Scaffolding was delivered and set up at the front of the building today, Wednesday, May 2, 2018. This began at 8AM for the front façade repair.  Please use extreme caution when entering and exiting the building.

Mandatory Inspection February 17th

Over the last 2 years, we have seen  a substantial increase in our building water usage,  reflected in a large increase to our city water bill, on the order of several thousand dollars. Although some of this has been due to an increase in water rates, the overwhelming majority of the increase is due to increased usage. Since the number of units and occupants has not changed dramatically, the increase is probably water leaks somewhere within the building. The most likely culprit being toilets or water tanks. A faulty toilet that has a slow leaks can literally waste hundreds of gallons of water a year. If you multiply that by several fixtures, you are looking at a substantial increase in our water bill. For this reason Markwood will be conducting a mandatory inspection.

Please be advised all units must be made available Saturday, February 17, 2018
between the hours of 8 AM – 11 AM. At this time maintenance will be knocking on
doors to conduct visual inspections for signs of leaks/plumbing issues within units.

(in fairness to all residents, specific time requests can not be accommodated).

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

-Markwood Management

Tree Trimming!

The trees in front of the building have been trimmed back away from the windows! This was difficult to do as the trees are owned by the city and can only be trimmed by their work crews.

Markwood was finally able to contact the Salem DPW department and secure a date for the trimming. After one aborted appointment (due to rain and wind) the crew was rescheduled and the work was completed last week. The branches are now well away from the front and side of the building. This should reassure owners and tenants in the front of the building who had branches blowing against their windows during the last storm.

The New Washing Machine is Finally Here!

After months of waiting, the replacement for the third washing machine, which has been out of commission since June, arrived this last Monday. The company that usually sells and services the washers, Mac-Gray, was slow in responding to our calls. When we finally did get through, the make and model we usually purchase was on back-order due to problems at the Maytag manufacturing facility. We ended up purchasing a Speed Queen Commercial Washer instead. 
Customer service sure isn't what it used to be.

Nothing in the Hallways

You may have received this recent notice from Markwood Management about Halloween decorations in the hallways.

Good afternoon homeowners:

We appreciate that it is impossible to avoid enthusiasm for Halloween when you live in Salem.  Unfortunately, we must ask you to remove the decorations many of you have placed in the hallways.

Insurance companies are quite adamant that nothing be placed in in common areas that might in any way be considered a "trip" hazard.

Thank you,
Markwood Management

Basically, do not place or store anything in the common areas (hallways, steps, roof) of the building. This not only includes seasonal decorations of any kind, but also trash bags, furniture, sculptures and especially...shoes. There are several good reasons for this policy: These objects constitute a potential hazard and expose us to liability (the insurance for the common areas does not cover your personal items).  That could mean problems if visitors or tenants trip on these things (and sue us), if they impede evacuation during a fire, or constitute a fire hazard in and of themselves.  There are also problems if someone damages or steals the personal items left in the common areas. This kind of clutter can also make vacuuming more difficult for the cleaners. And lastly, not everyone shares the same taste in "decoration". So please keep all of your personal items inside your unit.

Update on Window Replacement Project

A meeting to discuss the possible replacement of unit windows was held on Tuesday, May 23rd in the Heritage Room at 10 Norman Street, In Attendance for Markwood Management was Kim Lord and Trustee George Courage. Eight owners also attended. The main topics of discussion were:

Why replace the windows? 

Age of the Windows
The building was converted to condos in 1984-85, which means the windows are about 32 years old. Many commercial windows have a life expectancy of about 20-25 years. We are at or beyond the life expectancy of the original windows.

Energy Conservation 
The last few years have seen some steep increases in electrical rates, especially in the winter. The inefficiency of the windows has been a contributing factor.

Air Quality/Airflow
Many of the window counter weights have broken, making the windows incredibly difficult to open for ventilation. Many of the screens are also missing/broken.

Seal Breakage
The seals on many windows are cracked or broken which nullifies their insulating qualities and in some cases create drafts.  Many of the windows no longer close and seal properly.

Repair or Replace?
Although broken or cracked glass can be replaced, and seals redone, there is no way to replace/restore the argon gas in between the two panes of glass, greatly reducing the insulating qualities of the window. Finding a vendor willing and able to do repairs has proved difficult, expensive, and very limited. For instance there is no way to repair the broken counterweights.

