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The Blue Print – September 2021

Water features on properties create visual beauty, convey openness and space between dwellings, and of course can deliver important functional benefits related to water movement and capture. These benefits do not come without maintenance and safety concerns that, if left ignored, can create extensive issues related to cost and life safety. We have assessed properties across multiple states with varying sizes of water bodies. Please read below for our most commonly identified opportunities for improvement.

Storm Drain Openings Should Have Grates That Allow Proper Water Flow

This is a situation where we really are trying to avoid disaster. Storm drains lacking any kind of screen or grate present life safety hazards. Even the grating in the top right picture below is an improvement but still not optimal to prevent a small child from accessing the drain. Ideally drain covers would look more like the photo in the bottom right which clearly allows water flow and better safety.

In addition to basic life safety, the addition of inlet protection to these drains should be considered to help with silt management, because that carries added benefit of controlling sediment and silt flow into the waterways, which enables better ongoing performance of water level management on the property. There are covers specifically designed for this purpose.

Retaining Walls Should Have Guardrails

Retaining walls are frequently employed to transform a slope to a flat area or to contain erosion. These features are very common across all types of properties. At a certain height these walls should include either guardrails or deterrent plantings such as hedges or bushes to prevent falls.

While both walls below are visually attractive, the wall on the right as a hedge which adds safety.

Walls around bodies of water are especially hazardous as it is natural to want to peer over into the water at any age. The picture above right shows a fence which, while optimally would have smaller spacing, does add a deterrent to potential falls into the water below.

Ponds and Lakes Should Be Edged to Prevent Erosion and Increase Safety

Erosion into a pond or lake can throw off the balance of water nutrients which can result in an unsightly algae bloom. Erosion can also clog waterways and prevent rainwater from draining in time, causing flooding. Either stone rip rap or deep rooted natural plantings can maintain shore integrity and discourage easy access to the water.

The photo below on the top right shows stone rip rap lining a storm drain swale to a body of water. Stone controls erosion and deters children from walking or playing near the water as stone is not easy to walk across.

Maintenance planning for bodies of water on community property, of any size, should be as relevant in property management and reserve planning as evaluations of building structures. The entirety of the property should be regularly assessed, maintained, and improved.

J. Hershey Building Consultants has the expertise to evaluate community properties in their entirety: internal and external review, water movement and containment, roadways and pavement. Our focus is always on a quality solution that minimizes cost and homeowner disruption while protecting property value.

While it may seem like red tape, permits and building codes are meant to keep us safe. Not having a permit before work begins can lead to a host of problems which can include having the city request work done be removed. J. Hershey Architecture has been engaged often to help get building and repair work on the right side of the law. Some examples from the past year:

  • J. Hershey Architecture spoke to a municipality on behalf of an association to accelerate the permit process so construction could begin.
  • When balcony repairs were performed without drawings and a permit we successfully coordinated with the local building department to provide balcony repair documents for permit.
  • In a similar situation, masonry privacy wall repair work was done without a permit. J. Hershey Architecture coordinated with that local building department to evaluate work and provide documents which resulted in a post facto permit.

There are also many occasions when J. Hershey Architecture h as worked on behalf of Associations with local municipality and influenced those building departments regarding existing code to the benefit of the client:

  • J. Hershey Architecture pointed out national building code requirements to a city building commissioner which resulted in interpretation changes regarding roof insulation requirements. This benefited a client who otherwise would have had to modify roof insulation work.
  • When the retention ponds in a community association were not draining properly, J. Hershey Architecture ultimately determined there were blockages in the storm drain, met with local planning officials and pointed out this was the city’s responsibility. The city cleared the drains at their own expense.

We are proud to offer this expertise to our clients. You’d be surprised how often this understanding is needed!

05/23/19 May Blue Print

This past week our President, John Hershey, had the pleasure of attending the Community Associations Institute National Conference in Orlando, Florida.  His week was full of networking events, time spent at our trade show booth and committee meetings.  Click here to read more about John’s week in Orlando as well as recent J. Hershey Building Consultant projects in the May issue of The Blue Print!

07/19/18 Don’t let the lack of a Reserve Study drown your Association!

Does your Association have a Reserve Study more than three years old or not have one at all?  As property managers and board members head into budget season now is the time to be reaching out to the experts at J. Hershey Building Consultants for your Reserve Study proposal.  Please click here for our easy-to-use online Reserve Study Request Form, call us at 844-543-7743 or email Jen at jk@jhersheygroup.com.

