Shut the Door!

The recent spate of rainy weather reminds me that it's that time of year again...when we start getting a lot more rain, wind and snow, and things are generally a bit damper than in the summer. That means that the front and back doors, which are old, and wooden, tend to swell up and not close properly.
There isn't much that can be done about preventing this unless we replace the wooden doors with metal ones, so please take an extra few seconds to make sure that the front and the back doors are closed securely behind you when you go in or out of the building.
They may seem like they are closed, but if you don't hear that "click" of the lock, it is still open and could provide access for people who do not live in the building...including drunken Halloween revelers and other undesirable non-residents. A little diligence now could head of a lot of potential issues down the road. Thanks!

New Front Door Handle

Residents of 24 Norman Street may notice a new door handle on the front door this week.
On Wednesday, Trustee Anna Zabierek had the inside front door knob come off in her hand. No one could exit the building from the front door because of this, and the only way out of the building was the back entrance. Anna contacted Markwood Management and Secure Lock and Safe was at the property by 8:30 Thursday morning. We were very fortunate that this happened with a trustee present. This might be a good time to remind people that if you experience a maintenance emergency like this, to please call the Markwood Management emergency line (781-669-4080) immediately. You do not need to check with one of the trustees first or have them call for you, you can call directly. Markwood is very good about getting back to you within minutes of calling and leaving a message. Residents who use their key for entry may also notice that although your keys still work, since it is a new lock, the action may be a bit stiff. The code entry system is not affected by this change.

Get a Key

The front entry access panel was replaced and re-programmed this week. It turns out that it was a nearby lightning strike that caused an electrical surge that overloaded and burned out part of the entry system. We were extremely lucky that the main part of the code entry system continued to work, but it underlines a potential issue. One of the things that was so surprising about the panel failure was how few tenants in the building actually have a key to the front door of the building. If the electronic entry panel fails for any reason (lightning strike, power failure, vandalism) you may not be able to gain access the building. For this reason, Markwood Management strongly advises that you have an entry key in your possession; obtain one from your landlord, or Markwood Management as soon as possible.
The front entry panel is meant as a convenience, but not as a total replacement for keyed entry, and in the case of a total power failure, it will not work. For security purposes we prefer that you have a key available to use in such emergencies. This may also reduce the incidence of people propping the door open because they do not have a key.  So again, if you do not have a key to the front and back door, get one as soon as possible.

Entry Panel Malfunction

There was an electrical surge in the entry panel this week, which shorted out some features. As a result the buzz-in function that allows guests to call you from the panel and for you to buzz them in from your phone is not currently working. Markwood Management is aware of the situation and has called a repair person, but it is unclear weather the current unit can be fixed, or if the entire assembly needs to be replaced. It might take several weeks to order and install a new unit.  In the meantime you can still use the panel with your access code to gain access to the building. Thank you for your patience while Markwood sorts this out.

Use the Back Door

With several new tenants moving in recently, it has come to Markwood's attention that people predominantly use the front door when loading and unloading their furniture. This is a problem.
The main issue is the stairs themselves. The back stairs are metal, whereas the front stairs are stone. Although stone looks beautiful, it is soft and prone to wear and chipping, as you can see by the large chunks missing from the treads in the picture above.
Lugging couches, appliances and other heavy objects up the front stairs potentially damages the stairs.

The other issue in using the front door for freight, is that it blocks the main access point for building residents. The front door is not only the main access point it is the only access point if you don't have your keys. If you are blocking that entry because you are hauling a piece of furniture up the front steps, that is a problem.

We don't have a freight elevator, but the back stairs are essentially our "freight stairs"and should be used as such. The front stairs may seem more attractive for hauling things, as it is a straight shot up the steps from the street, however both front and back steps are the same width, and unless you live on the first floor, both have 90° angles that must be negotiated.
Trash and recyclables should also be  taken out the back door.

Owners, when you speak to your tenants about moving in, or out of the building, please remind them to use the back stairway. Thank you.

