Issues with New Fan Coil Units

I want to bring this information from Sharon Bob to everyone's attention.
She sent this message to the ECA Board of Directions today.

There are two issues involving the new fan coil units that are of concern to many owners.  One is aesthetics, and the other is noise.

Request that the Board have the second prototype fan coil unit installed in the Management Office so that we can hear whether how noisy it is, and how efficiently it cools and heats the office.  The reasons for that are:

1.     Residents who received replacement motors for McQuay units have complained since the day they were installed about the loud noise they make.  I received such a unit about 1.5 years ago, and I can tell you from first-hand experience that they make an incredible racket!

2.     There have been serious problems with noise associated with the new pumps, a problem which was unanticipated and has taken months to address.

3.     Fan coil units are in our bedrooms.   They should be as silent as possible.

Additionally, request that the Board offer an alternate design to the prototype fan coil unit that does not involve a large metal face.  The second prototype has a metal face that is approximately 44.5 inches high, which means that we would have a metal face going more than halfway up our walls.  As an alternative, why not put the unit inside the wall, with a louvered wood door that can be painted or stained and would allow access to the unit for service?  Our current fan coil unit is inside the wall and the vent allowing access to the filter is hinged. 

I appreciate your efforts to design a suitable replacement for our current McQuay units that is technologically superior to our old 1974 units.  I recognize that this has not been an easy task.  However, the new units will be with most of us for the next 20 years (we hope) or more, and we should not rush into a decision.  Therefore, I urge you to take the necessary steps to ensure that the new units are as aesthetically pleasing as possible, and as silent as possible.

Summary of ECA Board Meeting March 24, 2014

Present: David Robinson, Ted Ariev, Jim Jones, McNerney, Alfred Muller, Steven Schattman, Jim Vuko

Others Present: ECA General Manager Terence Lee, ECA Assistant General Manager Wanda Powell, Senior Vice-President DC Metro Division Gregory Roby

Hallway Renovation.

Design Committee recommended that the Board proceed with Hartman Design Group.  

Fenestration Project

 The fenestration project (windows & balcony door replacement) moving slower than expected because of weather. Association advised not to engage workers in conversation but talk to management office for all questions.

ECA Staff Retirement

Calvin Allette submitted his resignation for April 9. His job will be taken care of by Clean Inc.

Problems Related to New Water Pumps

Water pump noise issue hopefully wrapped up.  Adjustments done Friday and Sunday have provided favorable results. Not sure the problem is totally resolved yet. Asked designer and installer to pay for third-party consultant work. We have backup pumps. It is a dual system where only one pump is supposed to work at a time. Cummings Wagner is responsible for the programming that was in error because all the pumps were working simultaneously.

Garage Fan & CO Detector Installation

Garage fans and CO (carbon monoxide) detector have been installed. They are running but we are waiting for inspection. Ted Ariev urges getting the inspection done pronto because of a CO incident in another condo.

Fan Coil Units 

Looked at Daikin (Daikin bought out McQuay Company, makers of ECA original fan coil units) unit favorably.

Elevator Pit & Sewage Problem

Sewage problem (leaking coupling) detected but it leaked into elevator pit. Under control now and has been cleaned and sanitized.

Elevator Problems

Elevator problem – Otis called but we had two entrapments. Control relays to elevators are outdated and require replacing. #3 West side culprit.  Over 100 relays but replacements are still the old 1986 technology. Emergency lighting didn’t work and emergency button didn’t work either.

Annual meeting is May 7 with four seats up for election.

Social Committee

Lecture on China or Korea in May or June by Jonathan Pollack.

Successful wine tasting party. Talk of doing this again.

Making A Difference Committee

Food collection Wednesday March 26 4-6 pm.

Peg Downey will conduct a class on knitting  & crocheting in party room a week from Wednesday. The committee has ample yarn supplies for use in the classes.

Renovation in the mail corridor in progress awaiting new molding.