Aesthetics
Many of the windows are visibly worn and aged-looking, and many are jury rigged or propped open with everything from sticks to box fans. This makes the building look shabby and reduces it's value to prospective tenants/owners.
 
Value to the Unit
Replacing the windows would most likely enhance the value of the unit either to attract potential buyers or tenants.

Structural 
At this time there is no structural reason to replace the windows. We had a structural engineer come and take a look at the building before the meeting, and although we have not yet received his final written report, he said that there was no indication of major structural problems either caused by, or affecting the windows.

Sound
Newer windows with double or triple-pained glass will also greatly reduce ambient noise from the downtown area including pedestrian and vehicular noise.

Liability
Injury to a tenant caused by the lifting or falling of the very heavy windows and possible legal action resulting from it may be a strong incentive for owners to replace the windows.

Why Replace the Windows Now?

Cost Savings
The more owners decide to get their windows replaced at the same time, the cheaper it will be for everyone. Besides the cost of the windows themselves, the equipment and personnel required to replace them become prohibitive on an individual basis.

Less Disruptive to Residents
If we as many as we can at once, we reduce the amount of disruption to the building.

Savings on Heating/Cooling 
Although replacing the windows is expensive, there may be state incentives in the form of grants rebates or loans available to help make our building more energy efficient.

Next Steps
We had (8) owners sign up for a group e-mail list that will keep everyone informed of developments on the windows. Trustee George Courage contacted the preferred vendor for a more detailed estimate for the project. Owner Dustin Quadros has gathered information about getting an energy audit, a step which could be helpful in obtaining financing for the project.

If you were unable to attend the meeting but are interested in replacing your windows, please contact Markwood Management or e-mail george@georgecouragecreative.com, for more information.

Window Meeting Set for May

A meeting to discuss options for the much-needed window replacements for 24 Norman Street (see the March 31st post for details) is set for on May 23, 2017 @ 6:30PM at Heritage Plaza, 10 Norman Street, on the lower level conference room (same location as the Annual meeting of unit owners).  Contact Markwood Management if you have questions. Hopefully we will see you all then.

Window Replacement Update

As many of you already know, the windows in our building are 30+ years old (the building was converted to condos in the 1980's) and are well beyond their projected lifespan.

As a result, many residents at 24 Norman Street have windows that are no longer energy efficient ( as reflected in high heating and cooling bills). Many have cracked or broken seals and/or broken and cracked glass which make for drafts and even leaks when there is a combination of wind and rain.
There are also broken counterweights which make the windows difficult to open, and dangerous if they should fall shut. Add in missing screens and it looks like it is high time to replace the windows.

Our windows are exceptionally large (approximately 4 feet by 9 feet 6 inches ) and heavy (over 1,000 lbs). Most window manufacturers (especially vinyl window)  have an upward size limit of 85". That is 3" shorter than the two bottom panels of our windows. Our windows are really (2) windows joined together. (1) part comprised of two large panels of equal size, and an additional  1 foot-high transom at the top.

Markwood has been looking into window replacement since last year, but because of the size, weight and location of the windows,  have had difficulty in finding a combination of a vendor who can manufacture windows at the large size required, and an installer who was willing and able to install them.

I personally contacted (5) different window vendors, all referrals from business associates including an architect.
Out of those five, one never got back to me and another RiteWindow, said they could not help us after I sent them pictures and dimensions.
The three left were:
Coastal Windows & Exteriors of Beverly
Schernecker Property Services of Waltham
New Angle Glass of Lynn

Each of these three came and met with me at the building, looked at the windows inside and out, and took measurements.

Coastal Windows gave me an estimate the same day, but they were very expensive. 
$8,124.00 for replacing (2) windows.
They also only do vinyl windows which is a problem due to the size.

Schernecker Property Services
Is a property service company so they are used to dealing with large condo projects. They were very knowledgable and besides the sales rep, had a structural engineer along. They said that vinyl windows are not an option for our size windows as they do not add structural support and the weight would cause  the vinyl to deform over time, which would lead to problems. They recommended metal replacement windows. They have have not yet , as of today, provided me with an estimate.

New Angle Glass is a local company (based in Lynn) they also sent two people, a sales rep and an installation guy. They confirmed that for windows this size that vinyl is not an option. They also recommended metal replacement windows. They have recently completed several large window projects in the Lynn area.
Their pricing was much better, coming in at around $4,198.75 for two windows. They also gave us the option of two different window configurations, one where the (3) panels would be of equal size, thus reducing the weight of the individual panels and making them easier to open, and one with a “hopper”option for the top panel, so that you could actually open the top most window.