Rain and the Doors

With all the rainy weather we've been having this week, just a reminder that when it rains, both the front and back wooden doors swell and will sometimes not close all the way on their own. When you go in or out please take a moment to make sure that the door is fully closed and latched. Not much sense in trying to have a secure building if people go around leaving the doors open. Thanks!

Basics for Living at 24 Norman Street

We have a fair number of tenants renting or subletting units at 24 Norman Street, and therefore a pretty high turn-over rate, so it is sometimes beneficial to post some Norman Street basics.
As a trustee, I hear the complaints about building issues. Here are three common issues that come up again and again. If you pay attention to these issues and the solutions, you will avoid 99% of the difficulties associated with living in a compact, 39-unit building.

1. Excessive noise
This is the biggest complaint among owners and tenants in the building. The condo rules state no excessive noise between 9 pm and 9 am. That could mean anything from loud TVs and music to loud talking. Please note: Because of the age of the building and the way it was converted into condos, there is not much sound buffering between floors. In most cases, the ceiling of one unit directly abuts the floor of the unit above it. Sound carries very easily between units, more than you may be aware of, especially if you live on the 2nd or 3rd floor. Also, because of the layout of the lofts, most unit's sleeping areas are directly below the entry and bathroom of the unit above it. This also amplifies the effect.  
Solution: Be quiet between 9 pm and 9 am.
Curtail any loud activities. If you cannot avoid activity during that time, do your best to keep it as quiet as possible. People can hear you. If you are not quiet, and your neighbor lodges a complaint with Markwood Management, the owner of the unit may be fined until the situation is corrected.

2. Parking
This is the second biggest complaint from owners and tenants in the building. Besides griping about the restrictions and general lack of on-street parking, the next biggest issue is the misuse of the side drop-off area on the north-east side of the building. It is intended as a drop-off area for residents loading and unloading from their cars. It is not intended as an auxiliary parking lot, or as a personal work area. It is for short-term use. If you are parking your vehicle there for more than 30 minutes, you are abusing the privilege.
Solution: Don't park your vehicle in the side lot for more than 30 minutes
If you park there any longer than that, your vehicle may be towed at your expense.

3. Building Maintenance
Last, but not least, is building maintenance. This is a broad category which covers everything in the common areas of the building, the hallways, entryways, laundry room, roof, dumpsters, drop-off area and grounds and includes activities such as painting, landscaping, carpeting, cleaning.
Many complaints about maintenace have to do with the quality, appearance and even the smell of the property.
Some people have a tendency to treat anything outside of their individual unit as a kind of dumping ground for anything from shoes and unwanted household items to cigarette butts and trash. Random acts of vandalism have also been known to occur.
The common areas are just that, common areas, held in common trust by every owner in the building. We pay for its maintenance, which means when you abuse the common areas, you are taking money out of your neighbor's pocket. 
Solution: Don't use the common areas as your personal trash bin/smoking lounge/anger management tool.
Abuse of or vandalism of the common areas may mean fines and/or prosecution.

Courtesy, respect and consideration go a long way.

Fresh Varnish

The front and back doors, as well as the wood trim around the entry panel have been stripped, sanded and revarnished. Both doors were refinished both inside and out. You may have noticed the smell of varnish in the building the last day or so. This has eliminated many of the scratches and cuts in the door as well as some minor graffiti carved into the door.  The new varnish has improved the overall appearance of the entry and really brings out the wood grain in the doors. Just in time for the first day of spring!

Door Code

You may have recently noticed that the old access code for the front door no longer works.
Markwood Management decided to change the general-access code for security reasons, especially since the old code had been the same for many years. The code will continue to be changed on a regular basis so that only authorized people will have general access rights to the building. You can obtain the new code by contacting Markwood Management.
You can still access the building with your own personal code, which is the last four digits of your phone number, or with a key. If you don't have a key, Markwood recommends that you contact them and arrange to get one, as a panel malfunction,  such as the one we had last year, or a power-outage, can make it difficult to get into the building any other way.