Rentals in the Elizabeth

Restriction on rental units. Over 30% renters now. Discussion to create an amendment in time for annual meeting.  Problem is how to get enough owners to annual meeting. Need to lower voting quorum threshold first. 4620 N. Park had a hard time selling it to their Association. 

Proposed & Passed New Committee

A proposal by Jim Vuko: Participation Committee purpose to pursue long term strategies for getting people to bring folks together. E.g. hard to get 75% participation for changes to bylaws. Need a structural change. People need to be contacted on a regular basis.

Move for new committee. Passed by the Board.

Fiscal Draft Audit

Ariev said capital improvement needs revising.

Passed fiscal audit 2013 with two abstentions.

Pool Renovations

Major renovation work on pool upcoming.

Electrical Car Charging Station

Electrical car charging no movement at this time. Do a survey to find out who is interested.

Summary of ECA Board Meeting February 25, 2014

Board Present: Ted Ariev, Jim Jones,  Dr. Alfred Muller, Steven Schattman, Jim Vuko

Absent: Dr. David Robinson, John McNerney

Others Present: ECA General Manager Terrence Lee, Legum & Norman Regional Manager James Santos

Highlights from the February 25, 2014 meeting:

Presentation by Wiss Janney Elstner on windows & doors project.

The presentation was immediately turned over to:

Manganaro MidAtlantic 

They gave short presentation of key points including:

Security measures by team

(safety vests, signage and access ID badges)

Work activity overview:

Swing scaffolding

survey of existing wall condition

expterior repairs

window/door replacement

exterior wall & balcony

final closing

Estimated Start:

May-June units 07-09

Estimated End:

Nov-Dec units 03-06

Specific residence activities (4 days duration per unit):

--Balcony work

--initial inspection (one week before the work)

--one day for window/door installation

From the Management Report

--Fire Alarm System

----Phase I of Fire Alarm finished

----Phase II planned for 2016

--Water pump noise

----no noise suppression (couplings used)

---- couplings now installed

----Upcoming meeting with Cummns & Mendozo

--Fan Coil Program

----Not making recommendation for contractor only suggestions

Committee Reports

Design

--proposal for façade has been sent to the Board.

New Business

Design proposal

--Decision postponed (want all members present)

--survey to go out to residents

Comments

--question re: alarms in  units & how management knows alarms are working

--problems with arcade parking space (Bresler)

--fan coil demonstration requested

--water pump noise: management should not be tinkering with water pressure, should have a guarantee from contractor not instructions how to correct malfunction. Suggestion to ask Heath for opinion. If design plan is cause of noise might want to reconsider Mendoza as lead company for fan coil replacement program.

Thanks to Mary Catherine Curran for these notes.

Summary of ECA Board Meeting December 17, 2013

Board Present: Dr. David Robinson, Ted Ariev, Jim Jones, John McNerney, Dr. Alfred Muller, Steven Schattman, Jim Vuko

Others Present: ECA General Manager Terence Lee, Legum & Norman Regional Manager James Santos

Highlights from the December 17, 2013 meeting:

Minutes were amended to include issues about asbestos and window replacement at Mary Catherine Curran’s request.

Rita Miller raised issue about things brought up in comment period that were omitted from the official minutes.

Thanks to social committee for a successful holiday party.

New water project: The Elizabeth will have first ever filter on water coming into the building.

No meeting in January.

Management Report:

Received bids for fan coil replacement.

5^th floor detectors for fire system has been replaced. It was causing alarm to go off.

Musak contract for broadcast on the floor corridors cancelled.

Jan 19 ice cream social

Feb is international dinner

Making a difference committee:

15 kids made wrapping paper in Nov

box party – 322 filled boxes delivered to SOME to help homeless.

Design Committee

Hartman coming back to do corridors?

OLD BUSINESS

Additional library shelving was a hot button issue where such issues and questions were raised: $6000 was not in the budget. Who uses the library?

Design Committee fears interference with the original design concept. 

Among arguments raised were that not many residents of The Elizabeth used the library but as pointed out not many residents use the pool and exercise rooms but all of these amenities add to the quality of life here at The Elizabeth.

