Forming a Block Association


There was a positng here earlier today about forming a Block Association.

If anyone is interested, I have a PDF entitled “Organizing a Block Association” that was compiled by the Alliance of Bay ridge Block Associations a couple of years back.

Please email me if you would like a copy.

Ron at SenatorStreet dot com

Categories: Quality of Life
By SenatorStreet | 10/20/2009 6:42 PM | Comment

TOH Brooklyn/ Channel 13


Am I the only one, or did channel 13 preempt parts of the complete brooklyn project with “beg-a-thon” again??

It seem to me that the original airing was never shown in its entirety an when rerun I only seem to have the first 7 episodes (and have to geth the rest from channel 21).

The first this old house project in NYC — unforgivable!!

Categories: Television
By SenatorStreet | 09/23/2009 9:27 PM | Comment

OT – Circus Elephants at Coney


When the circus in at Marison Square Garden, the elephants are walked through the Lincoln Tunnel from New Jersey.

I didn’t hear anything about elephants on Ocean Parkway or the Belt.

Does anyone have any idea how they got the elephants to Coney Island?

Categories: Research
By SenatorStreet | 06/18/2009 12:42 PM | Comment

Refi – good experience


Hi folks,
Just wanted to give a public shout out to Adam Dahill, who we met through Brownstoner.com, and is a frequent poster on this site, for shepherding us through a very successful refi. It was a bit complicated with some unexpected credit issues and keeping a HELOC open through the process – but it was handled with great care and interest – the guy knows what he’s talking about and delivers what he promises, and is a pleasure to work with as well.
We highly recommend him for your mortgage and refinance needs!

Categories: Mortgage
By SenatorStreet | 05/13/2009 6:25 PM | Comment

Paint a Cornice


Does anyone have an idea of how much it should cost to paint a cornice on a 20′ wide brownstone (3 floor)?

Also, any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Categories: Painting
By SenatorStreet | 03/06/2009 4:45 PM | Comment

Glass blocks


I’m thinking about using glass blocks in a bathroom, but have been told that their insulating value is poor and that the bathroom will always be cold. Is this true? There must be some manufactured to provide a decent thermal layer.

Any ideas and/or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Categories: Windows
By SenatorStreet | 03/01/2009 8:19 AM | Comment

Tailor ??


I purchased a cool vintage tuxedo in a thrift shop that needs
altering.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a reliable tailor that can do this kind of work?

Thanks

Categories: Quality of Life
By SenatorStreet | 01/21/2009 9:45 AM | Comment

Steam Heat-Gurgle, Slosh & Leak


As the season has progressed I’ve gotten more and more gurgling & sloshing and just this week leaking from the air valve. My steam heat system is a bit odd: I have a three floor high stoop brownstone (plus) basement. The prior owner reconfigured the heat in the basement, garden and parlor floors with a Burnham 3-zone hydronic boiler. He left the cast iron risers and radiators to the third floor and replaced the Steam boiler with a new Burnham. The idea was that the tenant was on the third floor and would pay their own heat. As it turned out we reconfigured the house placing the rental on the garden floor. So now I have a boiler dedicated to the bedroom and den!

It’s a typical configuration: two risers, one front to two radiators (large room and small room over parlor hall) and one riser to the back two rooms. The small rooms barely need any heat at all. The large rooms are cold.

I am having Brooklyn Insulation blow in insulation to the attic this Friday.

Question: Would a clogged Air Eliminator cause for the water build up (gurgling & sloshing and leaking) in the radiator on that riser?

Also I am going to replace all the air valves. On the front of the house (south exposure and long main on the boiler) I was thinking of putting a Gorton “C” in the large room and a 5 ort 6 in the small room. For the back of house, a “D” and a 4 in the small room that is closest to the thermostat (which has had the radiator shut completely off for the last few years).

I would appreciate any comments on the configuration and balancing of this strange 4 radiator system located floors away from their “mother ship.”

Thanks.

Categories: Heating
By SenatorStreet | 01/14/2009 1:39 PM | Comment

Federal Pacific


I own a two family brownstone. One of the circuit breaker boxes is Federal Pacific. I have a new GE Box and breakers and just need them installed.

Does anyone have any idea of a ball park cost to have this done?

I’d do it myself, but have no way of cutting power to the meter.

Categories: Electricians
By SenatorStreet | 08/05/2008 3:42 PM | Comment

Tankless Water heaters


Has anyone installed a tankless water heater for a whole house application ??

I would like to have a plan to act on when my current water heater decides to fail. I currently use a 75 gal tank heater.

I have a two family rowhouse with a total of 4 adults. My concern with a tankless heater is the gpm capacity during the winter months.

I had also thought about chaining the incoming water line into a small tank heater then into the tankless heater. Keep the tank set to a cool temperature (~60 degrees F). In this way in the winter the tank will heat the outside cold water to 60 then the tankless will take over to heat to use temp. In the summer however, the water coming in from the street would be warm enough so that the tank heater will never need to kick in. This way there would be enough hot water for all.

Any comments, Ideas?

Categories: Plumbing
By SenatorStreet | 07/29/2008 10:56 AM | Comment