
B. The 100th Anniversary of the Fort Greene War Memorial's will be this October/November 2008.
C. A guest speaker will join us at our 26th Shareholder's Meeting.

X. NYC Plant A Tree Program.
A. The Department of Parks & Recreation will plant trees along Ashland and Willoughby (the Board hopes on both sides).
B. Michael Urena is the point/contact person with the DPR.
C. University Towers will buy and put iron planter covers/protectors.
D. Once trees are in place, Diane plans to start an adopt/care-for-a-tree program.
E. Go to http://www.treesny.com/trees_5boro.htm for more info.

XI. Condition of Landscaping at 122 Entrance.
A. In general 191 always looks the best, while 175 & 122 declines.
B. This coming year, there is a uniform landscape in plans.

XII. Status of Claim Filed Re: 2007 Gas Interruption in 122
A. An adjuster has been hired.
B. A claim has been placed UTAC at AIG for TimeWarner.
C. Will residents whose gas service was interrupted receive credits on their maintenance? The Board said they will look into it. (Note: Per a 1/31/08 email from Michal Urena to me, an additional $25,000 was added to the claim to provide per diem reimbursement to residents who did not receive gas service; I do not know why the Board did not share this information.)
D. If take-out food had to be bought during the gas outage, residents should keep receipts to file claims with insurance work when that occurs.

XIII. Cigarette Smoking in Indoor Common Areas.
A. In some cases, vents may be operating in reverse. (To find out, place tissue at your vent. if it stays there, air is going out. if it falls or come to you, air is coming into your unit.)
B. There is no house rule regarding smoking in private areas at this time.
C. A question was raised as to whether we should institute a no-smoking policy, but the Board did not offer any opinion.
D. A resident suggested that smokers should seal their doors.

XIV. Maintenance of the Official UTAC Web Site (http://universitytowersapts.com).
A. The website has not been updated reliably and has even been left offline for periods. The developer, who gets paid per assignment, claims that there are other jobs “ahead” of University Towers’ which delay the work.
B. A resident shareholder who is a web designer has offered his services to maintain the website, but has been repeatedly turned down by Management with no reason.
C. The attending Board members will reiterate the shareholder/website developer’s offer to Management and the rest of the Board.

The next meeting will be on Thursday, March 4th, @ 7pm in the 122 Community Room. Light refreshments will be served.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Pot Luck Party -- RESCHEDULED for Saturday, February 23rd, 5pm - 9pm

It's confirmed; Management did in fact make an error in double-booking the room.

The next available Saturday was 2/23, so that is now our date for the party.

We have a revised flyer to advertise the new date which should be circulated during the weekend.

Several residents have already commited food and beverages, PLUS our local café, Green Apple, may donate some goodies to the cause.

Will keep you posted!!

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Voting Information for "Super Tuesday" Primary, Feb 5th

Please don't forget to vote today. The polling information for University Towers is:


Election: 096
Assembly: 57
Congress: 10
Council: 35
Civil Court: 01
Senatorial: 18


Poll Site: Comm Hall
Poll Site Number: 00041
Address: 130 St Edwards Street, Brooklyn
Voter Entrance: 130 St Edwards St, Kingsview Homes
Handicapped Entrance: Rear Of Building (they usually let you enter from Ashland Place; head to the building on the rear-left)


Polls are open from 6am to 9pm today.


Remember, you do not need your voter registration card; it is enough if they have you on file. Bring legal photo ID. There


For more info, go to http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/voting.html or call 212-VOTE-NYC (TTY: 212-487-5496)

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Schedule Change for Pot Luck Party? (Saturday, 2/9)

Shortly after we distributed flyers in all three buildings advertising the Yahoo Group, the Blog and next week's Pot Luck party, I got a call from another resident saying that she had booked the Community Room in 122 for the same day, Saturday 2/9, from 3pm to 7pm.

I checked Kiko's application, dated Wednesday, January 23rd, which is uploaded in the Group's "Files" folder and, sure enough, it says 5pm on Saturday, February 9th.

So apparently Management goofed.

We are still discussing on the YG message board how to best handle this: Change the time to 7pm or change the date altogether?

Please post your thoughts on this below, or on the YG boards.

Thanks!

Thursday, January 31, 2008

No Heat in Parts of 122 on Tuesday, Jan 29th; Off-Hours Contact Procedure

As of today, Thursday, January 31, 2008, Management has confirmed that approximately half of 122 was without heat for much of the day and all of the night (residents in the B and H lines have confirmed this on the Yahoo Message Group) on Tuesday, January 29th.

