Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. © Copyright 2012 Co-op City Times
Vol. 47 No. 25
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Community-wide “No Dog” policy remains in effect Waivers granted only under strict guidelines BY BILL STUTTIG With dog sightings reportedly on the increase in Co-op City in recent months, Management, together with the Riverbay Board of Directors, is reminding residents that Co-op City’s strictly-enforced no dog policy remains in place. Riverbay’s Reasonable Accommodations Policy was revised last December. Although the revisions include some modifications to the no-pet rules, the no dog policy remains in place, as stipulated in the Occupancy Agreement which is signed by every incoming shareholder. Exceptions to the prohibition of dogs in the community and individual homes are granted only to shareholders who demonstrate that they have a disability as defined by civil rights laws, and present professional determination that a dog would help alleviate the effects or symptoms of that specific disability. These exceptions are required
by law. The most familiar example of these exceptions is a seeing-eye dog for the blind, but there are also dogs that help those who are hearing impaired or have any of a variety of physical, mental or emotional disabilities. Even where a professional evaluation demonstrates grounds for Riverbay to waive its no dog policy in specific, individual cases, there are strict guidelines that the shareholder with the dog must follow. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in legal action ranging from the issuance of community complaints and fines, up to and including eviction from the community. Shareholders who have received a professional evaluation as to the need to have a dog still must request approval from (Continued on page 2)
Summer youth lottery deadline is Tuesday The deadline for Co-op City high school and college student residents to apply for the Summer Youth Lottery for positions in Riverbay’s Grounds Department is 4 p.m. this Tuesday, June 26. This lottery is only open to Co-op City high school and college students who are residents. Applications are available at the Administrative Office Reception Desk located at 2049 Bartow Avenue between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Demand remains strong for Co-op City apartments BY JIM ROBERTS The historic rebuilding of Co-op City, started in 2004 and now near completion of its major projects, is paying off with a occupancy rate of 98%, with just 2% of the community’s apartments vacant. Figures from the Riverbay Sales Department from May 31, 2012 show that only 187 units of the community’s 15,372 apartments are not occupied or committed to new shareholders. Another 150 apartments have accepted offers and 84 of those units have move in dates scheduled for the new residents. One year ago, there were 306 vacancies with 40 of those units committed to new residents with move in dates and another 93 committed without move in dates. The 2004 refinancing allowed the community’s shareholders to invest millions of dollars into repairing and reconstructing Co-op City’s infrastructure, the rebuilding of its eight garages and the building of an historic cogeneration plant
that now saves the community millions of dollars in energy expenses. Nineteen capital projects that began in 2004 were completed in March, 2012. These projects were funded partially by Riverbay and partially by money received through the New York Community Bank refinance loan. Overall, the price tag for these capital projects is $307,225,000. The massive window and terrace door replacement program replaced and installed 133,522 new energy efficient windows and 5,502 terrace doors. Other capital projects include the completion of the elevator upgrade in all of the high rise buildings, three shopping centers and the community’s eight garages, a total 179 elevators; completion of the replacement of 24,000 lighting fixtures in all of the high rise buildings; completion of the balconies in 33 high rise buildings and all of the townhouses; completion of the facades in 30 high rise (Continued on page 5)
25¢
Summer starts off with record-breaking temperatures and energy saving measures BY BILL STUTTIG The first days of summer this past week brought a record-breaking heat wave and sticky, uncomfortable conditions in Co-op City and elsewhere. But the early excessive heat also gave Co-op City a chance to test its participation in a new and potentially lucrative program for the shareholders in cooperation with Con Edison. Riverbay was asked to export power or sell power to Con Edison to help meet the demand in surrounding communities of the Bronx between the peak hours of 5 and 10 p.m. Thursday. Power Plant Director Brian Reardon said the utility was asking for just under 12 megawatts of power and the Riverbay Power Plant was able to provide up to 12.5 megawatts, passing its first major test in having the community export the power and profit substantially from its ability to produce excess power and sell it to outside utilities, a major benefit and reason why the co-generation facility was funded and created in the first place. “We are very pleased to report that last night we met our goal of shedding 12.5
megawatts of electricity, as stipulated in the Con Edison program in which we are now participating and by being able to export said 12.5 megawatts of electricity during the peak demand hours of 5 p.m. through 10 p.m. when requested by Con Edison, it is anticipated that we will receive a payment of approximately $400,000 this summer,” said Vernon Cooper, Riverbay’s General Manager. To help do this on the unusually hot mid-June evening, R iv e r b a y s h u t down the three community centers for the five hour period between 5 p.m.and 10 p.m. Thursday, except for emergency services, a move which Power Plant Director Reardon said saved the community approximately .6 megawatts of power over the five hour period. Other moves were taken to shave the power load from the community with minimal effect on the residents, including reducing lighting in the garages until nightfall took hold. Riverbay’s ability, through the co-generation plant to produce its own power and also have excess power to export to (Continued on page 4)
Long-standing problem fixed
Long-standing problem fixed…A long-standing large bump on Casals Place adjacent to Buildings 12, 13, and 14, was shaved down by the city’s Department of Transportation crews on Friday. The bump has been a problem for motorists driving in the area and nearby residents because of the water ponding it regularly caused. The bump was originally caused by the natural settling over the years of the landfill which Co-op City was built on. An original underground piping system, no longer in use, sat beneath the bump and did not allow that small portion of the road to settle with the rest of the land around it, thus causing the abnormal protrusion. When General Manager Vernon Cooper met with Bronx DOT Commissioner Constance Moran earlier this spring she was shown the evidence of the cause of the bump and was assured that removing it would not damage any existing piping systems beneath. Crews arrived yesterday and are expected to continue and complete the project on Monday. (Also see the Management Report on page 5.) Photo by Bill Stuttig