Media Coverage

Can New York City landlords legally charge residents for spare keys? Dan Wurtzel, president of FirstService Residential, weighs in on balancing tenant convenience with mitigating building security risks in The New York Times’ Ask Real Estate column.
 

New York City building energy codes are becoming more stringent, and will continue to do so as city agencies work to reduce carbon emissions in new and existing buildings. In an article published by The Cooperator Kelly Dougherty, president of FirstService Energy, discusses why carbon studies are the best first step for buildings looking to curb emissions and gain a better understanding of how a building uses fossil fuels and identify areas of inefficiency.

In an article published by Multifamily Dive, James Bovino, vice president of Business Development, and Kelly Dougherty, president of FirstService Energy, discuss the continued expansion of our portfolio and how our in-house energy experts make a significant difference for the buildings we manage.

Read more from Multifamily Dive.

Around the country, building owners, residents, buyers and developers are asking more questions about reducing annual utilities, conserving water and measures to improve overall energy efficiency. FirstService Energy President Kelly Dougherty discussed the value of sustainable design and renewable energy systems in a recent article by Commercial Property Executive.
 

In an op-ed published in National Apartment Association's Industry Insider, Marc Kotler, Senior Vice President of FirstService Residential's New Development Group, discusses the challenges and considerations for commercial-to-multifamily residential conversions in New York City.

Read more from the National Apartment Association.

In the first two quarters of 2022, the company added more than 1,350 units to its management portfolio. Among the company’s new clients are some of the city’s most iconic multifamily properties, including Madison House, an 805-foot-tall skyscraper in NoMad; 100 Eleventh Avenue, designed by Pritzker Prize laureate and renowned architect Jean Nouvel; the award-winning 25 Bond Street in NoHo; One Boerum Place, home to the most expensive rental apartment in Brooklyn history; and Parkway Village, a 675-unit garden-style community in Briarwood, Queens.

"We’ve seen extraordinary growth in the first half of 2022, which is a significant accomplishment considering the volatility and growing complexity of New York City’s real estate market," said FirstService Residential New York President Dan Wurtzel. "We owe our success to our decades of experience and access to top-tier in-house resources. These are major differentiators for condo and co-op boards and building owners looking to enhance the value of their property and overcome inflationary pressures.”
 
Read more from Real Estate Weekly. 

In the August issue of The Cooperator, our General Counsel Ben Kirschenbaum offered his thoughts how the most effective boards manage their properties in New York City.

“You’re not expected to be an expert, so your role is to seek the expertise and guidance of your pro-fessionals—accountants, attorneys, engineers, insurance brokers," says Kirschenbaum. "You’re the ones who make the decisions, and if you use good business judgment, your decisions will be upheld legally’—an important assurance in our aggressively litigious society.”

Click here to read the full story. 
 

Dedicated package rooms now rival fitness centers as a high-demand amenity space in multifamily buildings as daily deliveries remain at holiday volume. In an article for Yield PRO Magazine, Marc Kotler, senior vice president of the New Development Group, and Calynne Oyolokor, vice president of the Multifamily Rental Division, discuss how modern amenities and proptech help solve a new wave of challenges for multifamily buildings. 

Read the full story here.

Habitat Magazine explores how a 332-unit cooperative property in Chelsea, managed by FirstService Residential, saved more than $100,000 on a large-scale Facade Inspection and Safety Program (FISP) compliance project,  typically a major financial hurdle for multifamily buildings in New York City.

—Habitat Magazine

Michael Wolfe, FirstService Residential’s president of property management, is featured in the latest episode of “Constructive Conversations,” a weekly radio show from The Building & Realty Institute. Michael discusses how the Climate Mobilization Act, specifically Local Law 97, has impacted condominum and cooperatives across New York City.