At least one B-Line resident reported this problem to Security during the evening/early morning of Jan 29/30th and asked them to contact the building superintendents, Raphael Olive (122) and Juan Perez (191/UT).

Security reported to the residents that they had contacted Mr. Perez and relayed a message that "heat would come up," but Mr. Perez did not contact them directly and the heaters remained cold througout the night.

In the morning, the B-Line resident was finally able to reach Mr. Olive directly, who did respond promptly and professionally.

As of 10am Wednesday morning, however, there was still no heat and no response from Management.

Heat was restored later in the day, and Management provided the following statement:

The problem did not affect the entire building, but rather, half the building. The procedure is to call security for them to notify the super on call. You may call security at 718-834-0686. If the officer does not respond to the call, you may call back and speak to the supervisor, who is authorized to make outreach to the super. In this case it would have been Olive. In the morning Juan Perez identified the problem and made a mechanical adjustmentl. Afterwards he checked the computer settings and found the real issue and made the adjustment. All has been back to normal since yesterday mid-morning.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Package Room Confusion -- What's Next??

Over the month, the UT Yahoo Group exchanged an especially lengthy series of messages about packages being received, and residents not being informed adequately.

In particular, problems arise when more than one package arrives before the resident is able to pick them up. With the current "key" system, there is no way to inform the resident that there is more than one package.

As a brief refresher for new residents: we didn't always have a package room. This is a fairly new development that was implemented about two or three years ago. In earlier years, packages were often left at residents' doorsteps -- which resulted in occasional thefts and other inconveniences.

So the package room was a very welcome improvement. But it is not without flaws.

When it was first created, residents were notified of packages with a sticky label slapped on their mailbox. Now, this worked well because there was a spot on the label where the guard could indicate how many packages were waiting.

But unfortunately it also created a lot of glue and shredded label messes on our nice then-new mailboxes. And it probably got unnecessarily expensive, as new labels always had to be ordered.

So then they posted a sheet next to the mailboxes (which now holds various notice signs), that looked a little like a week-calendar grid. If a package came for you, the guard would write your apartment under the day that the package came.

Now, this was didn't leave behind messy glue, but it created a huge mess in the package room as we often forgot to check the sign, or didn't look carefully at every apartment written on it... or if the guard forgot to write in your apartment... or if the sheet were removed at the end of the week, before you were able to check.

In both of these systems, however, every package was written into the logbook, and upon pickup the resident had to sign the entry indicating his/her package(s).

So now we have keys: if you get a package, security logs it and puts a dummy key in your mailbox. You give him/her the key, sign the logbook and get your package.

Now I find this is a huge improvement in many ways, but it also has its share of problems.

First, keys go missing. Many of us absent-mindedly take the keys and forget to bring them back (pleading guilty, here... :-< ).

Then the guard has to scan the logbook for the entry, which isn't always easy. But the biggest problem of all occurs when you have more than one package -- but you only have one key.

One member of the Yahoo Group reported having received a package, but there was no entry in the logbook. Another found no key in her mailbox although she knew a package had arrived that day; turned out the package was there, but the keys were all gone! Others reported having picked up a package only to learn that a second had been sitting in the room for weeks.

So, how do we fix this?

One very good suggestion was to color-code the keys: Say, a red key could indicate you have one package, and a white one would indicate more than one, so at least the guard would know to look for more.

Another member suggested better organization for the package room, with perhaps cubbies or dividers for apartment ranges on the top shelf (larger packages could still go on the floor).

Another suggested using carbon-copy slips, similar to those used for receipts or phone messages -- this would create a slip for the resident and a permanent record, precluding the need for the logbook.

I believe this would be the ideal solution -- if security were able to access our mailboxes, which they aren't, and which is probably why this has become such a problem.

The color-coded keys is also a good solution -- although residents would have to remember not to remove the keys until they are ready to pick up the package.

One other resident on the Group mentioned an important side-issue: Whatever solution we come up with should not overtax the security guards as they are not doormen, and have a lesser payscale and benefits than doormen.

That being said, all creative thoughts are welcome!!

