Starting on September 12, 2011 and continuing throughout a 4 week period, the firm collected minute-by-minute data for various pollutants at 10 locations between E 69^th and 87^th Streets.  The final report, revealed that most measured pollutants were below national air quality and industry standards. 

• High concentrations of one type of particulate matter were “attributed to local traffic emissions, other local sources such as commercial and residential boilers . . . with no significant contribution from blasting activities”, according to the report.
• Another spike during the 3 to 7 pm blasting period showed concentrations below acceptable levels to indicate no adverse health effects.

According to a statement released Thursday, MTA Capital Construction President Michael Horodniceanu  “Based on the results of the study, there are no concerns that Second Avenue Subway construction si causing any danger to the public’s health. We will continue to do everything we can to be a good neighbor as we complete this critically important project as quickly as possible.”

Several measures were implemented to mitigate the odors and dust :

• “Dust Bosses” that spray water mist to force the dust particles to settle within the “muck house” structure were installed in two of the structures.
• Wet burlap curtains were installed in the shafts to act as screening for dust.
• Permanently sealing some overhangs
• Installed additional vents
• Increased time between blasts to allow for dust and smoke to dissipate.

Residents agree these measures have improved the conditions, but lament the delay in implementation.

The study findings will be presented by the MTA to the Community Board 8’ Second Avenue Task Force at Hunter College, 695 Park Ave, West Building Lecture Hall Room, 714W on January 26, at 6:30 which we will be attending.

Excerpted from DNAInfo.com article by Amy Zimmer.

1/18/12:  ‘Medical Arms Race’ Spurs Massive Health Development on East Side:   “At a time when the city’s public hospitals are struggling and Brooklyn hospitals are facing possible closures, top-tier East Side institutions — including the Hospital for Special Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center, Lenox Hill Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College and Mount Sinai Medical Center — could dramatically reshape the city’s landscape over the next five years as they expand their footprints, modernize and adapt to upcoming health care reforms.”  Read about it at DNAinfo.com

 1/21/12:  Chefs, Butlers, Marble Baths:  Hospitals Vie for the Affluent:  “Pampering and décor to rival a grand hotel, if not a Downton Abbey, have long been the hallmark of such “amenities units,” often hidden behind closed doors at New York’s premier hospitals.”  Read about it in the New York Times

1/22/12:  Massive, Exclusive Full Floor UES Co-op Wants $30M:  “It’s not every day when a unit at the fabled 2 East 67th Street comes onto the market, and this massive full floor unit is certainly impressive.”  See the floor plan and read about it at Curbed

1/24/12:  East River Underwater Turbines Give Jolt to City Power Grid:  Using underwater turbines in the East River off the coast of Roosevelt Island, Verdant Power will be electrifying New York with roughly 1 megawatt captured from the strait’s natural tidal currents — enough for an estimated 1,000 city homes.  Read about it at DNAinfo.com

1/25/12:  A-Rod sells his NYC condo for a considerable profit:  “According to the Wall Street Journal the New York Yankees third baseman has already received a contract for his 3,500-square-foot condo on the 35th floor of the Rushmore building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.”  Read about it at YAHOO! Sports

1/13/12:  From the New York Times:  Not for Vampires Only.  “Some New Yorkers seek dim, dark spaces that admit little sense of the throbbing city outside their doors.  Read about it in the New York Times.

1/16/12:  From the  New York Post:  Rents Soar as Apartments Dwindle:  “Manhattan rents soared 8.6 percent last year — reaching pre-2007-crash highs — while vacancy rates plummeted and residents grabbed apartments at a near-record pace, new industry reports show.  Read more about it in the New York Post.

 1/19/12: From Prudential Douglas Elliman:  Exclusive 4^th Quarter  2011 Queens Sales Market Report.  Get the full report

* Are low prices behind increase in co-op board rejections?:  “Co-op boards are rejecting buyers with increasing frequency, and according to New York Magazine that may have something to do with the bargain prices on apartments during the downturn.”  Read more

 * Wealthy Buyers still active in global cities:  “The world’s wealthiest individuals are continuing to purchase luxury residential property in key international cities…” From The Real Deal Read more:

Central Park is one of the most important works of art in America. And for 30 years, the Central Park Conservancy has worked to maintain this living masterpiece and enhance the public’s enjoyment of its visionary design. What better way to celebrate the Park’s success than with a stunning art installation befitting of New York City’s premier museum without walls?

