Driveway will be open on Sunday morning

Our driveway will be fully open for foot and car traffic on Sunday early morning (September 15th).

Thank you

Paving is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, September 12th

It looks like the driveway paving is tentatively scheduled for Thursday this week.
If all goes as planned the asphalt would need 72 hours to cure (to harden) before we can start driving on it. During curing the driveway will not be accessible at all.
Please expect the driveway to be open on Sunday night (September 15th).

Also, there is a chance that the street/sidewalk part of our project will be done on Tuesday or Wednesday this week and before paving. It is for connecting our new drainage system to the city drain.

Please stay tuned for latest updates and do not forget to wipe your feet before entering the building from the garage because the floor gets dusty with fine soil flying in every time when the gates get open.

We are almost done.
Thank you for your patience

You can drive on the driveway at your own risk

The drainage system is installed but not connected to the city drain yet. This work will require excavating the street and sidewalk and it should be done some day next week. We do not have information when it is scheduled.
Our driveway is leveled, covered with gravel, compacted and it is ready for paving. It is about 3 inches below the level of garage floor and sidewalk and it has several manhole risers with sharp edges.
This weekend you can drive on the driveway at your own risk and condo cannot be responsible for damages of your car or tires.

Parking and walking on the driveway is not permitted.

Thank you 

Projects updates

Our driveway project is moving fast and the retaining wall was installed within 5 working days.
The next stage will be excavating the driveway, installing a drain system and connecting it to the city drain located under the street. The sidewalk will be opened up and then installed back.
It is very likely that we would not be able to drive on the driveway till all work is completed and new asphalt installed and cured for a few days.
We should expect small delays here and there because our contractor will be working closely with the city, police and a paving company.

We think it will take one more week till we can bring cars back to our parking. We apologize for the inconveniences and appreciate your cooperation.

Once the driveway project is completed we will start planning the next (and the last project) that will include masonry repairs, facade and windows resealing and painting balconies. It is not going very intense but might take a few months. Updates will follow.

Thank you

Building access during this weekend and Labor Day Holiday

Our contractor took a break for the long weekend and will be back on Tuesday, September 3rd at 7am.

It is OK to park inside during these days and please, wipe your shoes on the wet and then on the dry towel before entering carpeted area.

The driveway is covered with cement dust and if you want you can get out of the building through the garage door but, please, come back through the main entrance to protect carpets.
If you absolutely have to walk into the building through the garage, please, use shoe covers or thoroughly wipe your feet.

No visitors parking on the driveway.

Thank you

Project updates, building access and cement dust

Project update:
We do not have enough space at our property to store all supplies and materials required for the retaining wall/driveway project. Our contractor depends on supplies and materials delivered here by trucks that come and go every hour.
Our contractor cannot tell in advance if they will be working during the long holiday or not because it will be up to the wall blocks supplier. If blocks are available for delivery the work on the project will continue.

Walking on dusty driveway:
Our driveway is covered with construction debris and dirt. It is not safe to walk there at any time, even when the work stopped for the night.

There is a lot of cement dust there that sticks to the the shoes soles. To protect carpets from spreading dust by feet, please use the main entrance till the project is completed. We expect it to happen by mid September.
If you absolutely need to get into the building through the garage door, make sure to put shoe covers on.

Driving:
We still have a few residents that try to use their cars leaving early in the morning and coming back late at night. We strongly advice all residents/owners to park their cars outside to stop dust getting into the garage area on the car tires.

Owners are required to keep common areas clean. Violators will be charged a cleaning fee if condo rules are not followed.

Thank you

Driveway project starts on Wednesday, August 28th

Finally, our contractor gave us the start date of the driveway/retaining wall project.
The project should take 2-3 weeks to complete but we will get more details once work starts.

If you use your car daily, please make sure to take it out before the workers are here (ETA is 6-7am).
A link to an alternative parking: Hancock Garage in downtown.

Thank you

Limited access to the driveway on Tuesday morning from 7am to 10am

Skylight installation is now completed but our contractor would need to come over one more time to remove materials and tools from the roof.
We expect them to be here at 7am on Tuesday with a crane and trucks. This should take a couple hours if the weather is not too windy.
During crane operation access to the driveway might be restricted. Please plan accordingly and stay tuned for last minute updates (if any).

Thank you

Driveway project starts around August 26 - 27th and further plans

After meeting with Sean Farrell Excavation company we confirmed their availability and their access to all materials required for our driveway/retaining wall project. The start date is tentatively set for Monday/Tuesday August 26/27.
We will announced the exact date in a few days after our skylight contractor finishes installation and removes their tools and materials from the roof by a crane.

There is a chance that during the project we might have intermittent access to our garage either very early in the morning or late at night when construction work is stopped. There is no guarantee when we might have access because it will depend on whether the company decides to work on the retaining wall first or on the driveway. They said that they might use metal plates for us to drive on but it is not guaranteed.

