New York's Cooperative and Condominium Community

Habitat Magazine Insider Guide

HABITAT

ROOSEVELT ISLAND

After conversion from rental to co-op, board and shareholders had to learn fast.

New Windows for a New Roosevelt Island Co-op

Written by Tom Soter on August 17, 2016

Roosevelt Island

Fledgling board at the Island House tackles major projects.

No, "arborcide" doesn't refer to the port area of Cockney London. It's a term for tree-killing. And while there may be good reasons for removing a maple or executing an elm, a co-op or condo board reeeeeally needs to get community consensus on this  since if there's anything people love most next to their kids and pets, it's trees. There's a reason Shel Silverstein didn't write The Giving Shrub.

So, anyway, reports the blog Roosevelt Islander, the co-op board of Rivercross announced it was going to cut down four courtyard trees it said posted a safety danger and blocked the views of some apartments. The Roosevelt Island Tree Board — yes, that's a thing — rallied residents to a board meeting by pointing out possible ... shortcomings, let's say ... in the board's claims about the trees. And the board, to its credit, agreed to have what it said would be an impartial third arborist come in to render an opinion as to the trees' viability, and in a memo to shareholders thanked them "for their participation in the robust discussion." Which we think is just tree-mendous.

Ask the Experts

learn more

Learn all the basics of NYC co-op and condo management, with straight talk from heavy hitters in the field of co-op or condo apartments

Professionals in some of the key fields of co-op and condo board governance and building management answer common questions in their areas of expertise

Source Guide

see the guide

Looking for a vendor?