All According to Plan: Pre-emptive Strike Against Fuel Prices, Elevator Woes
“The building is solid,” says Larry Hohlt, the retired lawyer who also heads up the nine-member board at what he calls a “classic prewar” — this 107-unit East Village co-op.
For proof, he points to a worker who tried to drill through a wall – only to break his drill bit on the brick that lay beneath the surface. “They built these buildings very, very well,” he says of the Depression-era property. “The building aged gracefully.”
Nonetheless, the nearly 80-year-old structure has had its share of repairs, the latest being the recently completed passenger elevator modification (researched by a three-man committee and in the development and planning stages for two years) and the addition of a dual burner. “That should save us money,” notes Hohlt, who sees it as insurance against any future switcheroos. “If oil suddenly becomes cheaper than natural gas, we’re ready for it.”
Neighborhood
East Village
Value
Recent Sales
- 8/5/11: $1,255,000
- 2/28/11: $1,300,000
- 2/23/11: $1,295,000
Property Taxes
Estimated Market Value: $26,895,000
2011/12 Taxable Value: $10,346,315
The Vision Thing
Larry Hohlt, president at 40-50 East 10th Street, lived in a house in Brooklyn for nearly 30 years before moving to this East Village co-op some 12 years ago. He hasn’t regretted it and talks with enthusiasm about the many projects his nine-member board has undertaken, all part of a ten-year capital plan (the sidewalk and back yard are slated for repairs, and the roof needs to be replaced). He moves on to the varied tenancy of his property, which includes young professionals, museum curators, playwrights, lawyers, business-people, retirees, young couples, and a composer. “We have quite a range,” says Hohlt, who feels that the building is attractive because of its old-world charm and its new-world amenities: two private gardens and a cardiovascular exercise room. It is also walking distance to both the East and West Village. “It’s a great building,” he says. As to capital work, he says: “Get different perspectives. Try to get objective advice. And then move forward.”
Building Investment
Projects
- Cost: $326,629 & $682,453
- Dual-burner installation, new chimney liner, new dual-burner, all associated plumbing & gas work, installation of gas leak detection system
- Passenger elevator modernization, full modernization of three passenger elevators, high-end elevator cab upgrade with wood panels, brushed stainless steel, and stone tile by CEC Elevator & Olek Lejbzon & Co., air conditioning of all three elevator rooms by Air Ideal.
Contributors
Concessi Engineering Services
Sierra Consulting Group
National Mechanical Services
Schindler Elevator
Blue Woods Management
Larry Hohlt, board president
Completed in November 2011