April 22, 2013
The purpose of this update is to provide you with information about the
decisions made by Council at their meeting held on April 18, 2013.
Council Election
Congratulations to Paul Coyne, Millie Korn and Ed Rothong on their
re-election to the Hopkinson House Council. Their terms will run until
April 2015.
Elevator Design Renovation
CAMCO, the Hopkinson House Engineering Committee and DAS Architects are
conducting a pre-bid meeting on April 23 with the three elevator
companies who are interested in bidding on the renovation of the
passenger cabs. The results of the bids will be decided by Council at
their May meeting.
Exterior Window Washing
Jenkintown Window Cleaning has been awarded the contract to wash the
exterior windows at a cost of $9,259 plus tax. $10,000 is budgeted for
window washing. Weather permitting, the window washing will begin on
Monday, June 10.
Bank Space
The PNC bank space has been listed with Precision Realty Group, a
commercial broker. Precision will market the space and proposals will
be brought to Council for review.
FHA Approval
Hopkinson House has had its FHA approval for mortgages
renewed. This approval widens the mortgage market for buyers interested
in purchasing units here.
Notices and Updates
We are making every effort to go paperless with notices and updates. We
cannot do this unless we have e-mail addresses for all owners and
residents. Please provide the management office with your
e-mail address. You can e-mail us at
cathyhhoa@comcast.net.
Remember to update your emergency contact information if there have
been any changes. Also remember to update your permanent
entry permits at the front desk. Our lives change and
sometimes, the people in our lives change.
February 25, 2013
The
purpose of this update is to provide you with information about the
decisions made by Council at their meeting held on February 21, 2013.
Council Appointment
The
Council is happy to announce the appointment of Lisa Schwab to the
Hopkinson House Council. Lisa is filling the vacancy left by
Lisette Tarragano. Her term will run until 2014. We
offer
Lisa our congratulations and wish her well.
Approval of Elevator Design
The
Council approved the elevator design recommended by the Hopkinson House
Design Committee and presented by DAS Architects. The
elevator
design can be seen in the seating area of the main lobby.
The
next step in the process is the approval of the Construction Phase of
the DAS contract, after which DAS will order the materials for the
elevators and begin the bidding process with the contractors.
The
materials for the elevators will take approximately 6 – 8 weeks to
arrive, after which the renovation of the elevators will
begin.
One elevator at a time will be shut down while the cabs are being
renovated.
Trash Compactor
The
Council approved the replacement of the trash compactor in the garage
at a cost of $11,650. The replacement was scheduled for 2013
and
is funded by the capital reserve.
Actual Value Initiative
(AVI)
The
Owners of Hopkinson House have received their real estate tax
assessments for 2014. These assessments are based on the
actual
market value of the units. In order to compare your
assessment to
what the units at Hopkinson House have actually sold for, we are
attaching a list of the units which have sold in 2011, 2012 and
2013. Please
CLICK
HERE for a copy of the unit resale list.
It is recommended by the Association’s
attorney, Gary Krimstock that if the new 2014 assessment is less than
the actual market value of your property, and the information about
your property shown on the notice is generally correct, that you do
nothing at this time. Do not request the Office of Property
Assessment to review your assessment. Depending upon what
happens
in the next several months, you can still consider filing an appeal to
the BRT by October 7, 2013 if you want to dispute your assessment.
Notices and Updates
We
are making every effort to go paperless with notices and
updates.
We cannot do this unless we have e-mail addresses for all owners and
residents. Please provide the management office with your
e-mail
address. You can e-mail us at
cathyhhoa@comcast.net.
Remember
to update your emergency contact information if there have been any
changes. Also remember to update your permanent entry permits
at
the front desk. Our lives change and sometimes, the people in
our
lives change.
December 18, 2012
The purpose of this update is to provide you with information about the
decisions made by Council at their meeting held on December 13, 2012.
Dental Office
Three viable candidates were interested in opening a new dental office
on the first floor. The Council awarded the lease to American
Family Dental Care. American Family is a full service dental
office and will take over the office on January 1, 2013. They
will clean out the space and are prepared to open for business as
quickly as they can. We will inform you of their opening date
as soon as we can confirm it.
Budget Approval
After the open Budget Meeting in the Solarium, the Council approved the
2013 Operating Budget and the Capital Reserve Budget. The new
budget calls for a 1.5% increase in the Owners’ Assessment.
The monthly cable bill for basic services increases from $26.00 a month
to $27.30 per month to accommodate the 2013 increase in the Comcast
contract.
