Protected: paint color #2 and rejection of mediocrity

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lOBBY uPGRADE

For those of you not living in the buildings for the “tests” for the new lobby design, here are the current options.  The photo is of the 4 color swatches (yes, all green!) for the vestibule and hallway.  Keep in mind the doors and fixtures have all been painted a shiny dark black and the wallpaper are small, thin stripes of varying shades of green.  If you want to see the paint swatches in person, you can enter the vestibules of 355 and 210, but keep in mind you are viewing these in a large, sun-lit space and the colors look very different in narrow, florecent lit hallways…

If you have comments or feedback that you would like to provide to the Board, which makes the decisions (I still haven’t found out who on the Board is the “lobby committee” so if you know, please let us know), you can email or call the management office or you can submit a comment card (assuming you have a comment box in your lobby).

New interior paint color options

 

Keep off the Grass

Found this humorous…

 

Spring Gardening

Real Estate Agent, Resident, and CHAOC Board Vice President, Elaine Cooper, is also the CHAOC landscaping committee and has been directing the campus springtime gardening. The impatients are in, the shrubs are pruned, and dirt patches resulting from building maintenance are being reseeded.  I really enjoy stepping into the courtyard with all its greenery.  I hope, however, that we are saving the tulip bulbs and other long-lasting and costly flowers so that year over year we are not incurring new expenses without including the past ones (plus, what a great way to build fuller flower beds!) 

Residents at the last meeting raised a desire, once again, to participate in the co-op committees. No news yet, but what do you think? (Green) thumb up or down?

Campus Greenery

 

Recycling

on Waverly

Someone had made a remark about the recycling program (or lack thereof?)…. For the longest time I wasn’t seeing it out on the sidewalk and thought maybe it was all getting put in with the regular trash. However, I happened to be home on two different Wednesday afternoons, both times finding a slew of recycling ready for pickup.  Nice to know my separating efforts aren’t being wasted!

 

Protected: RC notes on Co-op Committees

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Winter Wonderland

I love the way the neighborhood looks just after it snows.  However, the sleet and rain really made it quite slippery.

 

Bike Racks on Campus?

I’ve heard from a few residents both in passing and at last week’s meeting raise the question about installing bike racks on campus.  The responses I’ve heard to-date as to why they don’t exist already include lack of space in basements due to using that space for storage rental (makes sense!) as well as fire code restrictions to use of lobby space (also makes sense to me).  I would also guess there are questions around insurance for bikes locked in common areas, whether inside or out – but I haven’t researched this theory.  There was mention that NYC laws may end up pushing residential buildings to providing more bike parking, which could expedite the resolution some residents are hoping for, capital project funding allowing.

With a quick Google search, I found interesting information regarding NYC proposed bike parking rules that could be as dramatic as requiring one bike space for every  two apartment units (link to info on NYC Planning  Dept site, or read more from link to green article and link to AP article).   This will definitely be one piece of local legislation to keep an eye on!  You can keep tabs on the current NYC program for Bike Parking on the DOT website by clicking here.

Whether pushed by legislation, shareholders or both, I do think with a little creativity in use of what many might today consider “dead space” on campus, we would be able to maintain curb appeal while still providing (outdoor) bike parking on both the south and north campus (ex. the space between bld 365 and the parking lot).  I would also like to think that any perspective investors in CHAOC would be encouraged to live in a community that supports “green” and healthy transportation alternatives.

p.s. I heart the new green paint on the bike lanes!

 

Courtyard Checkmates

 

Community Chess

You may have noticed the chess table waiting to be installed in the courtyard of building #325.  This installation is part of the overall Courtyard Replacement project, aimed at improving curb appeal and ammenities for residences. 

At the Resident Council meeting it was suggested that more of these tables would be installed in other courtyards.  My first thought was that this might raise the noise in the courtyard, but on second thought checkers and chess tend to be strategic, thinking games.  I however, am looking forward for a table to picnic at!

 

Landscaping looking up

When I first moved in I wanted to be part of the co-op’s “landscaping committee”. Now, I don’t know if this actually existed and sadly, after getting settled in, I didn’t pursue finding out.  Last spring as the new sidewalks dried, the efforts on updating our landscaping kicked in.  Being the daughter of a parents who own a nursery (plants, not kids!), I know a little about shrubs and flowers so when I saw the way some of the shrubs were being planted, I was a bit critical. But, being that I was apathetic to being part of the decision committee, I felt that I had little justification to complain.  Most of the plants have rooted and thanks to some neighborly tips the watering has been improved and effective.  Honestly, I think the campus is a vast improvement from what it looked like when I first moved in.  I still don’t know who is on or how to join this infamous Landscaping committee (I have yet to even ask), but I just want to say thanks – the yard looks good.