Weathering the Storm: Co-op Renovates its Hurricane-Damaged Laundry Room
Aug. 15, 2012 — When the wind and rain of Hurricane Irene whipped across the Ocean Harbor View Apartments, a 56-unit co-op in Freeport, New York, on August 28, 2011, the massive storm did more than get the property wet: it flooded the laundry room and damaged three out of the eight machines within. It was not long afterwards that the seven-person board of the cooperative — located at 494 South Ocean Avenue and built in 1950 — decided it was time to turn a disaster into an opportunity. The room would be completely renovated.
The large, seafront cooperative, which sits on the corner of Front Street and South Ocean Avenue, had not had any major renovations performed in at least two years, reports board member Ellen Fox, but there was little concern about the job since manager Sue Duffy, who works for Einsidler Management, had experience in laundry room renovations.
Duffy handled planning and supervision of the job, working with board president Mary Ann Black. “It went smoothly,” reports Fox. “Mary Ann gave us a report.”
The major change was to switch from a coin-operated system to one using smart cards. The board’s chosen vendor, Automatic Industries, included complimentary $10 cards to help shareholders make the transition while waiting for the card machine to be installed.
In addition, a large Wascomat front-loading machine was included, along with a smaller front-loading and two top-loading machines. “The shareholders used to have to send out comforters and large items,” says Fox, but a new machine big enough to handle those heavy-duty loads was a major factor in getting the shareholders on board with the renovation.
The building’s decision to hire an outside company was a major change for the property. Previously, the co-op had owned the machines and handled all the collections itself.
The change means fewer headaches for the board since the building is no longer responsible for the care and feeding of the machines. Under its lease, Automatic is responsible for their maintenance and does not charge the co-op for installation. The co-op pays only for the water and electricity used to run the four washers and four dryers and receives a portion of the money Automatic collects.
Neighborhood
Freeport, Long Island
Value
Property Taxes
Estimated Market Value: $4,351,100
2012/13 Taxable Value: $42,924
Recent Sales
2/25/12: $139,999
2/25/12: $169,900
12/8/11: $149,999
The Vision Thing
Getting every shareholder to agree to any kind of renovation can be a trial, but the board at Ocean Harbor View Apartments managed to do just that. And it’s even more impressive given the nature of the building. “It’s a very diverse community,” says Fox. “There are single people of various ages, to senior citizens, to people who are making their first home purchase. We have a young professional crowd, and lots of cops and firemen.”
It’s easy to see where the young people might be coming from. Located on the south side of Freeport, in Nassau County, the building is near the well-known waterfront area known as the Nautical Mile. With its abundance of restaurants, bars, and shops, a community of mostly young professionals would be expected, but Ocean Harbor defies expectation.
“The area attracts young people because of the nightlife,” says Fox. Concludes building manager Sue Duffy: “it’s a good mix. Young, old, rich, poor, working people and retired. It’s people who like the southern end of Freeport. “
Building Investment
Project
Cost: $0
- Automatic pays for installation and maintenance and keeps a portion of the fees collected
- Installed four new washing machines and four dryers
- Upgraded laundry room from coin operation to smart card system
Contributors
Sue Duffy, Einsidler Management
Mary Ann Black, board president
Ellen Fox, board member
This project was started and completed on March 13, 2012.