Those on auto debit payments will receive a letter indicating their new
monthly charges. Please be sure to adjust your bank records
accordingly. Others not on auto debit will be receiving
coupon books. Please use the coupons and the mailing labels
included to mail your check directly to the Sovereign Bank lock
box. Payments cannot be sent to Hopkinson House.
If you are making automatic payments through your bank, be sure to
notify the bank of the change in the monthly amount. Be sure
your bank mails your payment to:
CAMCO
511 West Chester Pike
Havertown, PA 19083
Automatic bank checks cannot be sent to Sovereign Bank or to Hopkinson
House.
Notices and Updates
We are making every effort to go paperless with notices and
updates. We cannot do this unless we have e-mail addresses
for all owners and residents. Please provide the management
office with your e-mail address.
Remember to update your emergency contact information if there have
been any changes. Also remember to update your permanent
entry permits at the front desk. Our lives change and
sometimes, the people in our lives change.
November 19, 2012
The purpose of this update is to provide you with information about the
decisions made by Council at their meeting held on November 15, 2012.
Elevator Cabs
The Council retained the services of DAS Architects, Inc. to work with
the Hopkinson House Design Committee to renovate the interiors of the
passenger elevators. DAS will begin working on the project
after Thanksgiving and we anticipate beginning the cab renovations in
early 2013.
Laundry Room
Because of damage incurred by Coinmach from Hurricane Sandy, the
installation of the new laundry equipment will be delayed until January
2013.
Pennsylvania Dental
Associates
The passing of Dr. Safavi has caused the closing of the Pennsylvania
Dental Office on the lobby level of the building. The space
is being shown to prospective clients who are interested in continuing
a dental practice in the building.
There are legal matters which must be addressed before a new tenant can
take over the space and we are working under the guidance of the
Association’s attorney to be sure the matter is handled properly.
Dr. Tiffany Morgan, formerly of Pennsylvania Dental Associates is
offering her services to Dr. Safavi’s former patients at:
301 City Line
Avenue
Suite G-5
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
If you wish to
schedule an appointment or have questions regarding your dental care,
Dr. Morgan can be reached at 610 660-9510 or 215 237-2783.
2013 Budget Meeting
The 2013 Budget Meeting will be held on Thursday, December 13, 2012, at
7:00 pm, in the Solarium. This meeting is open to all
Hopkinson House Owners. The Budget Narrative is scheduled to
be sent out to all Owners on November 21, 2012.
Notices and Updates
We are making every effort to go paperless with notices and
updates. We cannot do this unless we have e-mail addresses
for all owners and residents. Please provide the management
office with your e-mail address.
Remember to update your emergency contact information if there have
been any changes. Also remember to update your permanent
entry permits at the front desk. Our lives change and
sometimes, the people in our lives change.
October 24, 2012
The
purpose of this update is to provide you with information about the
decisions made by Council at their meeting held on October 18, 2012.
Handicap Ramp
The
Council approved the cost of an engineering agreement with Shephard
Restoration, Inc. to design and oversee the construction of a handicap
ramp (cut-out) at the entrance of Hopkinson House. The cost
of
the engineering is $7800 and is funded by the Capital
Reserve.
This work will be done in the spring of 2013, in conjunction with the
garage expansion joint work which is scheduled for that time.
2013 Landscape Contract
The
2013 Landscape Contract was awarded to The Arrimour Group, who has been
doing such a beautiful job with the planters and courtyard for the past
four years. There has been no increase in the cost over
2012. The contract remains at $16,155.
Laundry Room
After
negotiating with Coinmach, Hopkinson House will be extending the
current laundry room lease until February 2017. In exchange
for
this lease extension Coinmach will provide top of the line LG front
loading washers and dryers with windows. The new washers will
be
metered at $1.30 per wash cycle. The new dryers will be
metered
at $1.30 per 45 minute dryer cycle.
The Association will also receive a $10,000 Lease Bonus from Coinmach.
The
new front load washer will only use a small amount of liquid laundry
detergent. Powders cannot be used in these machines as they
will
cause over-sudsing. These machines use only half the amount
of
water that the top loaders use. This will provide a cost savings to the
Association. Directions for use of these machines will be furnished by
Coinmach.
Details of when the laundry room will be closed
for this transition will be announced as soon as the schedule for
changing over the equipment is confirmed.
