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Maintaining Aging   Buildings  Older Structures Have   Special Concerns  BY A J SIDRANSKY  Exterior Projects,    Interior Problems  Good Planning & Communication    Make All the Difference  BY A. J. SIDRANSKY  March 2022                                        NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM  205 Lexington Avenue, NY, NY 10016 • CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED  THE CONDO, HOA & CO-OP RESOURCE  CONDOMINIUM  NEW ENGLAND  When the topic of exterior maintenance comes up, it’s important to keep in mind   that when it comes to multifamily properties, even projects that focus on a building’s   ‘envelope’ are by no means limited to just the façade or roof. Projects like repointing;   brick, clapboard, or siding replacement; ornamental repairs; and window replacement,   while fundamentally exterior, can require access to and use of interior spaces—and   can sometimes cause disruption and damage to those spaces. The key to successful ex-  ecution of such projects is selecting a competent professional to do the job, managing   it correctly, and perhaps most importantly, maintaining proactive, transparent com-  munication between board, residents, and contractors throughout the duration of the   project.  Not-So-Good Vibrations  Giulia Alimonti, senior architect with CTLGroup, an international architectural and   engineering firm with offices in New York and Chicago, says, “There are always con-  cerns about the effects of exterior work on building interiors and apartments because   there are shared walls or surfaces. Many residents have artwork on their interior walls   that back up to exterior walls. Depending on the work to be undertaken, there may be   vibrations through the wall. Notice should go out to all residents to remove all objects   from shared walls. The most appropriate action is for the contractor to give a detailed   calendar of construction, detailing when the work will be at its most noisy, when they   will use drills, etc., so tenants can plan accordingly.”    Bill Mackey, a senior project manager with Becht Engineering in Boston, makes sim-  ilar observations about exterior projects involving clapboard and other types of siding.   “In a recent replacement job,” he says, “we had nail pops on interior walls that backed up   Building Inspections  Up & Down, Inside & Out  BY DARCEY GERSTEIN  Car owners know that in order to op-  erate their vehicle legally, they must have   it  professionally inspected every year.   An older car might need some relatively   minor  repairs  or  adjustments  to  bring   it into compliance with state emissions   requirements, but for most, getting that   mandatory approval sticker is a simple,   inexpensive, predictable process that   takes maybe half an hour.   Like cars, buildings—and even indi-  vidual apartment units within them—  must undergo periodic inspections, but   residents are often less aware of these re-  quirements. Even if they are, they might   not know what elements need inspection   and when, who is responsible for actu-  ally conducting the inspections, where   access is required, and how the resulting   reports are filed.   The first thing to know is that build-  ing inspections for co-ops and condos   are much more complicated than getting   that annual sticker for your car. Require-  ments and timelines vary by locality, by   size and type of building, and in some   cases, by the building’s age and mainte-  nance history. There are inspections that   take place outside of the building, oth-  ers that cover interior common elements   and specific systems or mechanisms, and   still others that happen within individ-  ual units. Each requires different strate-  gies and levels of planning, facilitating,   insuring, and communication. On top   of  all  that,  inspection  laws  change  fre-  quently—often in reaction to a structur-  al or systemic failure in another building   that results in damage to life or property.   The ultimate goal is to maximize build-  ing safety and prevent disaster.  These inspections can be costly in   and of themselves—and the price tag can   soar even higher when factoring in re-  Nothing lasts forever, even with good   maintenance—including most building   components. Exterior elements are per-  haps most subject to wear and tear in any   climate. Their construction and materi-  al type dictate their maintenance needs   and repair schedules; masonry façades   clearly have different needs than wood   or clapboard fronts. But with a good care   program and a bit of attention to detail,   façades, roofs, and other crucial parts of   multifamily buildings can live out—and   perhaps even surpass—their useful life,   regardless of what they’re made of.   Building a Schedule,    Scheduling a Building  For the best results, periodic main-  tenance projects and ongoing mainte-  nance programs alike should follow a   regular  schedule  over  the  long  term.   Even if  a building’s  façade  is  expected   to last half a century or more, it’s still   going to need monitoring, maintenance,   and repair in order to not just last that   long, but to perform its function opti-  mally during that time.  “In New York we have Local Law 11,   which in essence requires a maintenance   program for façades,” says Alan Gaynor,   a principal with Boddewyn Gaynor Ar-  chitects, a firm based in New York and   active around the country. Local Law 11   calls for inspection every five years and   mandates the timely repair of whatever   elements  are found  to be  damaged  or   deteriorated. Implementation of the law   was the result of several incidents where   large chunks of building façade detached   and fell, hitting—and in some cases,   killing—pedestrians. “My own building   is going through this work now,” says   Gaynor. “It can take a long time. We are   inspecting every  square foot of  the fa-  çade and repairing it.”    Though Local Law 11 serves in some   way as a forced maintenance program,   the  question  is  whether  additional  in-  spections and maintenance can extend   or improve the life of a masonry façade.   According to Gaynor, it can go either   way, depending on the building.   continued on page 10   continued on page 8   \[to\] exterior walls. Little bits of plaster or joint compound that   cover nails can pop, and the result is an indentation on the wall.   They have to be repaired and repainted. Residents must also take   all items off the interior walls that could get knocked off due to   vibrations and banging and may be damaged. The most impor-  tant thing to do is to communicate to residents what to expect—  full disclosure.” He adds that major construction projects are by   continued on page 8


































































































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