Below are the answers to some frequently-asked questions. You may also download a pdf copy of the 880 West House Handbook and other building documents from the Documents page.

board of directors  The board of directors meets approximately once a month, as posted on the bulletin board. Shareholders are invited to meet with the board at approximately 8:30-9:00, depending upon the business before the board, to discuss renovation plans or other concerns. Shareholders must contact the board in advance, by speaking to a board member or emailing the board at Boardat880westhouse@googlegroups.com.

CONtAct information

In case of fire, smoke, or medical emergency, call 911 first, then the superintendent.   

1. •  Superintendent, Carlos Munoz   347-235-5207
   

2. •  Blue Woods Management, Don Wilson, president
          Greg DeLanoy, managing agent - 212-645-7333, gdelanoy@bluewoodsmgmt.com
          Mailing address: P.O. Box 5135 White Plains, NY 10602-5135
          For after hours emergencies, call 914-524-8600
   

3. •  34th Precinct Police Station       212-927-9711
   

4. In the case of gas odor, call the superintendent; if he is not immediately available, call Con Edison.
   

5. In the case of emergency water leaks, into or out of your unit, call the superintendent first, then the managing agent.
   

6. In the case of hot water or heat outage, call the superintendent.
   

7. In the case of a problem with the elevator, call the superintendent first, then the managing agent.
   

deliveries  All deliveries of large or multiple items should be conducted through the basement entrance, via the gate on Riverside Drive. If anyone making such a delivery to your apartment is observed using the front door of the building, you may be charged for damage to the door. Please let Carlos know if large items are being delivered, so that he can install the pads to protect the elevator.

Late Fees  If your maintenance is not received by the managing agent by the 10th day of the month, there will be a late fee of $25 per unit. If you have not paid your maintenance in full, including any late fees or other charges, by the 10th day of the secon month, there will be a doubled late fee of $50 per month per unit. If a shareholder is late with maintenance plus late fees or other charges a third month, consecutive or not, within a calendar year, the doubled late fee of $50 per unit per month will be applied.

LAUNDRY ROOM  Please report malfunctioning machines to the superintendent. The lint must be regularly removed from the lint screen in the lower part of the dryers, and the doors firmly fastened, for the dryers to work properly. Please note that the washing machines are designed for very small amounts of detergent. Please follow the guidelines precisely, or malfunction will result. Also, the machine will cut off automatically if a heavy object, such as a blanket, causes an imbalance during the spin cycle. It is better to wash two or more such items together, to prevent imbalance.

moving  All moves should be conducted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and conducted via the basement entrance. You must post with the managing agent, in advance of the move, a $500 deposit against damage to the elevator or public areas.

renovations  If you wish to make an alteration in your apartment--including installation of any appliance that involves water or gas pipes, plumbing fixtures, or rewiring or other electrical work--you must obtain Board approval before you begin any work. If you plan any work involving demolition, floor replacement or refinishing, removal of walls, doors, cabinetry, windows, etc., you must arrange to meet with the board to discuss your plans.  When structural work is involved, you must submit plans to the president of the board and to the managing agent prior to meeting with the board.  If you are not certain whether your plans require board approval or not, the best policy is to ask.

Depending on the scope of the work and the potential for damage, you may be asked to fill out and sign the Alteration Agreement, which spells out in more detail the cooperative’s policies and requirements.

No work, including demolition, may be started before you receive notice from the managing agent that all required documents have been received and approved.

Please notify your neighbors above, below, and on either side at least 2 days before work begins. All work which might disturb other residents must be done between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. No work should be scheduled on legal holidays.

If the work involves any potential interruption of heating, water, or electrical service to the other residents, you must inform the managing agent and all affected residents 24 hours in advance.

A refundable $1,000 deposit must be posted with the managing agent prior to beginning work, against damage that may be incurred to the elevator or common areas. This deposit is required of any work, whether an Alteration Agreement is required or not, that involves transport of materials or debris through the common areas or in the elevator.

You are responsible for keeping the superintendent aware of the work schedule to assure that the elevator pads are up and that the public areas remain in good condition. You are responsible for making sure that the common areas and elevator are cleaned at the end of each work day. Furthermore, you are responsible for making sure that all debris is disposed of promptly and legally. Construction debris may not be put in the garbage bins.

Please refer to the Handbook for a more detailed statement of the cooperative’s renovation policies, and for a sample Alteration Agreement. Copies of these documents may be downloaded from the Documents page, or obtained from the managing agent.   

ROLE of the superintendent  The superintendent’s role in a cooperative is to clean and maintain the interior and exterior public areas of the building, as well as to monitor and maintain all building systems. Additionally, he has to supervise appointments with other service providers to the building, and he has to monitor collection of garbage and recycling.

In contrast with the superintendent’s duties in a rental building, a cooperative’s superintendent is not responsible for repairs inside shareholders’ apartments, except as assigned by the managing agent. If you ask the superintendent to do minor repairs in your unit, he can do them only outside of his work schedule for the building. In such cases he will be working as a private contractor, and the cooperative is not responsible in any way for this work.

In the case of water damage to your unit, or a clogged drain, call the superintendent to inspect the situation. If the repair is one that the cooperative is responsible for, he will notify the managing agent, who will arrange for the repair.

If you are not certain who is responsible for a certain type of repair, call the managing agent. The proprietary lease also contains information on this issue. In general, the shareholder is responsible for all systems inside the unit, including gas pipes and water pipes that are inside the unit.  Additionally, the shareholder may be responsible for problems occurring with pipes or drains behind the walls, if those problems are found to be the result of renovations or custom installations in the shareholder’s unit.

smoking  No smoking is allowed in the hallways, stairwells, laundry room, elevator, storage areas, or other public spaces in the building.

Sublet policy  As specified in the Proprietary Lease, paragraph 19, you may not sublet the unit or any part of the unit without permission of the Lessor. In a continuing effort to improve the quality of life at 880 West House, as well as the marketability of our apartments, the board of directors in 1998 revised the sublet policy as follows:

1. •Only after residing in your apartment for three years are you permitted to apply to sublet the unit.
   

2. •Your proposed subtenant must fill out an application. The package may be obtained by contacting Arlene Marin at 646 810-4061 or amarin@bluewoodsmgmt.com. There is fee for credit check and processing.
   

3. •You must then schedule an interview between your propose subtenant and members of the Board of Directors.
   

4. •If your proposed subtenant is approved, you may sublet for one year. You may apply, by writing a letter to the Board of Directors, for permission to sublet for a second year, and near the end of the second year you may apply for permission to sublet for a third year.
   

5. •There is a fee per year, payable to 880 West House, Inc., of an amount equal to one month’s rent at the monthly rate you are charging your subtenant, or an amount equal to one month’s rent of a comparable apartment in the neighborhood, whichever is higher, at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
   

6. •Your subtenant must be informed that a. the sublease is on a year to year basis only--the extension to a second or third year is not automatic; b. all House Rules must be followed by the subtenant, including moving rules and deposit.
   

7. •If you propose within the allowed sublet period to change subtenants, the application process must be carried out again in full.
   

8. •Before applying for permission to sublet your unit again, you must then reside in the unit for another three years.