We should have more precise information on day-by-day access a day in advance. If you need your car daily we recommend finding a parking spot outside of our building.
Construction work might take 2-3 weeks and a lot will depend on how the excavation will be going and if they run into a ledger, it might take extra time to remove.

Right after the driveway project is completed there will be another project starting early in September. It will be for masonry repairs, building facade waterproofing and balconies painting. It is hard to predict how long this project will take, most likely 2-3 months.

After all this is done, we should not expect any major repairs for a few year but fixing the backyard is still on our list and it will be covered by the special assessment #2 (it is the 100-dollars a month one). The backyard work can only be done after we get enough funds to hire a contractor. Backyard project will include restoring the drainage around perimeter of our underground garage roof and putting up a new fence. 

Smaller fixes that are at the maintenance level will be covered from our regular operations account funds.

Thank you

Skylight project has started. Caution in the atrium area!

Our skylight project is on its way.
Please use caution at the atrium and on the 4th floor.

Updates on the start date of our driveway project will follow in a couple days.

Thank you

Still no clarity with constraction work for the next week

It is 99% likely that our skylight contractor will start their work on Monday but they have not confirmed that yet. Once they start they will be here from 6 or 7am till 5pm or later. Their goal will be to complete the project within 5 days - this is when we can expect good weather without rain.

We are scheduling our pre-construction meeting with the driveway company for Tuesday next week. After the final walk through, hopefully, they will give us the start date.

Please be careful driving in and out of the garage - driveway might be busy with workers and their trucks.

Updates will follow soon.
Thank you

Two restore projects should be starting next week, stay tuned

It looks like our driveway/retaining wall project might start on Monday, August 12th.
Because of rainy weather forecast our skylight company had to postpone their work till the next week. There is a good chance that both companies will start their work early next week.

We should have more information on their schedule by the end of this week.
Please stay tuned for updates and be ready for driveway access restrictions.

Thank you

No Driveway Access on Tuesday, July 30 from 7am till noon

On Tuesday, July 30th at 7am we expect truck delivery of new skylight panels that will be hoisted onto the building roof by a crane. The process will take 4-5 hours and all work will be done from our driveway.

During this time there will be no access to the driveway. If you need to drive please take your car out of the garage before 7am.

The dates of skylight replacement will be announced later (we will need to wait for 5 dry days without rain).

Thank you

Fire Alarm Test - Tuesday July 9th at noon

Our mandatory semi-annual fire alarm system test is set for Tuesday, July 9 at noon.

Access to all units on the 1 and 2 floors will be required for visual inspection of heat sensors. Please make sure you are at home or reach out to Alex to arrange access.

No access to the units on the 3 and 4 floor will be needed at this time.

Occasional fire alarm siren might sound.

Thank you

You can use ACH transfers and Zelle instead of checks

Do you know that you can set up recurring monthly ACH transfers or send fees via Zelle instead of writing checks? This will save time for you and for us with depositing process.

Please see how to set up transfers of condo and special assessment fees in your BOA online banking (other banks should have similar options too):

Important note: your ACH or Zelle transfers must be coming from a checking account open for your name - this way payments will have proper descriptions and will be correctly associated with your unit number.

In Zelle, you can send money to our address: burnsmanorcondo[AT]gmail[DOT]com.

Please reach out to Alex for Bank of Canton routing number and Regular Operations account number (for condo fees) and Special Assessments account number.

Thank you

Theft in the garage because the gates were left open

On June 9th 2024 at around 7am after one of our residents drove off leaving the gates open this person walked in and stole one of our box fans. It feels like he was familiar with the garage floor plan and location of the fan as he walked straight to it without looking around. Most likely this person was at our property in the past.
If you know who he is please let the manager know.

Please close the gates after each use to protect our property.
Thank you

Property repairs - what to expect this summer / parking access in July

We have three major property repair projects coming within next few months.

Here is some information on the first project.

It is for rebuilding our retaining wall at the end of the driveway and installing a new drainage system. At its completion the driveway will get proper pitch and new asphalt.

The retaining wall will be made of "Stone Strong System" blocks for better ground support and to prevent soil erosion. The wall will have 4 courses - similar to what we have but much sturdier, better looking and with a built-in drainage. If you are interested, here are engineering drawings.
The drainage at the top of the retaining wall will catch water runoffs from the neighbors properties located uphill and from our underground garage roof and will send them to the city drain system located under the city street. Our drainage system will have a filtration system made of series of chambers (called culverts) that will be located under our driveway. The system will also be collecting rain water from the driveway and we should not see any streams going across the driveway and freezing to a slab of ice in the winter.

All paperwork, drawings, permits are ready and the work start is tentatively scheduled for the second half of July. Our contractor (Sean Farrell's Excavation) will only be able to give us a final notice 5-7 days ahead of the start.
It is time for you to think on how you will be using your car when the work is on the way.

According to the company, the whole project will take 2-3 weeks and once they start they will not leave until they finish. There might be minor delays with supplies, police details, unexpected problems with excavation (like if they find a ledge that will need to be removed), intermediate inspections from the wall blocks manufacturer, civil engineers who designed the project or from the city building department.
This project is technically complicated and difficult to complete and our contractor will need all the skills and coordination with other parties to get everything done right.