A Reserve Study site visit was completed yesterday at the Association shown below in northern Illinois.  This Association includes 1,055 single family homes and is responsible for maintaining a clubhouse, outdoor pool with water-slide, concession stands, tennis court, basketball court, sand volleyball court, playground, walking paths and more!  Additionally, recent Reserve Studies were completed by our team in Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

06/28/18 Reserve Study Specialists

Did you know that John Hershey, President of J. Hershey Building Consultants, is not only a Licensed Architect and Reserve Specialist but has also earned the exclusive designation of a CAI Educated Business Partner?  These designations are what sets J. Hershey Building Consultants apart from our competitors and highlights our experience and dedication to the industry.  This means that your Reserve Study is performed by a true expert with the knowledge to provide your Association with a useful working document that can be referenced for several years! We recently performed a Reserve Study at the Association shown below in northern Illinois.  This Association consists of (3) 3-story buildings containing (63) residential and (10) commercial units.  One of the buildings also contains an indoor pool, fitness center and community room and the three building share a parking garage.  In the coming weeks we will be performing Reserve Studies for Community Associations in Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania!

06/05/18 Summer Construction in Full Swing!

During the spring, the J. Hershey Building Consultants team was busy preparing drawings and specifications for roof and balcony repairs at several community associations.  Those projects are now under construction and we have been hired by the associations to perform in-progress site visits to review the construction status.  Each site visit is followed with a written report that outlines the construction work performed, schedules, payment applications as requested, and issues that may arise including full color photographs.  It is our mission to simply the lives of the property managers we work with by being their “go-to” firm for all their building evaluation, design/engineering, bid assistance and construction monitoring needs.  Give Jen a call today at 844-543-7743 or email her at jk@jhersheygroup.com to discuss your potential community association projects!  Below are images from current community association projects where we are actively performing construction monitoring services!

 

 

053018 – Design Build Home Renovation Update

The replacement of the siding is nearing completion at one of the J. Hershey Design Build home renovations in Libertyville, Illinois!   On the interior the hardwood floors have been completed and are ready to be stained and the kitchen cabinet installation will be wrapping up this week! In the before and after images shown below you can also see the beautiful new front entrance into the home.


BEFORE

 

AFTER

05/17/18 Wisconsin Reserve Study

J. Hershey Building Consultants’ President, John Hershey, who is also a CAI Reserve Specialist, was on-site yesterday in Appleton, Wisconsin, to perform a Reserve Study site visit for the Association shown below!  This Association consists of (7) 2-story buildings containing (84) units.  In addition to maintaining the exterior of the buildings the Association is also responsible for monument signage, parking lots, lighting and landscaping.    When a Client selects a “Level 1 Premium” J. Hershey Reserve Study it will always be completed by a Licensed Architect or Engineer with CAI Reserve Specialist credentials and the majority of reports are turned around within 20 business days from the site visit!  To request a  Reserve Study please click here to fill out our easy-to-use online request form or give Jen a a call at 844-543-7743.

 

05/15/18 Happy Anniversary

The J. Hershey team is celebrating our 9th anniversary today!  Thanks to our amazing Clients, we are thrilled at the growth the company has experienced these past nine years including the addition of offices in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida as well as the introduction of J. Hershey Building Consultants and J. Hershey Design Build in 2017!  As always, it is our mission to be your “one-stop shop” helping to guide your design, consulting or construction project from start to finish.  Please contact us today at 844-543-7743 to discuss your upcoming project needs and thank you for being part of our journey!

04/25/18 April’s Blue Print

From specific questions to ask your potential Reserve Study professional to images of in-progress J. Hershey Design Build projects our April issue of The Blue Print has something for everyone!  Click here to read and as always, feel free to give us a call at 844-543-7743 to discuss any of your project needs!

04/3/18 – Reserve Study Near Case Western Reserve University

Last week, the J. Hershey Building Consultants team was on-site to perform a Reserve Study site visit for the Association shown below in Cleveland, Ohio.  This Association consists of (19) town-home style units in (5) 3-story buildings.  Along with a review of the building exteriors which include attached garages and 4th floor decks the Association is also responsible for maintaining mailbox kiosks, driveways and landscaping including fencing which you can see in the image below.  These high-end town-homes are located across the street from Case Western Reserve University and were recently built!  This Association will now have a detailed, professional, Reserve Study in place to help them accurately plan for the future.   To inquire about a Reserve Study proposal for your Association please click here for a link to our easy-to-use online request form or email Jen at jk@jhersheygroup.com.

View of the front of the buildings

View from the top floor decks

View of the attached garages at the rear of the buildings