Information for Residents

What's new

Super stars: The Inwood Astronomy group inaugurates its new high-powered telescope tonight. If the skies are clear, take a look yourself.-9:02 a.m., March 10

Warmer weather: As the temperatures begin to rise, you may choose to turn off one of your radiators. If you do, remember to turn it all the way off. Leaving it only part-way on (or off, depending on your point of view) prevents the cooled steam from draining properly; pools of water will rust your radiator. Questions? Ask Bud. -1:07 p.m., March 8

Traffic tie-up: If you park or drive, don't forget that Fort Washington Avenue will be closed during the Coogan's 10K tomorrow morning. The road race includes elite runners along with weekend warriors. You can cheer them on from the sidewalk or, if you face east, from your windows. -10:41 a.m., March 6

Weekend picks: Amateur runners get to try the world's fastest indoor track on Saturday. The Boston Camerata performs Sunday afternoon. And don't forget that parking will be altered for the road race Sunday morning. -12:01 p.m., March 5

Borough budget: Friday is your last chance to submit your opinion about the city's budget priorities. The Manhattan Borough President seeks your input. -9:33 p.m., March 4

Storm damage: Trees were among the casualties in last week's snow storm. Fort Tryon Park was especially hard hit, where a falling tree in Sir William's Dog Run broke a picnic table in half. -9:13 a.m., March 4

Application forms

       Download the forms you need. These are pdf files. If you don't see what you're looking for here, please call our property manager, who can also send you any of these forms through the mail.

Alteration Agreement
    Renovations fall into this category. Use this form to submit with your plans. If you believe your work is not extensive, please contact the property manager to see if you qualify to work under a decoration agreement (see below). Mail the completed form to Hedda at Argo, 50 West 17 Street, NYC 10011-5702.

 Automatic Payment
    Never be late again with your maintenance fee. Sign up for auto- matic payment from your checking account. It's ideal for travelers. There's no cost, and with it you'll never pay a late fee again.

     Fees and conditions are included. Sign and mail the rules and conditions to Argo to join the fitness room.

    Send your contact information to the Board secretary, who is responsible for keeping our records current.

House Rules

     Our building is a community, as well as our home. Residents share the responsibility to ensure a safe and pleasant quality of life at reasonable cost.  We count on each other to treat all areas of the building as our home, and to protect and respect the rights of all of the Residents to a safe and comfortable home. A set of guidelines helps us achieve these goals.
     The House Rules are available here. 
     Please make yourself familiar with the information in this document, which is part of your Proprietary Lease.

Laundry Room

     Hercules maintains our laundry machines, both the washers and dryers. With the new dryers, to add five minutes to your time, you must do so when at least five minutes remain in the cycle. If there is less time, you will be given 30 minutes and charged for a full cycle.
     If a machine is malfunctioning, please call Hercules at (800) 526-5760 to inform them so they may repair it. Alternatively, you may send an e-mail to service@hercnet.com, explaining the problem and asking for a refund if you lost money. Hercules will need to know:
    Building name: Pinehurst
    Building address: 447 Fort Washington Avenue
    Building location: Manhattan
    Laundry room location: Basement; super required for access
    Machine malfunctioning: Take note of the number on the machine
If you're asking for a refund, include your address.

Manhattan Maintenance Fees

Manhattan maintenance: Our second biannual look at maintenance fees in neighborhoods across Manhattan is complete. Download a copy of the report by clicking on the chart or here.

Noise

     Washington Heights is known for its noise. Luckily, Hudson Heights is a bit quieter. However, if you are bothered by loud music, a party, fireworks or other terrestrial sound, please call 311.
     Other noise comes from the skies. Aircraft fly over our neigh- borhood en route to LaGuardia Airport or on their way to points west. Helicopters also fly nearby, and sometimes seems to hover. If these sounds are bothersome, please call the Economic Development Corpor- ation at (212) 619-5000 with your concerns about helicopters, or for airplanes call (718) 533-5615 and press 3 for LaGuardia.

Recycling

     The Pinehurst is committed to recycling in accordance with New York City's goals. Most paper and plastic (but not all), glass and metal are recyclable in our bins in the garbage area.
     Compact fluorescent light bulbs require special recycling because their contents are hazardous. Also known as CFL's, these bulbs are typically curly in shape. In our neighborhood the designated recycling spot is at the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation offices at 76 Wadsworth Avenue (between 176th and 177th Streets). Open business hours.
     For more information on CFL recycling, click here.

Subways & Transportation

"A" Train
    Scheduled maintenance is posted here by the MTA.

Escalator Status
    Find out before you leave if the subway escalators (and elevators) are working by clicking here. You can also call (800) 734-6772 for recored information.

181 Street: Congested Corridors Project
     The city's Department of Transportation is studying 181st Street to determine how to improve traffic flow of pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles. Download the study here, and make your voice heard at any of the public hearings.

