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Kitty Cats
Written on May 5, 2010, by marina.

If you know me, you know that I LOVE cats. Unfortunately, I can’t have a cat in my apartment. My partner Steven says that he’s allergic to cats. I don’t believe him, but I humor him. Thankfully, Marina City allows cats (though some rental owners do not allow their tenants to have cats). So, sometimes I partake in some cat playtime if I’m in an apartment with a feline resident.

If any of you cat owners in Marina City (especially the west tower) need a cat sitter, don’t call me, call Blanche Foster. She’d dearly love to have a few new clients. I’m happy to pass along her number if you drop me a line or stop by our office on the lobby level.

Jeanne Kane, another Marina City resident, also cares for cats (and dogs–outside of Marina City!). Her website is www.chicagohotelpetsitters.com.

Board elections coming fast!
Written on April 12, 2010, by marina.

It’s time for the Marina Towers Condo Association board elections again.  All the candidates are current board members and are running unopposed.  It’s still important to vote in order to attain a quorum.  If you are an owner at MTCA and have not voted, please feel free to stop by our office to sign a proxy, or feel free to e-mail brian@marina-city.com to receive one via e-mail.

If you stop by the office, we’ll do our best to make sure that you partake of some candy or chocolate.  It makes us feel less guilty if we share…

Party @ A MANO 1/8/10!
Written on January 8, 2010, by marina.

For 2010, one of our New Years Resolutions at Marina Management is to “Get to Know our Neighbors Better.” Now, you may think this sounds silly – especially seeing as we gab with some of you on a daily basis. But we’re not just referring to our neighbors in the Towers, but nearby, too! Thus, our “Neighborhood HOT SPOT” series shall begin…(drumroll, please…)

Neighborhood HOT SPOT: A MANO

A MANO, our neighborhood Italian Trattoria, will be hosting a Viewing Party this Friday, January 8, to celebrate its broadcast review on the WTTW11’s Check Please!, hosted by Master Sommelier Alpana Singh. The fun begins at 6pm with complimentary snacks, and the viewing of Check Please! starts at 8pm. So stop on by to enjoy cocktails, wine, beer, and some of the best Italian cuisine Chicago has to offer.

FREE & CLEAN H2O
Another impressive perk is A MANO’s sustainable Italian water carafes – serving gratis sparkling and still water with reusable glass bottles. A MANO filters its delicious water in-house using the Natura Water Filtration System, a state-of-the-art endeavor to eliminate excess bottled water waste.

If you can’t make it Friday night, check out A MANO’s website for more on their menu, which boasts some of the best weekly specials in the city. We recommend their Lunch Time Special, for $11.95 it includes:

• Unlimited trips to the antipasti bar (Check out the Italian cheese selection, along with other stellar servings)
• Your choice of pressed panini or wood-oven pizza (the Prosciutto & Mozzarella panini is awesome)
• A yummy scoop of gelato! (Try the “Caramel with Sea Salt” variety – it sounds like an odd combination, but trust me, it’s fantastic)

Help for Homeowners in Tough Times
Written on January 4, 2010, by marina.

This past year has been tough for many of us.  I hope the new year brings us all renewed health and prosperity.  In the meantime, for homeowners in need, there’s Mayor Daley’s City of Chicago Property Tax Relief Program.  The ‘relief’ is modest (up to $200), but surely helpful to those who qualify.  It’s based on a combination of your income level and the amount of your property tax increase. Basically, the lower your income and the higher your property tax increase, the more relief you’re eligible for. And who doesn’t love free money?!

For information on how to apply for the Property Tax Relief Program, visit www.CityofChicago.org and click on the “Property Tax Relief Program” tab on the upper left corner of the screen. Or, to go directly to the program’s website, visithttp://webapps.cityofchicago.org/PropertyTaxReliefWebYou will need to attach a copy of your current tax bill as well as a a copy of your Driver’s License or State ID Card. Only one check will be given per homeowner and property, and the application deadline is March 31, 2010, so act fast!

Complain and Contrast
Written on November 12, 2009, by marina.

I have owned and invested in 3 condominium buildings, including Marina City.  I’ve also reviewed condo association budgets and meeting minutes on behalf of clients purchasing in many other highrise associations.  After 18 years of owning at Marina City, I can say without reservation that it is one of the best run condo buildings in the city.  Is everything perfect?  No.  I’m sorry to say that nothing in this life ever is.  Are there reasons to complain?  Perhaps, maybe, sometimes.  But after a rough year for the economy (and for many of our residents), we can count our blessings.

Other associations have raised assessments to bolster their reserves for necessary capital projects and maintenance.  Some have levied special assessments, at times quite large.  Marina City has neither raised assessments nor has it levied a special assessment.  And we have a large reserve (well over a million), which handily covers capital projects.

