Demand for large sized apartments has exploded over the past
decade, fueled both by a migration of suburban families to the city
and by yet another baby boom. This has precipitated a flood of
purchases of multiple adjacent apartments — and requests to
co-op and condo boards for permission to combine them into a single
larger apartment.
Boards should be supportive but vigilant in handling these
requests. The benefits of combining multiple apartments can be more
than offset by the risk of damage, disturbance and legal liability
within the building if the construction is not properly managed by
the board.
The key to managing these risks is requiring shareholders and
unit owners, and their contractors and architects, to submit to
stringent oversight by an architect or engineer retained by the
board for the express purpose of protecting the building's
interests, and to sign an airtight alteration agreement with
provisions designed to minimize risk to the building.