There are still some variables that might drive the price up bit. they would need to rent a boom lift which would cost them $2,450.00 a week, and Salem might require them to have a police detail as well (not sure what that would cost) so the more people do this at once, the cheaper it is for everyone. This definitely brings this into the realm of possibility.

Anyway, that’s where things stand. If you are interested, or know anyone in the building who is, please let the Markwood Management office  (Kim Lord) or myself know (leave a comment or e-mail me).

I will be posting about this on the blog again in the near future as I get updated information. There is also an e-mail chain making the rounds.
When I get the final estimate from Schernecker , I will pass that on to you. We will probably need to have a special meeting to discuss this further.

A Note About the Disposal of Large Items

Last week a resident of 24 Norman Street had their water heater replaced. Unfortunately, the plumbers who did the replacement, did not take the old unit with them and left it sitting outside
by the recycling bins.

Another resident disposed of a large couch by pushing it out a window and leaving it leaning against the west side of the building.

If you are planning on disposing of large items, you must make arrangements either with Markwood or with a qualified vendor.
Do not place large items in or next to the dumpster or leave them sitting outside.
Our regular trash service will not take these items. We cannot stress this enough.
This includes mattresses, tables, chairs, couches, refrigerators, air/heating units, cabinets, toilets, bathtubs, sinks, and last but not least, water heaters. Professional plumbers and carpenters will take their trash with them if you ask them to. If they will not or cannot take it, then you should look for one that will.

If you dispose of items improperly, Markwood is forced to call our maintenance service to come and remove the items from the property. We get charged for this every time it happens, and we will then pass on that charge to you.

 In the case of the water heater, the cost of removal is being billed back to the unit owner. If you have questions about disposing of large items or want to arrange to have something picked up, please call Markwood Management at (781) 639-4080. Thank you for your cooperation.

Christmas Tree Disposal-2017

Christmas is a time where homes are filled with love and holiday cheer. Unfortunately, it's also a time when homes are filled with things that will need to be disposed of, particularly your Christmas tree.
You have two options this year:

OPTION 1:
Curbside pickup
City-wide Christmas tree curbside collection will continue to take place January 9 -13, 2017. 
Please leave your tree curbside on the same day as your regularly scheduled trash day and Waste Management will pick up your tree. Trees should be on the curb bare, with no bags or decorations.
Since Christmas falls on a Sunday, trash pickup will operate on a regular schedule.

OPTION 2:
14th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire
 The City’s 14th annual Christmas tree bonfire will be held at Dead Horse Beach on Memorial Drive on Friday, January 6, 2017 at 6:00 p.m., weather permitting. 
Waste Management trucks will be picking up trees curbside on the same day as your regularly scheduled trash day beginning January 2nd.  If you really want to make sure your tree is part of the bonfire, you can drop it off at the entrance to Dead Horse Beach after January 2nd or bring it to the bonfire on the 6th.

Please don't forget that all decorations and lights must be removed from your tree. 

In case of inclement weather (rain/snow/wind) the bonfire will be held on Saturday evening, January 7th at 6:00 p.m. Check www.salem.com for rescheduling information. 

Finally, DO NOT place your tree inside or next to the dumpster. 

24 NORMAN STREET CONDOMINIUM TRUST NOTICE OF 2017 ANNUAL MEETING

The 2017 Annual Meeting ofthe 24 Norman Street Condominium Trust will be held Wednesday, January 11,2017 @ 6:30 PM in the Heritage Room ofthe Heritage Plaza Condominium, 10 Norman Street (next door, lower level), Salem, Massachusetts.
You should have received the meeting package and proxy for your information and review by mail. If you have not, please contact Markwood Management.
At this meeting, you will be electing three trustees for one-year terms. George Courage, Anna Zabierek, and Jessie Zuberek have volunteered to serve as trustees. If you are interested in adding your name to the ballot, please contact Markwood Management no later than Friday, January 6, 2017 and be prepared to present yourself at the meeting.
There will also be news about progress on the National Grid "pit" situation.
Please direct any questions to Markwood Management. Thank you!

Fence Installation Completed

  The new fence between the Heritage Plaza Condominiums, 10 Norman Street from 24 Norman Street has been installed. The work was completed last Thursday by the Olsen Curtis Fence Company of Salem, MA. http://www.olsencurtisfence.com/. New trees to replace the three that were removed, should be planted soon.