Society Hill Civic
Association
The
Society Hill Civic Association (SHCA) is a pro-active volunteer
organization that strives to enhance the quality of life in Society
Hill. Some of the services provided by the SHCA are:
- The Society Hill Reporter – one of best publications of its
kind – delivered to Hopkinson House bi-monthly
- The
beautification of Washington Square - they inspired the massive
improvements over the past five years and continue to fund the
beautification and enhancements, including new plantings and the
restoration of the central fountain to its original design
- Contract for a weekly sidewalk cleaning service and
semi-annual neighborhood clean-up day
- Illumination of the neighborhood by funding the replacement
of all Franklin lights
- Founded,
supported and provided funding for the organization now known as Penn’s
Village. Penn’s Village addresses the needs of residents who
want
to stay in their homes as they age
- Worked with the Friends of the Three Bears Park and
provided funds for the renovations at the park
Click
here
for a membership application for the SHCA. The work that they do
enhances the quality of life for all of the residents of Hopkinson
House. You may also go online to join the SHCA at
www.societyhillcivic.org/join/index.asp.
Please consider supporting this wonderful organization by becoming a
member.
2013 Budget Meeting
The
2013 Budget Meeting will be held on Thursday, December 13, 2012, at
7:00 p.m., in the Solarium. This meeting is open to all
Hopkinson
House Owners. The Budget Narrative is scheduled to be sent
out to
all Owners on November 21, 2012.
Notices and Updates
We
are making every effort to go paperless with notices and
updates.
We cannot do this unless we have e-mail addresses for all owners and
residents. Please provide the management office with your
e-mail
address.
Remember to update your emergency contact
information if there have been any changes. Also remember to
update your permanent entry permits at the front desk. Our
lives
change and sometimes, the people in our lives change.
August
21, 2012
The purpose of this update
is to
provide you with information about the decisions made by Council at
their meeting held on August 16, 2012.
Employee Health
Care Benefits
The health care benefits
for the staff
renew on September 1, 2012. The Council has approved a health care
plan which ensures the best possible health care to the staff members
and is in keeping with cost control for the Association.
The current (9/1/11 –
9/1/12) IBC
health care plan for the employees is budgeted at $178,957. The new
plan (9/1/12 – 9/1/13) with Aetna is budgeted at $151,171; a 15.53%
or $27,786 savings over the current plan.
Building Insurance
Renewal
The building insurance also
renews on
September 1, 2012. Hopkinson House has had a no increase policy on
the building for the past three years and that has now expired. The
insurance industry has faced the two worst years of combined losses
in the past decade due to tornadoes, tropical storms, water damage and
winter related losses. In 2010 and 2011 combined the government and
insurance carriers reacted to over 90 federally declared natural
disaster sites due to weather related claims. Carriers’ combined
loss ratios for this two year period was over 100% which meant that
they were paying out more in claims than they collected in premiums.
This in turn meant that future rates had to go up for the companies
to remain profitable.
The annual building
insurance premium
for 2009 – 2012 was $98,742. The renewal premium is $150,340. Add
to that, Directors & Officers Insurance, Crime and Excess
Crime,
and a $200,000,000 umbrella and the total package has increased from
$137,504 to $189,362; an increase of $51, 858 or 27% annually.
Office Phone System
The new office phones have
been
installed. It is a state of the art automated system which will
direct your call where it needs to go, relieving the front desk staff
of answering all of the phone calls for other departments. There
will still be times when you will be directed to the front desk for
assistance. You will also be able to go directly to the voice mail
of the department you are calling without having to go through the
front desk.
It is important that you
direct your
call to the front desk for work orders, moving reservations, building
information and all general questions. Please do not leave work
order requests in the voice mail for Judi Forte, Cathy Kavalkovich,
Ruth Cruz or the Maintenance Department. All work orders must
be generated through the front desk.
Smoking Ban -
Reminder
The HHOA Council passed a
resolution
which will ban smoking in all common and private areas of the
building effective September 1, 2012. This Resolution was passed
based on the overwhelming majority of survey respondents who voted
for the ban. The results of the survey were five to one in favor of
the ban.
This smoking ban will include the units, including the
balconies and all common areas including the garage, the lower pool
deck, the south courtyard and the exterior perimeter of the building.
This means that there will be no smoking permitted at the entrances
to the building or anywhere on Hopkinson House property. This ban
applies to
owners, residents, guest, vendors, contractors and anyone else who is
on Hopkinson House property.
Current
owners and tenants
will be
grandfathered and able to smoke in their units until the unit is sold,
or in the case of a tenant, the
lease is renewed. Once a lease is renewed, there must be a no
smoking addendum attached to the renewal.
Notices and Updates
We
are making every effort to go paperless with notices and updates. We
cannot do this unless we have e-mail addresses for all owners and
residents. Please provide the management office with your e-mail
address.
Remember to update your emergency contact information if there have
been any changes.
July 23, 2012
The purpose of this update is to provide you with information
about the
decisions made by Council at their meeting held on July 19, 2012.