WTF? Situations

I hate sounding like the resident curmudgeon, but there have been some things happening around the building lately that indicate some tenants here at 24 Norman Street have a different standard of behavior when it comes to living in a condo . Things that make me say "WTF?".Here are a few "WTF?" examples from the last few weeks:


WTF? #1 The Front Door
























The front door key code entry system broke the week after Christmas. A notice was posted soon afterwards informing people that they would need to use their manual front door key.
Key? What's that?
Apparently many residents did not have keys, or had never bothered to get one. In spite of the fact that Markwood's phone number is clearly posted in several places in the building, and the fact that they offered to distribute keys to tenants for free, the front and back doors were found propped open, the locks tampered with and jammed, and on one occasion even taped open, (which created an unnecessary security and safety issue) because...people couldn't be bothered to take 5 minutes and call Markwood for a key? Seriously?



WTF? #2 The Dumpster























Unless we miss a pickup for some reason, there is generally a lot of unused space in the dumpster on any given week, however you would never know it to look at it. It is mostly at the back of the dumpster. If people would take a little more care in where they place their trash inside the dumpster and make sure that it is distributed to the back first, rather than piling up in the front, then we won't have it looking like it did this week. Because this looks so attractive...to rats. Also, kudos to whoever left the giant cardboard boxes sitting on the ground.

WTF? #3 The Recycling
























I have already posted about breaking down cardboard boxes to fit in the recycling bin, some people are actually doing it. I saw someone tearing up a cardboard box to fit it into the recycling bin just last week and almost wept for joy. Many of you however, are still not getting the message. You need to pick up and take care of your own trash... so that it doesn't blow all over the sidewalk and the street and make the building look like a college dorm after an all-night kegger.

WTF? #4 The Laundry Room

















If you are planning on doing several loads of laundry, please plan on sticking around the building until the laundry is done. There are only 6 machines for 39 units. (Do the math)
There is nothing more frustrating than finding all the machines full of clothes in the morning, and then finding those same clothes in the same machines in the evening.
It seems like some of you are putting in a load before you go to work and not checking them until you come home at night, or return from an extended vacation abroad. That leads to scenes like this one. However if you don't mind your clothes being handled by strangers, or tossed into a damp, mildew-ey pile, please continue this practice.

It doesn't take much extra effort to make a big difference in how the building looks and feels. Maybe an extra five minutes of effort or thought.
You may be thinking "What's the big deal? We have maintenance people and trustees to take care of these things", or "If it's outside of my unit, it's not my problem", but those attitudes are short-sighted. Do you care how where you live looks? Do you care if it feels clean, neat and well maintained? Sure, we pay people to clear snow, do landscaping, pick up trash, put out the recycling, vacuum, mop, and do general repairs, but they can't make the building feel like a decent place to live if we, the tenants who live here, demonstrate that we don't care about it through our careless behavior.

Front Door Update

A new key-code system was installed on Monday. The new buzzer panel is up and running. Take note that there are a couple of changes, due to the new system:

Press "9" on your (residents') phone to buzz someone in
Press "0" before entering each resident's personal entry code
It appears that all phone numbers, cell and land-line, regardless of area code, can be used.

You will also note that one can now scroll through resident names on the panel. Markwood will continue to publish the directory as the electrician told us that scrolling was a bit awkward.

Carol from Markwood Management will be at Norman Street on Thursday and will be testing the operation of the system to see if a letter containing more information about its operation should be sent to the owners and residents .

Please let us know if the front door is finicky.

The Front Door

The front door key coding system broke earlier this week. Pinanski Electric was here on Wednesday to check it out and discovered that the electronics are completely fried and the entire system is broken beyond repair. Markwwood management will be replacing the entire system with a new one, but this may take several weeks to implement.
This means that you will not be able to get into the building unless you have a key.
This also means that you will not be able to buzz people in, and will have to let them in by going down and opening the front door for them in person. If you do not have a key, contact your landlord, or if you are an owner, Carol at Markwood Management. Also, frantically punching the entry code over and over again will not have any effect. Do not prop either the front or the back door open. This is very much frowned upon by the building management and will only cause more problems. thank you for your patience while we get this fixed.