URGENT Building Security Issue

The back door of the building is not latching properly and we had an intruder. Locksmiths have been called and should be here later today, however this has been a recurring problem, especially after heavy rain. The door is wood, and will sometimes swell after rain, making it harder for the latch to work properly.
We cannot over-stress the importance of checking to make sure the door is securely latched each and every time you go in or out of the building, and not propping the door open.
Why? "What's the big deal?" you say. Well this is the big deal. We end up with this:

This photo was taken today. If you can't tell what it is, it's basically a hobo-encampment under the back staircase.
The door was not latched securely, and one of the many homeless people we have living in the area took the opportunity to slip into the building and homestead in our basement, complete with bedroll, liquor bottles and bags of junk.
The homeless person was noticed and removed yesterday, and maintenance is coming to clean up the mess, but this is a huge security and liability issue. This has happened before, and will probably happen again unless you remain vigilant. All the locks and cameras in the world aren't going to do any good if you leave the damn door open.
Most homeless people are harmless, but we don't know that is true in every case. Do you want a homeless person in the building? Lurking in the basement where you do your laundry? Urinating in some corner? Probably not. This is why you need to CHECK and make SURE the DOOR is latched behind you. It will take five seconds, and may save yourself and the building a lot of trouble.
By the way, if you notice a homeless person hanging out in this space, do not confront them, call the police immediately, then call Markwood. Calling Markwood first just ads an extra, delaying step to the process. thank you for your cooperation.

Fence and Tree Work Scheduled

The property next door, 10 Norman Street, is in the process of replacing the fence that runs between our two buildings. As part of this work, three of the six maple trees, that are unhealthy and losing branches were taken down this week. The stumps have be ground down, the soil will be re-graded and leveled, and once the fence has been re-built, new trees will be planted to replace the ones that were taken down. Those units that are located on the driveway side, may notice a lack of shade, and an increase in visibility, and sunlight-generated heat. The fence replacement is currently scheduled for the end of June.

Check Your Pockets!

Last week we found a Uni-ball Vision Elite pen scraping around in one of the dryers. Unfortunately it was found in a load of clothing had been drying. The clothes and the inside of the dryer were covered with ink from this pen. This is not the first time this has happened.
When you are doing your laundry, please make sure that you check the pockets of your clothing, jeans and shirts for pens, pencils, lipstick, candies, change and any foreign objects that could melt, explode in, jam or abrade the inside of the washing machine, or dryer drum.
Besides ruining your clothes, and the clothes of anyone who uses the machines after you, these foreign objects could damage the machines and lead to costly repairs.
A little extra care goes a long way. Thank you.

Interested in Window Replacement?

 


The windows at 24 Norman Street are about 30 years old. There have been repairs here and there, but they are nearing the end of their efficiency. Many windows have cracked or missing seals, cracked glass, missing screens, and are no longer as tight or insulating as they should be. There has also been widespread loss of the counterweights that assist with the opening of the large and heavy windows.
For that reason, Trustee Courage and owner Claudia Haydon are interested in doing so in Year 2016. and are currently canvasing to see if other owners are interested in having their windows replaced.

We have received two ballpark estimates of between $1,500 and $1,800 per opening. So for the average 2-window unit, we are talking between $3,000 and $3,600 per unit. As these windows are custom, therefore expensive to replace, the more windows that can be done at one time, the more it will save all owners money. We may be able to negotiate a better price, if we do 10 units as opposed to 2.

We are also looking for vendors and have had some difficulty in finding an area vendor who is willing and able to replace our large, custom windows. Many companies repair or replace windows, but  mostly for private homes and very few at the scale of our building's. If you have any companies that you can personally recommend, please let us know.

If you are interested in window replacement, please contact Markwood management and/or Trustee Courage via this blog. Thanks!

IMPORTANT NOTICE about TRASH & RECYCLING

You may have noticed a packet of information under your door recently concerning the new trash and recycling program recently instituted by the City of Salem. Read it carefully.
The skinny is that the new program is mandatory, so we have no choice but to comply.
The city has established an 8-week "grace" period during the implementation of this program to allow people to adjust to the new requirements. After that 8 week period, fines will be levied for violations of the recycling rules . These fines can add up quickly. That is a bad thing because eventually those fines will come out of your pocket, so.... please help avoid additional and unnecessary costs by only recycling those materials allowed and by not putting items that are eligible for recycling in the dumpster. Take a look at the sheet. Familiarize yourself with the allowed and disallowed items. PAY ATTENTION to what you are throwing away.
We encourage you to visit www.salem.com for further information.

