For a shower this morning, (I had to let the shower run at full blast for 20 minutes before any hot water came out) with the heat out since the middle of the night.
Another great start to my workday!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
A Showerless Morning Today
Due to the NO HEAT / NO HOT Water situation. Washing my face was like splashing my face with icy mountain stream water. But I wasn't camping or river rafting--I was right here in my UWS apartment.
I've left Elliot Small of The Expansion Group repeated messages to please call and explain what is being done to rectify this situation...still no response from him....but once again we are all suffering through no heat and no hot water.
When, oh when, will this be addressed?
I've left Elliot Small of The Expansion Group repeated messages to please call and explain what is being done to rectify this situation...still no response from him....but once again we are all suffering through no heat and no hot water.
When, oh when, will this be addressed?
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
No Heat / No Hot Water....AGAIN!
I think it would be useful to track how often our heat and hot water go out...since it has been happening with increasing frequency for about the last year or so.
And right now we have NO HEAT and NO HOT WATER!
Each time I'm home and it happens, I plan to post it here...and I encourage you all to do the same...giving us an easily shared track record of this breakdown in service.
When will The Expansion Group finally do more than just 'reset' the boiler? It's obviously not working or not large enough to handle the needs of the building...and we should not have to put up with this. We pay rent---heat and hot water are just about as basic as having a roof over our heads...The Expansion Group needs to finally be upfront about this problem and fix it already.
And right now we have NO HEAT and NO HOT WATER!
Each time I'm home and it happens, I plan to post it here...and I encourage you all to do the same...giving us an easily shared track record of this breakdown in service.
When will The Expansion Group finally do more than just 'reset' the boiler? It's obviously not working or not large enough to handle the needs of the building...and we should not have to put up with this. We pay rent---heat and hot water are just about as basic as having a roof over our heads...The Expansion Group needs to finally be upfront about this problem and fix it already.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
For prospective tenants
For those of you considering moving into 220 West 98th - please take note of the following. I have lived in this building for a very long time and there are many special individuals who live here. My family and I were very happy here until about one and one-half years ago when the owner died. His 30(ish) year old son took over and decided the rents in the building were not in sync with those of the neighborhood. At that time, he began routinely raising the rents of long term tenants who had no rent protections by as much as 70%!!!! It didn't matter that this is NOT a full service building or that repairs are done cheaply and haphazardly (AT BEST.) This new bloke didn't care (and 1 and 1/2 yrs later still doesn't care) to improve the quality of the staff (English speaking), to hire a proper doorman (only have porters and cleaner/painters); to properly repair leaks, boiler and elevator outages, or to spruce up the long neglected lobby and other areas of the building.
This new owner or by proxy the building manager, Elliot Small, also did not consider the realities of such HUGE rent increases and were unwilling to consider any other rent option than considerable increases. Tenants left in droves.
To specify building issues, beginning in August we routinely had no hot water - any day of the week, any time of day. How long we went without hot water depended on the nature of the problem (i.e., required a formal service call - this could take up to most of a day) or if the boiler needed to be reset (if the building super was on site.) We have only one working boiler for a building with over 100 apartments and during the winter months, we often lost hot water on a weekly basis. At this time, hundreds of complaints have been logged with the city and a review is underway.
Concurrently, the elevator goes out every couple of months - this means the porter must run the service elevator. When this occurs in the evening - no one is posted at the podium to help tenants with packages or groceries or to monitor who enters the building.
The building has the space to offer a bike room and perhaps a storage room - but the Expansion Group is either too lazy or is unwilling to utilize common space in a way to upgrade the building. In addition, there is a large outdoor space on the "cellar" level that could be made into a lovely garden, reading, or picnic space 3 seasons of the year. Requests for the Expansion Group to either pay for such work, or allow the tenant's association to conduct such work has been routinely denied in the past. There is also an outside space on either the roof top or outside the stairwell off the 2nd floor that could be "astro-turfed" and also turned into a reading or green outside space. This has not been allowed either.
Over the past 9 months during which the building had a new supervisor, changes were made regarding repairs to apartments. A request was required, which is not a problem with the exception that such requests often seem to "fall in some black hole." No response has been the typical response for requests with the exception of major damages such as ceilings falling in due to long standing leaks (which had not been repaired properly.)
Concerning repairs, be forewarned that mold and mildew are significant problems in this building - likely because plumbing repairs are done on the cheap (pipes are not routinely repaired) and perhaps due to the paucity of proper service professionals. The building super does most of the repairs quickly followed by an in-house painter. I personally have walked into apartments on both sides of the building and observed large patches of mold on walls and ceilings with the appearance that the painter plans to simply paint over the "stains."