Friday, January 25, 2008

Wishlist: Suggestions from Yahoo Group to Improve Life at UT

In October 2007, the UT Yahoo Group began to come up with many good suggestions to improve our community. Among them are:
  • Install card swipers to enter building from ramp at back of 191 & 122 - This suggestion was submitted to and approved by Management, and now swipers are present at the ramp entrances to both buildings, although only 191's swiper is currently working. Management says they are "waiting for a missing piece" for the 122 swiper and that residents will be notfied when it is online.
  • Improve lighting in back of 191 & 122 - Although the parking lot area is fairly secure, the lighting should be enhanced.
  • Repair sidewalk in front of 175 - An overgrown tree root has damaged the sidewalk in front of 175.
  • Create an Emergency Contact List - This would be an email and/or cell phone text message list to be used to notify residents ONLY in the event of an emergency such as fire, terrorism, local emergency/danger, or any threat to the community's safety.
  • Create a fire safety/evacuation plan - This could be an annual or semi-annual fire drill to ensure the smooth evacuation of all buildings.
  • Reduce compactor room odor - The compactor rooms on some floors tend to have a bad odor due in part to poorly sealed litter and unwashed containers in the recycling bin. I'm not sure how this could be improved, other than advising residents to be more careful with their trash.
  • Allow a parking lot drop-off system - Create a limited-time parking area for pick-ups and drop-offs.
  • Create roofdecks - Investigate the pros and cons of building and maintaining roofdecks.
  • Enhance gym equipment - Some of the cardio equipment could be replaced with a proper hip flexor and sit-up bench.
  • Draft and post committee meeting minutes - Since many residents are unable to attend committee meetings, the Board has agreed to ask at the beginning of committee meetings if any attendees would like to draft minutes. Those minutes are posted on the Yahoo group and on this blog.

For a more detailed and updated list of the above, go to http://kaganville.com/ut/ut_wishlist.htm.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

The 80/20 Rule: How Will Selling Air Rights Affect UT's Taxes

This issue came up rececently on the UT Yahoo Message Board, and one of the members kindly posted the below article, which states, among other things, that a co-op will still qualify for cooperative status "if 80 percent or more of the total square footage of the property is used or available for use by tenant-shareholders
for residential purposes."

Please read the article for full details:

BREAKING NEWS

Late-Breaking News Exclusive
The End of 80/20?

by Bill Morris

For New York City's co-ops, the year-end holidays brought a golden
gift from a most unlikely source: the subprime mortgage crisis.

On December 20, President George W. Bush signed the Mortgage
Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 (also known as HR 3648) into law,
praising its mechanisms for offering relief to strapped homeowners who
are being squeezed by taxes and fluctuating mortgage rates.

But during the signing ceremony in the Roosevelt Room at the White
House, Bush neglected to mention a sidelight of the law that will
reconfigure one of the most durable building blocks in the New York
co-op world, the so-called 80/20 rule.

Since the enactment of Section 216 of the Internal Revenue Code in
1942, a property could qualify for cooperative status – and
shareholders could deduct real estate taxes and mortgage interest
payments from their taxable income – if the property received 80
percent or more of its income from residential shareholders and no
more than 20 percent of its income from other sources, including
commercial tenants.

The old 80/20 rule remains in place under HR 3648, which goes into
effect for the 2007 tax year. But there are now two additional ways
for a property to qualify for co-op status and the attendant tax
breaks. The first is if 80 percent or more of the total square footage
of the property is used or available for use by tenant-shareholders
for residential purposes. The second is if 90 percent or more of
expenditures are for the benefit of tenant-shareholders.

"This is a major change," says Joel E. Miller, a veteran co-op and
condo attorney from Queens who kept a close eye on HR 3648 as it
sailed through Congress. In the House of Representatives, where New
York's Rep. Charles Rangel was a co-sponsor, the measure passed by a
vote of 386-27; in the Senate, where Sen. Charles Schumer was a
sponsor, it passed by unanimous consent, an indication of Washington's
sensitivity to the political aftershocks of the subprime mortgage crisis.

"Many co-ops will have no trouble meeting the new square-footage or
expenditure tests," Miller says. "And now the co-op could charge any
rent they wanted to because there's no limit on outside income. Which
is a big change."

While many co-ops could see a windfall from rising commercial rents,
potential losers in this brave new world are the small army of co-op
lawyers who have worked hard, and sometimes creatively, to protect
their clients' tax-exempt status under the 80/20 rule. In fact, Miller
says, one distraught colleague phoned him the day Bush signed the bill
into law, lamenting that it would drive him out of business.

"Personally I'm relieved," Miller says, "because what we were doing to
qualify co-ops under 80/20 were things that might be challenged by the
I.R.S. Now, if co-ops can pass one of the other two tests, they're not
going to need a lawyer to help them comply with 80/20."

But that doesn't mean the demand for co-op attorneys is likely to
evaporate, as Miller sees it. "Right now, most New York co-ops are not
paying taxes on their outside income," he says. "Now that it's
unlimited, the I.R.S. might start taking a closer look at that income.
It could be considered as dividends by the I.R.S."