Smoking Ban
The HHOA Council passed a resolution which will ban smoking in all
common and private areas of the building effective September 1, 2012.
This Resolution was passed based on the overwhelming majority of survey
respondents who voted for the ban. The results of the survey
were five to one in favor of the ban. This smoking ban will
include the units, balconies and all common areas
including the garage, the lower pool deck, the south courtyard and the
exterior perimeter of the building. This means that there
will be no smoking permitted at the entrances to the building or
anywhere on the property. This ban applies to owners,
residents, guests, vendors, contractors and anyone else who is on
Hopkinson House property.
Current owners and tenants will be grandfathered and able to smoke in
their units until the unit is sold, or in the case of a tenant, the
lease is renewed. Once a lease is renewed, there must be a no
smoking addendum attached to the renewal.
You will receive a letter which explains the ban in detail and a copy
of the Resolution which was passed by the Council.
Office Phone System
As many of you may have noticed, the office phone system has been out
of control for several weeks. It is a nineteen year old
obsolete system. Council approved the installation of a new
phone system at a cost not to exceed $20,000. This money is
budgeted in the capital reserve.
Homestead Exemption
Along with new assessment values, the City of Philadelphia will be
introducing a new tax relief
program for homeowners called the Homestead Exemption beginning in tax
year 2014. If you have already submitted an application for
the Homestead Exemption, it will be processed and held for tax year
2014 and future years. If you have not already applied, you
will receive an application in the
mail around Labor Day. Applications received by November 15, 2012 will
be reflected on the Assessment Change Notices going out in February
2013. Applications received after that will continue to be
processed, but may not be shown on the Assessment Change
Notices. This program will not be in effect for tax year 2013
and applications do not have to be submitted by July 31st, as
previously announced. In addition to the Homestead Exemption,
the City will continue to offer installment payment programs for low
income Philadelphians and the tax freeze program for low income
seniors. The Pennsylvania Property Tax and Rebate program for
eligible seniors and the disabled will also remain available.
Voter ID
Pennsylvania will relax rules for voter ID. Starting in
August, it may be easier for voters to obtain Penn DOT ID
cards. Pennsylvania election officials announced plans on
Friday to reduce the number of documents required to obtain a photo ID
card that will allow voters to cast ballots in November.
Would-be voters who do not already have a driver’s license or other
acceptable photo IDs will still have to travel to offices of the state
Transportation Department (Penn DOT) to obtain new ID cards.
But beginning the last week in August, when the new cards are supposed
to become available, citizens will not have to produce birth
certificates and Social Security cards, as currently required to prove
their personal identities to Penn DOT personnel.
Under the new requirements, the new photo ID cards will be available to
registered voters who can provide a birth date, Social Security numbers
and two proofs of residency, such as utility bills. Penn DOT will check
immediately with the Department of State on the voter’s registration
status and if the status is confirmed, issue a voter ID card on the
spot.
The HHOA Council is researching ways to help elderly voters who have no
way of getting to the Penn DOT offices to acquire that ID for the
coming
election. We will keep you informed about this.
Solarium Carpet
The HHOA Council has chosen the carpet for the Solarium and the Design
Committee will follow through with the carpet company to schedule the
installation. The Solarium and the library will have to be
closed during the installation. We will advise you as to when
and how long the Solarium and the library will remain closed to
residents.
Paul McGaharn
Paul McGaharn has been in poor health and on disability since November,
2011. Paul will go into retirement and will not be returning
to Hopkinson House. We appreciate the years of service that
Paul gave to the community. As a gesture of appreciation for
his services, Hopkinson House will send Paul a check for $500 as is
standard practice when a long time employee retires.
Reminder About Moves
Hopkinson House is able to accommodate only one move per day.
Moves are scheduled Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am – 4:00
pm. This is an extremely busy season and we are booked up
until the middle of August. You must make your moving
reservations as early as possible. Reservations are on a
first come, first serve basis and must be accompanied by a check or
money order for $150 to confirm the reservations. Double
moves and piggy back moves are not permitted.
There are no moves on Sundays or national and religious
holidays. We regret that we are unable to make any exceptions
to this policy.
Notices and Updates
We are making every effort to go paperless with notices and
updates. We cannot do this unless we have e-mail addresses
for all owners and residents. Please provide the management
office with your e-mail address.
Remember to update your emergency contact information if there have
been any changes.
1.
Individual Unit Files 
Judi Forte, CMCA, PCAM
Cathy Kavalkovich
Ruth Cruz
Anthony
Kelly
V. Paul
Coyne, President
Edwin P. Rothong, Treasurer
Millie
C. Korn, Secretary