I believe this favorable financial position is due to two major factors.  First is is the prudent financial stewardship of our board and management.  And second, is that Marina City is a relatively easily maintained building.  The windows are such that they can be replaced one by one as needed.  We have not had to do a complete replacement of all windows, as many other condo associations of similar age have had to.  Also, the concrete repairs that need to be done periodically are more easily accomplished than the facade repairs on brick or stone-faced buildings, where large portions of the facade must be removed.  Utilities are not centralized, so replacing or repairing air conditioning, heating, water heaters etc. do not involve huge costs.  (I once lived in a building where to replace the air conditioning compressors, which were centralized, a wall of the garage had to be taken down, the old compressors removed, and the new compressors installed.  Not such a great design for easy maintenance.)

Finally, in this year of record foreclosures, short sales, and owners in arrears on assessments, Marina City has suffered very little.  Yes, prices have dipped.  Sales volumes have dipped.  But by and large, our community of long-term owners has ensured that very few units have been foreclosed upon, sold short, or gone into arrears on assessments.

Were I to complain about anything in the building, anything at all, it would be this:  the complainers.  But I won’t.  Because I’m happy here, and I’m thankful to be part of this community.

Discounted services at the Spa at the Wit
Written on October 30, 2009, by marina.

I LOVE massages. Being somewhat of a stress bunny (that’s an understatement), and not having time to workout as often as I did when I led a life of leisure (a.k.a. life before Marina Management), my muscles tend to knot up like some sort of crazy macrame project.  I NEED my massages.

Last week, I had the opportunity receive a fantastic massage at a new spa in our hood, the Spa at the Wit. I have tried many, many spas, and this is one of the best. It’s a pleasant, small, relaxing space on the fifth floor of the new Wit Hotel.  They offer a wide range of services, and when you’re done, you can hang out in the relaxation room, where there’s infused water, tea, and various munchies available.

Click here to see the full menu of services, which include much more than than just massage.

FROM NOW UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2010, MENTION MY NAME (BRIAN MUIR) OR MARINA MANAGEMENT, AND RECEIVE 25% OFF ANY SPA SERVICES!

Spin Cycle
Written on October 24, 2009, by marina.

The new laundry and workout rooms in the west tower have been open for a while now, and I think they rock. I make sure to show it off to prospective buyers and tenants every time.

I love the fact that residents can work out while doing laundry. It gives new meaning to spin cycle! It’s a fantastic convenience, and residents appear to be making good use of the fitness equipment.

Kudos to all who worked on the project. It takes a lot of people to make something like this happen in a condo association, and I don’t think many people realize the amount of time, talent, creative thought, and shear energy goes into it. While there were hurdles and problems along the way, the good result will be with us long after the frustrations have faded.

Oh, and I LOVE the tile wall.

10 Reasons Cheryl Roseman Left Chicago for Melbourne
Written on October 21, 2009, by marina.

As many of you know, Cheryl, our office manager, left Marina Management for an extended leave of absence, which she’ll be spending in Melbourne.  Here are the reasons why she left:

10. Her new boss is a jerk.

9. If you had two Jewish mothers, you’d want to fly far, far away too.

8. She wants to get as far away as possible and discovered that Melbourne is actually further away than Timbuktu.

7. After a day in the office, 12 hours on a plane seems like fun.

6. She had so much fun clearing out the office this spring, she wanted to clear out her apartment too.

5. She recently found out that Chicago is cold in the winter if you leave the building.

4. Her friend Dana is letting her stay rent free, a concept so alien to us, she has to go investigate to see if it’s true.

3. She wants to try living with only 12 pairs of shoes, which is all she can pack.

2. After 17 years of dedicated work, she wants to feel what it’s like to have time off during the first two weeks of the month.

1. She is leaving to set up a new Marina Management office, proving that we will go to the ends of the earth to rent your apartment.

Cheryl has my respect and my sympathy for suffering what will undoubtedly be an unbearable summer Down Under.  I look forward to having her back safe and sound in the spring.

This Is It
Written on October 19, 2009, by marina.

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably seen our new website. I hope you find it fun and informative. Be sure the click through the links in the homepage text; there are some Marina-related goodies there.

Now that the website is up, and the blog is super-easy to access from the new homepage, you’ll see me posting much more regularly.

Private to my #1 fan: lecture 17. Got it.

Rolling Up the Carpets
Written on July 11, 2009, by marina.

Two days ago, I was amazed to see the floor mats rolled up and put away from the lobby.  The carpeting underneath was so clean in comparison to the rest of the carpeting, I thought at first it was new.

Yesterday, Matthew Klujian and Sons cleaned the carpeting in the entire lobby concourse.  What a great job!  I never would have thought that the carpeting could go from near-black back to its real colors.  Klujian installed the carpeting in Marina Management’s office, so I can attest to their good work first hand.

The concourse carpeting is still past its sell-by date, but at least now its presentable.  I’m not sure what is in the works for the concourse, but done well, it really could be an extraordinary, dynamic space.  Hundreds (thousands?) of people pass through the concourse every day, rushing to drop off dry cleaning or pausing to exchange kind words with neighbors.  It has a lot going on.

Brighter lighting, updated flooring, and a well-conceived focal point between the towers would be transformative.  Of course, capital expenditures need to be made judiciously.  But I think the concourse is worth it!