President’s Letter
Dear Shareholders
As promised in my letter last
month, Spring has arrived and
one of the long awaited initiatives,
the “repair and modest upgrade
of the Outdoor Pool Entrance
area and Kiddie Pool,” has begun.
Apparently, this description in my
previous letter did not provide
sufficient details to avoid concern
and confusion about the project.
Let me begin by saying the project
is NOT simply a beautification
project, but rather a project,
which became necessary in order
to repair/replace plumbing, which
delivered and drained water from
the pool. Of course, this could have
been done by repairing segments
of the plumbing, then patching
the concrete, but that solution was
deemed undesirable.
On review, the entire paved area
had been patched already at several
sites. The concrete in the area was
old and in need of replacement. I
must admit, although I saw the area
regularly, I had not realized how
much in need of replacement it was
until I looked at it critically, once
the process was being considered.
In fact, the steps were chipped
and there were multiple patched
and cracked areas. The fencing,
which had been hastily erected
to allow access to the pool last
season, had to be replaced to meet
additional regulations. In fact, the
repair had been discussed as part
of the larger pool repair project and
has been budgeted for some time.
After a competitive bid process,
an experienced pool architect and
contractor was chosen. The overall
design is NOT a product of a Board
member’s imagination, but rather of
an architect, experienced in pool
design, who was also aware of regulatory
requirements and mindful
of budget concerns.
Overall, this project is a microcosm
of the issues involved whenever
a facility like North Shore
Towers takes on a project. The
process is always a complex one,
necessitating coordination of the
impact on other operations, space,
time, and of course, budget impact.
The Board and Management are
always mindful of the costs, as well
as need for facilities to be available
to Shareholders. With pool repair,
it’s essential the project be completed
before the outdoor season
begins. At the same time, the
work cannot begin until weather
conditions allow. It was pleasantly
surprising the contractor was able
to begin excavation almost immediately
after Board approval.
At the present time, it’s expected
the project will be sufficiently
completed to be available when
the pool season opens. In response
to concerns of the Country Club
Committee members, some of the
aesthetics will be delayed until
designs for the wall decoration
become available for review.
As Country Club membership has
grown, so has the need for more
seating space in the VIP Room, a
need the Board is committed in
increasing capacity and improving
service, as well as upgrading décor
and facility design. A preliminary
analysis suggests it’s possible to
accomplish this in the available
footprint without having to build
out onto the patio. The Board
awaits a more detailed design
presentation, which, if deemed
satisfactory, will be presented for
further review to the NST Country
Club Committee and Community,
as well as the vendor/operator.
A new Tennis Pro, Alex Morris,
has been recruited. Alex is quite
enthusiastic about the opportunity
Open Membership provides.
He’ll be reaching out to the entire
Country Club Community to stimulate
interest and encourage utilization
of this recreational resource.
The repair of the expansion joints
and garage ceiling has begun. It’s
expected the contracted scope of
work will certainly remediate the
structural integrity and significantly
reduce water leakage. Although
an extensive and expensive project,
it’s less than the alternative of
removing the entire garage roof and
rebuilding it in its entirety.
At the recent Open Meeting,
North Shore Towers Treasurer
Steve Redlich reported, although
expenses have been within budget
for the last several years, they’ve
exceeded the income into the
Capital Improvement Budget.
This is largely due to Local Law
11, which required the inspection
of the entire façade of each building
and the elimination any potential
risks, replacement of generators
and service the previously deferred
mortgage payments. While still in a
positive balance, the Capital Fund
is below the level recommended by
financial advisors. Accordingly, the
Board approved an Assessment of
$0.50/share beginning July 1, 2019.
At the recent Open Meeting,
several areas of dissatisfaction
were identified. To be brief, these
involve Shareholders, residents and
their employees failing to comply
with existing Lease obligations and
posted signage. While this is a difficult
problem to resolve, the Board
and management is committed to
remedying this situation which
detracts from the living standard
at the Towers.
In closing, Stephen Vrattos, who
has served as Editor of the North
Shore Towers Courier, is departing
for a position elsewhere. Stephen
has been a friend of our Community
and reported life and happenings
with considerable insight. We are
grateful for all he’s done and wish
him well in whatever lies ahead.
At the recent Open Meeting, we
welcomed his successor, Jill Davis.
Jill has considerable experience as
a reporter and Editor as well as
personal insight into life in a co-op
community. Jill, welcome to our
Community.
Cordially,
Stanley J. Goldsmith, MD,
ScD(hon) President, Board of
Directors
North Shore Towers &
Country Club
Thank You and Farewell A note from the Editor
TPhoto by Nurit Israeli his edition of North Shore
Towers Courier marks my
final issue. For the past
four years and four months, I’ve
shepherded the paper, nurturing
its growth and ever striving to
make it a periodical worthy of the
community it represents. From
the onset, I believed a newspaper
called North Shore Towers Courier
should be about NORTH SHORE
TOWERS, the entirety of its editorial
contents specifically reporting
on the co-op and/or written by its
residents. And I believed
this without ever having
heard of NST before I got
the job!
Soon after I took the
post, it became evident I
stumbled upon a hidden
treasure. I was Howard
Carter discovering
Tutankhamun’s Tomb,
Dorothy opening the
door to Oz, Alice falling
through the rabbit hole… NST was
journalist’s dream assignment, an
epic story (the community), filled
with wondrous tales (its
residents). It was only
then I realized the magnitude
of my responsibility.
Could I live up to
the challenge—produce
a newspaper befitting
this “gem of New York
City?”
IF I’ve succeeded in
any way, it’s because of
you, the residents, and
every member of NST’s extended
management family, all of whom
have given their time and generosity
to ensure I had everything needed
to elevate North Shore Towers
Courier to the level you deserve. So
many people at NST have opened
their lives and hearts to me; I’ve
made so many new friends…
Not many people can say they’ve
been blessed through their work,
but I have more blessings than I
ever could have imagined, and the
love I felt whenever I was “walking
my beat” will be cherished forever.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Stephen Vrattos
April 2019 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 3