There are several levels of review and approval needed before one gets the “shovel in the ground” to begin construction. Among the typical reviews are : municipal agencies, banks or lenders and related parties. Each entity will look at the project from independent yet connected vantage-points When the municipality has to review the project, they [...]
Hudson River Sculpture Walk
Saturday, November 19th, 2011
My favorite project this year was not strictly an architectural project……. We recently designed a series of 7 sculpture installations along the Hudson River in Manhattan from West 61st Street to 69th Street. Working with the artists, NYC Parks Dept., and various contractors, we developed sculpture mountings that were removable, discreet and cost effective. Can there be a [...]
Site & building selection
Thursday, October 13th, 2011
OK, we’re crusing around with a real estate agent, checking our potential store locations, the time is tight..so, what factors come into play when we assess the “go , no-go”? Hopefully you’ve already done the demographics, traffic counts, that’s how you’ve narrowed it down to a target area. The final answer is based on many [...]
Are you really ready for construction? Read this checklist first…
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
Not the time to locate your cell phone….. Aside from having your project in order, life gets very topsy-turvy when you have the added issues of construction to the mix. Don’t get blind-sided. Based on years of customer feedback, we’ve compiled a short-list of items you’ll want to remember….So here goes- Make arrangements with [...]
Post Storm Again- Now What?
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011
My neighbors tree… Hopefully the storm did not really hit you hard. But if it did- have the property inspected by a qualified professional for damage -some may be apparent and some concealed If you just leave it to an insurance adjuster who represents a company that is reluctant to pay -be careful. Also, [...]
What’s it cost to build that?
Saturday, August 20th, 2011
Comparing and prediciting costs for construction is difficult because there are so many variables. But here is a snapshot of some recent projects: Medical offices / 2300 sf / Scarsdale, NY: $325,000 Single family residential house /1100 sf expansion & 2400 sf remodel / Rye, NY : $470,000 Facade restoration / 6 story 50 unit [...]
Negotiating with Contractors
Monday, July 25th, 2011
Before you get to the point of signing a contract to build your project, usually there is a period in which you negotiate with the builder. Among the common issues for discussion are: -Cost Be fair and ask for breakdowns / itemization of cost if something is unclear or seemstoo high. Ask for explanations in [...]
First Time Project?
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
You probably have the symptoms (nod to Woody Allen) and have been sitting on the fence for a while- The house is too small- your kids’ stuff is simply overflowing into the halls… or Your partners office just seems too close to yours and his voice seems louder thank it used to be… Did parking [...]
Green Building, Green Living
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Bedford NY, proposed wind-towers Much like a doctor, before prescribing a course of action, the first task is to gather information and evaluate how much energy you are using and how it is being used. (free energy NY audits provided www.gogreenstar.com)….Great energy related links are listed below with a brief description, as well as some simple [...]
Do you need an architect?
Monday, April 25th, 2011
The first question I usually hear is “ Do I need an architect? The answer is a definite maybe- The analogy is similar to a doctor, sometimes a visit to the drugstore and rest will do the trick, but when you break your arm you don’t want that approach. When you are building something new, or modifying [...]