Bottom line - carefully compare rents and building amenities when considering a move to 220 West 98th street. Although the tenants are friendly and open, the building management is concerned ONLY with getting you in here at the highest rent they can command and once here, will drag heels to handle much needed renovations and repairs. You may be told that funds are appropriated for updating the lobby, but know we have heard this for years.
There is no evidence the Expansion Group plans to replace the only functioning boiler despite continued recommendations from the company that provides service to the building that current problems are being addressed with short-term band aids and that ideally a building this size should have 2 boilers. We will have ongoing problems each winter as long as we have only one boiler.
Whether or not we stay depends on the next proposed rent increase and whether or not promises for improvements will be made "in writing" by management before ANY ink is dry on a new lease.
Currently an "Unhappy Tenant"
This new owner or by proxy the building manager, Elliot Small, also did not consider the realities of such HUGE rent increases and were unwilling to consider any other rent option than considerable increases. Tenants left in droves.
To specify building issues, beginning in August we routinely had no hot water - any day of the week, any time of day. How long we went without hot water depended on the nature of the problem (i.e., required a formal service call - this could take up to most of a day) or if the boiler needed to be reset (if the building super was on site.) We have only one working boiler for a building with over 100 apartments and during the winter months, we often lost hot water on a weekly basis. At this time, hundreds of complaints have been logged with the city and a review is underway.
Concurrently, the elevator goes out every couple of months - this means the porter must run the service elevator. When this occurs in the evening - no one is posted at the podium to help tenants with packages or groceries or to monitor who enters the building.
The building has the space to offer a bike room and perhaps a storage room - but the Expansion Group is either too lazy or is unwilling to utilize common space in a way to upgrade the building. In addition, there is a large outdoor space on the "cellar" level that could be made into a lovely garden, reading, or picnic space 3 seasons of the year. Requests for the Expansion Group to either pay for such work, or allow the tenant's association to conduct such work has been routinely denied in the past. There is also an outside space on either the roof top or outside the stairwell off the 2nd floor that could be "astro-turfed" and also turned into a reading or green outside space. This has not been allowed either.
Over the past 9 months during which the building had a new supervisor, changes were made regarding repairs to apartments. A request was required, which is not a problem with the exception that such requests often seem to "fall in some black hole." No response has been the typical response for requests with the exception of major damages such as ceilings falling in due to long standing leaks (which had not been repaired properly.)
Concerning repairs, be forewarned that mold and mildew are significant problems in this building - likely because plumbing repairs are done on the cheap (pipes are not routinely repaired) and perhaps due to the paucity of proper service professionals. The building super does most of the repairs quickly followed by an in-house painter. I personally have walked into apartments on both sides of the building and observed large patches of mold on walls and ceilings with the appearance that the painter plans to simply paint over the "stains."
Bottom line - carefully compare rents and building amenities when considering a move to 220 West 98th street. Although the tenants are friendly and open, the building management is concerned ONLY with getting you in here at the highest rent they can command and once here, will drag heels to handle much needed renovations and repairs. You may be told that funds are appropriated for updating the lobby, but know we have heard this for years.
There is no evidence the Expansion Group plans to replace the only functioning boiler despite continued recommendations from the company that provides service to the building that current problems are being addressed with short-term band aids and that ideally a building this size should have 2 boilers. We will have ongoing problems each winter as long as we have only one boiler.
Whether or not we stay depends on the next proposed rent increase and whether or not promises for improvements will be made "in writing" by management before ANY ink is dry on a new lease.
Currently an "Unhappy Tenant"
Monday, March 10, 2008
Super is Leaving?
I heard an unconfirmed rumor (from a very reliable source) that our superintendant is leaving and that The Expansion Group is in the process of making an offer to someone new.
Has anyone heard this or have more information to share on how this came about?
Has anyone heard this or have more information to share on how this came about?
Thursday, March 6, 2008
TA Communications
Blogs vs list serves vs regular e-mails vs leafletting under doors.
Each of these communications media outlets (plus phones, in-person meetings, etc.) has advantages/disadvantages/best-use guidelines.
Let's discuss guidelines/ways that we can best channel our communications most effectively and efficiently.
Let us know your thoughts on what communications the Tenants Association should be sharing and how you would like to get information/contribute to the discussion, etc.
Pat
Each of these communications media outlets (plus phones, in-person meetings, etc.) has advantages/disadvantages/best-use guidelines.
Let's discuss guidelines/ways that we can best channel our communications most effectively and efficiently.
Let us know your thoughts on what communications the Tenants Association should be sharing and how you would like to get information/contribute to the discussion, etc.
Pat
Want to contribute?
Send a request to the list and I will add you as an author...I'm looking forward to reading what you all have to share about life and conditions in this building!
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