At 7 p.m. on a Friday evening, Keith J. Hales, president of Hales Property Management, Inc., happened to be checking his email. He found a message from a woman who lives in a four-story condominium building his company manages on Chica…
For any homeowner or tenant, the worst feeling is vulnerability. Association dues are paid, in part, to provide a sense of safety and security. High fences, security guards and gates, along with cameras and key codes help to achieve a …
Thousands of enthusiastic attendees packed The Chicagoland Cooperator’s first annual Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo to learn about new products and services, network with hundreds of service providers, socialize and exchange information with th…
Q We have a serious problem in our co-op. No. 1, there have been no annual meetings for years. There have been no elections and the same people are entrenched on the board of directors. Thirdly, no bylaws or business corporation laws ar…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 136 million tons of construction and demolition waste was generated in 1996, which was the last time these figures were made available, and those numbers have most likely ri…
Holidays are usually synonymous with good cheer, smiles, and a festive atmosphere—but occasionally, they can be the cause of friction and ill will as well. When people of various faiths and traditions all live in the same high-rise buil…
Property managers handle a wide array of tasks, from the physical to the administrative. While many of these jobs are outlined in black and white (send out monthly bills, attend meetings, file paperwork), one important component is not…
Hardy Chicagoans stash their winter coats away as soon as spring temperatures allow; and, come fall, they resist pulling out those parkas again until their teeth are chattering. Buildings, however, need preparation that’s a little more …
For building owners and managers in Chicago, winter weather not only refers to the white stuff that falls out of the sky—but rather, the white stuff that collects in a building’s lobby. That’s right—ice and snow can be a buildi…
It’s a well-known fact that Chicagoans are tough. But even the bravest among us shivers just a little bit when the first signs of winter settle over the city. Winter and the inevitable snow and ice that accompany it take their toll not …