Another person who's pleased with the new law is Mary Ann Rothman,
executive director of the Council of New York Co-operatives &
Condominiums, which actively lobbied for passage of the bill. "I'm
elated," says Rothman. "Many low-income co-ops were put together with
commercial tenants as a way of providing services and keeping
shareholder costs down. This new law will allow co-ops to realize
additional commercial rent. It's probably not a happy moment for
commercial tenants, but it's a happy moment for co-ops."

While it's too early to know how many co-ops will experience a
financial windfall from the new law, it's safe to say that life will
be simpler for just about everyone. Anthony Wolff, who has been board
president of the 55-unit co-op at 223-231 West 21st Street for the
past quarter century, welcomes the prospect of not having to jump
through the old 80/20 hoops.

"We used to sort of skirt it [the 80-20 rule] because we had a fair
amount of what we call 'bad income' -– two rental apartments we bought
from the sponsor, and a doctor's office in the basement," Wolff says.
"'Good income' meant maintenance income. We always added to that any
money the co-op took in from shareholders – laundries, late fees,
storage fees, the one percent flip tax – to bolster our 'good income'
and make sure we complied with 80-20. Now we don't have to do that.
This new law is going to get rid of that exercise in sophistry."

It's an exercise Wolff says he will not miss. It's safe to say he's
not alone.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Interesting 1989 NY Times Article About UT Co-Op Conversion

One of the members of the University Towers Yahoo Group posted a very interesting New York Times article about the history of our fair co-op.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Happy 2008

OK, so it's been a while since I've posted, mainly because I have been wondering if continuing this blog is necessary in light of lively activity on the yahoo group.

Since the messages are limited to "members only," one possible function an external blog might have is to digest and comment on some of the conversations that have been going on. I'll pitch that to the group and see what they say.

Another issue is time, or lack thereof. I ended up being extremely busy with work and dance performances and rehearsals from early October through mid-December. Plus, I was attacked by some kids at Ingersoll houses in mid-November, which impaired my ability to function normally.

The injury itself wasn't so bad (see reposting of my initial note to the Yahoo group below), but perhaps because it brought back a lot of painful memories of my being abused -- physically and psychologically -- during my middle school years, which is exactly the age of the kids who attacked me.

I thought I'd dealt with a lot of that stuff, but apparently not, as I had frequent repetitive anxiety, which left me barely able to concentrate on my necessary obligations.

Anyway. I'm better now, mostly.

Below is the posting from mid-November.

*******

Not to alarm anyone too much, but I wanted to let all of you know --just in case....Last Saturday (11/17), at about 7:15pm, while I was walking along the Navy Street bike path towards the B61 bus stop, a group of kids on the pedestrian overpass threw what may have been a bottle at me.

I felt the object shatter against my head and heard them yell, "Whiteb**tch!!" and laugh when I looked back at them.

I stumbled away too quickly to get a look at the fragments on the ground and called 911 immediately and told them that I had been attacked by young people who were throwing objects down at passersby.

I felt blood in my hair and realized that my scalp had a large gash in it and asked for an ambulance.

Police cars and an ambulance showed up at the bus stop at Park and Navy within 5 minutes. I explained the incident to an officer, who did not give me his name, though I gave him my information.

He asked what had hit me, and I didn't know because I wanted to getaway. But I said he could probably still find pieces of it on the street. He did not give any indication that he was going to investigate the matter further.

Anyway, the EMT took me to the Brooklyn Hospital ER where the laceration was stapled together.

Healthwise, I'm OK at this point -- though I'm still pretty shaken up about this incident, and am hoping that this group of kids hasn't taken up the hobby of using cars, bikers, pedestrians, etc. as target practice.

I had hoped that I'd learn more about whether or not the police found these kids and at least talked to them, but when I called the 88th Precinct today, I learned that no crime report had even been created for this assault!!

There was only an "Aided Card" (#1187), which simply showed that I had been injured and aided by EMT. In other words, I might have just tripped and fallen, as far as the City is concerned.

Are any of you aware of any similar attacks of this nature? Has any of you reported an attack or other criminal incident only to find that it was not reported as such by the 88th Precinct?

I'm going to continue to investigate with the Precinct detectives; I think it's very important that the crime rate not be kept artificially low, because lower numbers will inevitably mean fewer officers.

I've also sent a note to Tish James... perhaps at the very least,they can secure the bridge a bit more.

Anyway... please let me know your thoughts.
********
My neighbors posted many kind responses, and while I did follow up with the 88th Precinct, their stonewalling tactics left me too demoralized to continue. But the issue is hardly dead, and I will get that report number!