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BUILDING OPERATIONS

HOW NYC CO-OP AND CONDOS OPERATE

Meet the Man Who Keeps the Boiler at Skyview Running Like a Well-Oiled Machine

Kathleen Lucadamo in Building Operations on June 17, 2015

New York City

Barons of the Boiler Room Part 3
June 17, 2015

Each morning, when he arrives at work, he goes to the boiler room, which contains two silver boilers to heat 333 units. His goal is to make sure the red light that says "safety" isn't on because that means something needs attention. At day's end, before he leaves the building, he checks the safety light again.

"The worst thing is for a super to get a call that there is no heat. It's personal for me because if I don't have problems with the boilers, I don't get calls. I don't recall a day without heat and hot water unless there was a blackout," he says.

Rexhepi, an immigrant from Kosovo, has been Skyview's super for the past 37 years. He raised three children in the building where he currently lives with his wife. His youngest son and two grandchildren also have an apartment in the building.

"I know these boilers well," he said, fondly recalling when they were installed in 1986 to replace three old ones that he remembers as "a lot of headaches, a lot of cleaning."

Rexhepi thinks it's important to take pride in what you do: "If your super doesn't care, why have him there?"

As for potential buyers, Rexhepi offers this advice: "Anyone who wants to buy into a building should look at the boiler room."

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