Notes of 04.18.23 Esplanade Resident Group

On April 18, 28 residents met in the Club Room at 5 pm and finally named our group: The Esplanade Resident Group (ERG). Michael Altman (W402) chaired the meeting beginning with a report of ChatGPT’s answer to a question posed to it: “Should a condominium be run as if it were a hotel?” GPT responded emphatically in a few seconds: “No,” noting that hotel guests are short term occupants; condominium residents are typically long-term and adding “It's important to keep in mind that condominiums are designed to be homes, not hotels, and the needs and expectations of the residents should be the top priority.” The ERG and ChatGPT agree.

It was noted that two Esplanade Board members were present at the ERG meeting, and they were welcomed.

Bob Kagan gave a report of the Environmental Committee. He said he had been too busy to follow up on agenda items and lamented that other members of the committee, also very busy people, had been unable to fill the void. He therefore could only report that the Esplanade Board has started to use our language and claims to be thinking about reducing our carbon footprint.  He also noted that Maureen responded promptly to an email he wrote her about Eversource’s advice and an imminent subsidy proposal. Now that the City of Cambridge seems to be reducing the pressure, however, it is unclear what Eversource is promising to subsidize or when it may do so.  Follow up is needed and Bob emphasized that the Committee needs more residents to volunteer to help. The EESG agenda items on which he would most like help are:

1.    Communicate directly with Eversource (a) to keep abreast of their subsidy plans, including for EV charging infrastructure; and (b) to learn from their experts about  “best practices” for energy efficiency in other residential buildings that might be worthy of emulation.

2.    Communicate directly with City of Cambridge officials about (a) the evolving demands on buildings like ours from the planned regulation requiring large reductions in fossil fuel use, and (b) how the Esplanade’s “energy use intensity” score, as shown in our management’s reports pursuant to the Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance [BEUDO], compares with scores from other buildings; and (c) whether BEUDO officials have discerned and can tell us about “best practices” in comparable buildings.

Ed Sullivan reported on the dreadful situation at River Court, the condominium building across from us on Land Boulevard also built in 1989.  It has wooden windows, now failing, leaking air & rotting, and serious plumbing problems that have required some residents to temporarily vacate and many to suffer devastating damage. $44 million dollars is needed just to install new windows and perform related exterior work. There is a serious concern among many residents about how to pay for that. It is reported that a capital assessment just for the window project of well over $200,000 for an average unit may be required. Ed said that the River Court Board and management had not operated with transparency and that they had not planned for window replacement or needed plumbing and HVAC repairs despite warnings over the last decade that there were growing problems.  The plumbing/HVAC repairs will require another special assessment of an unknown sum.  The HVAC air-handlers are Whalen systems.

Fred Davis reported that the Esplanade was in a much better position than River Court because it would have adequate funds in reserve by the end of this decade to pay 50% of the cost of installing new windows at the Esplanade. He also said that there had been a Reserve Study a few years ago and the study provided a well-supported plan of what we would need to do when. Jane Gould added that we are in a better position as we have in-house management with a strong track record while River Court’s outside management company failed to perform well.

Linda Tossi reported that she had an on-going leak in her unit, that Ben had carefully analyzed it and he would be making full repair mid-May when the weather would be warm enough to shut off the heat in the entire building and make the needed repair. Others spoke of other leaks and clogged drains in the past. We agreed that the residents would be in a better position if Management or the Board had systematically gathered leak and clog information and reported to all the residents what had been occurring and what steps, if any, could be taken to reduce risks.

Irene Merwin reported on the incredibly thorough and thoughtful work of the Compost Committee as follows: 1. The City will now support composting in large buildings; 2. It will supply free small containers to anyone who requests one. It will also provide large self-locking 65 gallon barrels into which owners will periodically dump the contents from the small containers. The City will then remove the contents of the large barrels once a week; 3. Containers and barrels are tightly closed and more sanitary than having food waste in regular trash; 4. A written proposal has been provided to the BOT and before management can implement a composting program, the BOT must approve.

Barbara Ogur reported on her efforts to acquire information about the entities who are responsible for trash pickup along Cambridge Parkway, the Broad Canal, in the river and on the land by the Longfellow Bridge where trash was accumulating. The Cambridge DPW reports that the State DOT is responsible, so she followed up with an email to DOT. Residents generally agreed that trash buildup outside is a problem and further exploration of trash cans, as well as cleanup, is needed.

The meeting concluded with a request that the two Board members in attendance communicate to the full Board the essence of the meeting they had just attended: 1) the Resident Group exchanged information and concerns, and updated the Group on activities undertaken by Residents living at the Esplanade; 2) the meeting had a positive spirit and residents relished the opportunity to learn from each other; 3) the ERG looks forward to the day when the Board will welcome the resources that the Esplanade Resident Committee can offer, and recognize that Residents, because of their skills, experience, time and enthusiasm for living at the Esplanade, will be regarded by the Board as a contributing member of Team Esplanade.