Narrated by Kevin Bacon this incredible marriage of art and technology takes you through a year in the life of Central Park. With musical selections from Sting’s Symphonicities, this digital artwork lets Central Park admirers from around the globe enjoy its colorful spring blooms, green summer lawns, rust-colored fall foliage and snowy winter landscapes – all without traveling an inch. Originally projected onto Bethesda Terrace during a live event on October 13, Seasons is making its online debut today.

There are a number of trainers who now specialize in preparing dogs who face the scrutiny by New York City co-op boards.  Ms. Renee Payne, owner of Walk This Way , a canine behavior therapist designed an interactive interview process for co-op buildings to evaluate potential canine residents. 

• Frustration tests to see how easily a dog loses patience and whether or not it acts out if it does not get what they wanted on demand.
• Separation Anxiety tests to determine if the dog can remain calm when the owner is asked to leave during the interview.
• An Elevator test to see a dog’s response riding the elevator and strangers getting on and off.
• Doorbell tests to see how many times the dog will bark when the doorbell is rung. 

Excerpted from New York Times Article by Sarah Kershaw on August 23, 2011.

Updates:

• Mayor Bloomberg ordered a mandatory evacuation of coastal areas in Brooklyn, Queens, including all of the Rockaways, and Staten Island, along with Battery Park City and the financial district in Lower Manhattan and Governor’s Island. People are expected to be out of these areas by 5PM on Saturday.
• MTA and NJ Transit service, including subways, buses, and railroads, will begin to shut down at noon Saturday. Depending on the effect of the storm MTA service may not be restored in time for rush hour Monday morning.
• The NYC Department of Buildings is ordering suspension of all work at construction sites in New York City as of 2 p.m. Saturday, August 27 to 7 a.m. Monday, August, 29, 2011. Please continue to review their website for the most up to date information on precautions for buildings and construction sites.
• The City is revoking permits for events on Sunday and in the low-lying areas on Saturday.
•  Evacuation centers are open as of 4:00 pm today, Friday August 26; there are 91 centers in total. See link below for location of evacuation centers.
• Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has declared a state of emergency in the State of New York and may close bridges and tunnels if winds exceed 60 miles an hour for more than a short time

Building Owners and Managers can prepare by:

• Organizing emergency contact information for staff, tenants, and vendors.
•  Locate and review relevant insurance information.
•  Ensure you have proper staffing to run the building and perform EAP duties.
•  Secure objects in and around building such as lawn furniture, garbage cans, gas grills, antennas and satellite dishes.
• Check flood pumps to ensure proper operation.
• Make sure backup generators are working properly and you have adequate fuel.
• Residential buildings should notify residents to secure outdoor furniture on patios and balconies.

In addition to the city’s local preparations, FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security have regional and national support personnel briefed and on call. FEMA’s Private Sector Desk is operational from 8am-8pm daily and can be reached at FEMA-NRCC-Private-Sector@dhs.gov or by calling 202-212-2240. Our regional private sector liaison is Terry Winters who can be reached at Terence.Winters@fema.gov or 212-680-8516.

For more information on Hurricane Irene, please check the resources below:

NYC Department of Buildings:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/news/pr_weather_advisory_082611.shtml

NYC Office of Emergency Management:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/home/home.shtml

FEMA:

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=57362 
http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/hurricanes.html

National Weather Service:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/

To locate your local evacuation center:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/downloads/pdf/hurricane_map_english.pdf

Details of MTA Shutdown

http://www.mta.info/

Please stay safe.

I remember seeing a cartoon in the New Yorker Magazine Cartoon Bank showing two mice talking about the size of their in-wall apartment. One said to the other “Counting the space behind the pantry shelves, it’s eleven square feet.”

Nowhere is caveat emptor more applicable than when referring to the stated square footage of a Manhattan apartment.  Many real estate sites have disclaimers like this: “Exact Dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of a professional architect or engineer.” At best all stated square footage and dimensions are approximate. At worst they are deceptive and misleading.

It is part of the overall marketing plan with most brokers: clean up, de-clutter, professional photos, and professional floor plans.  Brokers want to show the property in the most flattering light.  A floor plan in black and white (lately I’ve seen 3D color floor plans), provides a visual that shows walls, doors, fixtures and open space. 

In addition to the stated square footage, does the floor plan show the whole truth?  Are columns shown in the proper location and proportion to the space?  Are radiators and moldings shown?  How about the thickness of the walls?  Sometimes they are, sometimes not.  While technically correct, some graphic designers will measure from wall to wall, without taking into account such things as moldings and radiators.  But, these things eat into usable floor space.  Many times columns and window and door placements, even wall thickness are just estimates based on educated guesses and knowledge of building practices for a particular building.

For more information on how floor plans are created, see the New York Times article here.