Something I was unaware of: story hours for children are happening here in our library area. 

The request for funding additional shelving was denied by a 4 to 3 vote of the ECA Board.

Please feel free to tell me about details missed.  Also I did not get details from the November meeting and would be happy to receive and post info about that.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Replacement of Windows & Balcony Doors

Here is the 2014 schedule for replacement of windows & balcony doors:


January -- complete/sign the contract

February -- stage the building for the project which includes balcony repairs

This means that scaffolding will be put up around the building and protection (covered) walkways will be installed on street level in various places around the building (similar to what you see at the Irene on Williard Ave).

The scaffolding and protection will be in place for as long as the project is in progress which is expected to be one year.

David Robinson provided this additional information:

Ken Kosteva of Wiss, Janney and Elster (WJE) preselected four general contractors with experience in the repair/replacement of building facades.  They were provided the statement of work with specifications and drawings.  They each responded with proposals and were interviewed by WJE personnel and members of the MR&R Committee.  Manganaro was selected as the best value, also the least expensive.  The Board of Directors voted to award the contract to them, and WJE with input from Ted Ariev is currently negotiating the contract for the Elizabeth.  We expect to have it signed before the end of the year.


The company that the contract is being worked out with will use 2-3 teams of workers.

They have not yet determined where the work will begin -- that is part of the contract negotiations underway now.

March -- work begins pending weather conditions.

Summary of October 22, 2013, ECA Board Meeting

Board Present: Dr. David Robinson, Ted Ariev, Jim Jones, John McNerney, Dr. Alfred Muller, Steven Schattman, Jim Vuko

Others Present: ECA General Manager Terence Lee, Legum & Norman Regional Manager James Santos, Legum & Norman Senior Vice-President DC Metro Division Gregory Robby

Topics of interest discussed in this meeting were:

windows/balcony door replacement issues

fitness room renovation

electric car docking station

smoking on balconies

landscaping

Windows/balcony door replacement issues. Two companies bidding on this job backed out of the competitive bidding and now more bids by new vendors are being sought. Some ECA members were concerned about how the new windows would open and what that opening, which is more in the middle of the window frame, would affect relative to items in individual apartments. 

Fitness room renovation. Generally speaking a number of people voiced dismay about how well the renovation of the fitness room was done. Santos said that the company has a good reputation and he would contact them to review the work.

Electric car docking station. There are tax benefits for establishing a such a station for re-charging electric cars but who pays for the installation. More questions at this time than answers.

Smoking on balconies. This continues to be a problem for certain residents but no general solutions are on the table. 

Landscaping. Fall planting is underway.

Summary of September 24, 2013, ECA Board Meeting

Summary of September 24, 2013, ECA Board Meeting

Board Present: Dr. David Robinson, Ted Ariev, Jim Jones, John McNerney, Dr. Alfred Muller, Steven Schattman, Jim Vuko

Others Present: ECA General Manager Terence Lee, Legum & Norman Community Manager James Santos

One of the most important items discussed was a tentative schedule for balcony repair & window/balcony door replacement. The earliest this project could start would January but realistically work might not start until March. Most likely the work will begin with north facing tiers.

Smoking on balconies, smoking within individual apartments, and the smoking survey was discussed but not acted on. Dr. Muller served as an advocate for banning smoking. He made various motions which were not supported by any other board members so the smoking issue fell by the wayside.

At least one board member requested follow up by our general manager on several issues that included docking stations for electric cars and parking policies.

Various projects are underway or completed in the building that included installation of roof anchors, new water meter and various repairs including work on the sump and ejector system.

The new website for the Elizabeth has approved minutes of the ECA board. To see these minutes you must register with your Legum & Norman account number. If you don't know your account number, contact assistant manager Wanda Powell. Once registered and logged on: look for a drop down box on the left-hand side of the screen that reads "All Document." Click that box to get a menu of documents, which includes "Minutes." The minutes are organized by month in PDF format.