They will be here 5 days a week 7am-4pm but working on Saturdays is also possible.
When they can, they will be placing temporary metal paving plates to cover the excavated area so cars could drive on them. Most likely, for the weekends but it is not guaranteed.

The best plan of action would be not to expect any access to the garage for the duration of the whole project to let the company do their work without interruption.

If you need your car during construction you might want to check out Kilroy Square Garage (AKA Hanckock Garage) at 25 Cottage Avenue.

We will have more details and updates after a per-construction meeting in a couple weeks.

I am preparing for you information on the other two projects soon (masonry repairs /balconies painting and for the skylight replacement). For now, it looks like they are coming up in August/September but this is just our expectation.

Please stay tuned.

 

Thank you

 

Special assessments payments start in July

Special assessments payments start on July 1st and are due by the 10th of each month for the next 5 years.

There are two special assessment payments.
The first special assessment is only for the owners who did not make upfront lump sum payments and it will be 475 dollars a month. This amount is estimated and it will be adjusted in a few months when all repair projects are completed and we convert our construction line of credit into the term loan. This 475 dollars amount is based on the current interest rate which can change.

The second assessment of 100 dollars a month is for ALL owners and it is also set for the next 5 years (total of 60 monthly payments). If you wish to pay it earlier or in larger amounts you are more than welcome but it is not required.

To sum it up, if you paid the 1st assessment in a lump sum, you will need to pay $100 a month and If you did not make the upfront assessment payment your monthly check will be for $575.
Please make separate checks for assessment fees because they will be deposited to a separate account. Do not combine condo and assessment fees in one check.

We encourage setting up auto-payments via online banking to save your time for writing and delivering checks in person.

Please let me know if you have questions.
Thank you

Fire Alarm system fixing is set for Friday 8am to 5pm

On Friday, May 31st from 8am to 5pm our fire alarm company will be working on wiring problems.

Access to the units on the 1st floor will be required throughout the day.

Please make sure you are at home or reach out to Alex to arrange access.

If no access to the units on the 1st floor is provided the owner might be responsible for charges to test his/her individual unit.  

 

Thank you

Fire Alarm System test is postponed

On Monday May 27th we had another false fire alarm (the third over the past month) which, most likely, was caused by a short in wiring or a faulty sensor in the garage or at the 1st floor.

During a service visit this week our vendor was not able to identify and resolve the problem and would need to come over again for more extensive troubleshooting.
We do not have the exact date yet, please stay tuned.

Also, the fire alarm test that was scheduled for today, Wednesday May 29th is postponed till further notice.

Thank you

Special Assessments Updates

Our bank is still processing loan documents and we should be able to determine the amount of the first special assessment by the middle of June. The amount will be based on the interest rate applied to the loan. The owners who made upfront lump sum payments are all set and will not need to pay anything.

The payments towards the first special assessment will be due by July 10th.

The monthly payments of 100 dollars towards the second special assessment will also begin in July and it will be required for ALL unit owners. Please update instructions to your bank if you pay via online banking.

We will be posting regular updates as soon as we get closer to the construction phases of our repair projects. The most important ones will be related to the driveway and garage access so, stay tuned.

Please let us know if you have questions.

Two special assessments are coming in June

We are setting up two special assessments.

As we announced at the owners meeting in February this year, we are setting up one special assessment to cover the cost of repairs that are scheduled for this year:
-    Driveway retaining wall replacement and installing drainage system,
-    Masonry repairs, balconies painting and building waterproofing,
-    Skylight replacement.

These three projects will be financed via a commercial loan but before we enter into a bank agreement, we would like to give owners an opportunity to pay their special assessment up-front in lump sum in the amount of 23,500 dollars.
Owners who are willing to make one-time payment must contact the manager by May 8th.

If paying a lump sum not a good option for you or if you chose not to reply to this letter then the assessment fee for your unit will be set to approximately 475 dollars a month for the next 5 years.

The second assessment will be set in the amount 100 dollars a month, also for 5 years and it does not need to be paid in lump sum. The purpose of the second assessment is to accumulate funds for smaller repairs that are due but can be done gradually to save money on the bank interest fees.

Total two assessments will be 575 dollars a month. This amount is estimated and will be confirmed after the bank loan is secured later this month.

We expect that the assessments will go into effects on June 1st and it will be announced by the end of May.

Please let me know if you have questions.
Thank you
Alex

Owners Meeting and Trustees Election - February 2nd

Our owners meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 2nd at 6pm in the atrium.

We will give you updates on condo status and future plans. Owner would also need to elect trustees for the next term.

If you would like to run for a trustee position, please leave your name into the white mailbox located into the garage elevator lobby or email Alex with your information.

Note: Meeting can be rescheduled if a snowstorm is forecasted. Please keep an eye on our condo blog for updates.

Thank you