Recycling Etiquette

There are a number of recycling bins available for the use of residents at 24 Norman Street, but after finding loose cardboard blowing around the side parking lot and a pile of boxes next to the bins, we thought it might be helpful to go over some basic rules of recycling and trash "etiquette".

1. Put the appropriate item into the appropriate bin.
People are generally in a hurry to dispose of their trash and recycling as quickly as possible, but taking a few seconds to read the labels on the recycling bins and/or check what is already in them before placing your items would be helpful. The recycling is sorted by item, both by where they put it in  the truck and where it is processed at the plant, so mixing different items in the bins just makes it a slower and more difficult process.

2. Make sure the materials to be recycled are relatively clean.
That means rinsing out bottles and cans and food containers so that there is no visible food residue in them. If you have something with food really stuck in it, say some cardboard food container such as a pizza box, if it is permeated with grease or has cheese stuck to it, please throw it in the trash, not the recycling bins. It's hard enough to keep the dumpster from smelling and being infested with flies, let alone the recycling bins.

3. Break down those cardboard boxes.
Too often people do not take the time to break down their cardboard items (such as large boxes) and leave them in a pile next to the bins.
This is a problem in several instances; when it is raining, when it is windy, when there is mixed packing material (such as styrofoam) in the box. These are all circumstances that either make an unsightly mess, make it almost difficult to recycle the material, or both.
Even if anitem is small enough to fit into the bin without breaking it down, you should break it down as much as possible, or you make it difficult for other tenants to use the bin, leading back to the unsightly piles of stuff outside the bins.

4. Leave the caps on those bottles
Rather than removing the caps from bottles, or throwing them into the bins by themselves, please put the caps back on. We have been told that when they sort the materials, the smaller items often fall into the machinery, and gum up the works.

If everyone could make an effort to follow these 4 guidelines, it would make for a much cleaner, more efficient and less ghetto-looking recycling area. Thank you!

NOTICE: DO NOT LEAVE LARGE ITEMS OUT BY THE DUMPSTER

To 24 Norman Street Residents:

Please do not leave large articles, furniture, rugs, electronics, etc.,  in the dumpster area.  Waste Management does not pick up these items when they empty the dumpster and we must send someone, at a cost to the Association, to remove and dispose of them.

Lifebridge in Salem may take some of these items.  There are many small, independent trash haulers in Salem who will take unwanted furniture for a reasonable fee.  In addition, Salem holds "EWaste" disposal days every three months at the High School.  With proof of Salem residency, electronics and household appliances may be disposed of for $10 per item.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping the grounds clean and keeping costs down.

Thank you,
Markwood Management

As always, we ask that those of you who rent your units pass this information on to your tenants.

If this practice continues, Markwood may be forced to review security camera footage and fine those responsible.

Some Trash Etiquette

With several new people having moved into the building recently, we thought it might be a good idea to go over some basic dumpster etiquette.
When disposing of cardboard boxes in the recycling bins, please take them apart and break them down as much as possible. Please don't do this:

Also, when throwing your bags of trash into the dumpster, please make sure that they go INSIDE the dumpster. Do not throw them on top, beside or in front of the dumpster. The dumpster looked like this recently, even though there was plenty of room in the back half of the dumpster.

 We ended up with trash all over the surrounding area.

This is always an issue, but especially during the summer months, when stray trash attracts all kinds of vermin such as flies, rats and even fat squirrels. (As well as smelling and looking bad).

Another issue is the disposal of large furniture or other trash items . We recently had this to contend with this discarded toilet.

The dumpster is not intended for construction debris, or large furniture items. If an item doesn't fit in the dumpster, you need to make your own arrangements to dispose of it.
If you are having work done on your unit, you must make sure your plumber or carpenter will dispose of these kinds of items off-site.
The new trash disposal service is not required to take these kinds of items, and if you leave them we run the risk of not having our regular trash picked up.
If you place an item of this kind out by the dumpster, it requires Markwood to hire someone other than our regular trash service to dispose of it, which costs extra money. The more money we take from the operating budget, (i.e. your condo fee) to haul this crap away, the less we have for other expenses and repairs.

Your cooperation is much appreciated.