Parking note: The Coogan's 10K run takes place Sunday morning up and down Fort Washington. You won't be able to drive across the avenue during the race, from about 8:45 to 10. -9:17 p.m., March 3

Commuters, unite: Of the 40,000 signatures on a city-wide petition asking the MTA to reconsider service cuts, one in four came from Upper Manhattan. We love our A train! -9:38 a.m., March 3

The top: The neighborhood's back in The Times, this time in a Q&A about the highest spot on the island. You already know the answer (right?). -11:55 a.m., March 1

Weekend picks: The Dyckman Farmhouse Museum offers a special tour Saturday, and on both Saturday and Sunday you can join a hike looking for bald eagles. -9:53 a.m., February 26

Your voice: The Manhattan borough president wants to know what we think the city's budget priorities should be. If you have an opinion on what should be cut and what should be protected, take this survey before March 5. -7:49 p.m., February 25

Running shoes: You run on the streets, you run on the sidewalk, and on nice days you run through the park. Have you ever wanted to run on the fastest indoor track in the country? Your chance is tonight. -8:43 a.m., February 25

On air: Talk about community. Washington Heights Free Radio webcasts a weekly show on Wednesdays starting at 3 from a studio (a walk-up apartment) on 163rd Street. -9:07 a.m., February 24

Fully booked: If you're planning to attend the presentation on Fort Tryon Park's 75th anniversary tonight, make sure you made reservations before you go. There's no room left, so a second show is being planned for April. -9:22 a.m., February 23

Four grand: Yesterday afternoon we received our four-thousandth visitor here at thepinehurst.org. We started counting visitors just over two years ago, and we're getting more all the time. Thanks for being part of our success. Have ideas to improve the site? Share them with us! -8:39 a.m., February 22

Astronomy group: The Inwood sky gazers decided yesterday to move their Saturday night event to last night, so there's no event planned tonight. -4:21 p.m., February 20

Weekend picks: Chocolate has been a New York favorite since before the Revolution. Taste an eighteenth-century recipe Saturday on Jumel Terrace. And bid farewell to the Macabees at the final home game Sunday in Fort George. -8:18 a.m., February 19

Dog safety: If you take your dog to one of the area's dog runs, beware of an anonymous threat. Someone posted a note on Craig's List claiming: "I am leaving poision in bits of meat and gravy, dog food, poision the dogs." Aside from spelling problems, report suspicious behavior to the police. -8:36 a.m., February 17

Press reports: The Times named Hudson Heights as one of the remaining places in town where people can still buy a nice apartment for less than a half-million dollars. Could you have imagined that price a few years ago? -9:52 a.m., February 16

Library hours: Budget cuts are shortening library hours. Starting tomorrow, the Fort Washington Branch of the New York Public Library will be closed Sundays and will operate fewer hours on other days. Details are posted here. -9:41 a.m., February 15

Weekend picks: B.B. King plays tonight. Washington's birthday is celebrated at the Morris-Jumel mansion Saturday. And if you haven't taken the winter tour of Fort Tryon Park, Sunday's the day for you. Take a camera! -8:46 a.m., February 12

Secret Service: Those guys down the street with earphones and unbuttoned suit coats are working for Bill Clinton, who's being treated for his heart problems at Columbia (again). -9:55 p.m., February 11

Mayo & mustard: Sandwiches are a hit at the monthly alternative film screening in Hudson Heights. Do you have a preference? Speak up before tonight's showing of Precious. But if you didn't make a reservation, you may want to stay home: the showings are so popular they usually sell out. -9:47 a.m., February 11

Deep snow: It's pretty, but please be careful when entering the building. Those tiles get slippery when the snow melts to water. Let Bud know if you see a puddle. -1:41 p.m., February 10

Co-op tax: One of Governor Paterson's proposals to trim the budget deficit is to tax mortgages on co-op investors. Condos are taxed between 2.05 and 2.175 percent. Don't like it? Contact your assemblyman. -10:06 a.m., February 9

Bottoming out: Fourth-quarter real estate prices are heading back up in many parts of Manhattan. Our closest neighbor, Harlem, saw prices jump 20.1 percent, and in Manhattan Valley they rose 11.9 percent. And Flatiron? Up 73.5 percent! -8:49 a.m., February 8

Weekend picks: Discover Sojourner Truth at the Morris-Jumel Mansion Saturday afternoon, and take a guided Winter Walk through Fort Tryon Park on Sunday. -8:38 a.m., February 5

Name recognition: With businesses cashing in as middle-men for brokers, we're trying to help those businesses get their details about us right. Here's one that barely scratches the surface; we're in touch with them. Know of any others? -9:37 a.m., February 4

Location scouting: Lin-Manuel Miranda has been looking around Fort George and Hudson Heights for spots to film the movie version of "In The Heights," even dropping by Plaza Lafayette. -8:18 a.m., February 1

Weekend picks: The MOSA Concert Series resumes tonight in Hudson Heights. Join a high-energy hike Saturday morning in Inwood Hill Park. And on Sunday night, some of your Pinehurst neighbors host a reading of Green Whales. -9:05 a.m., January 29

Neighborhood meeting: Visit with your elected leaders from the city and state tonight at a town hall meeting. -9:42 a.m., January 28

Allman Brothers: The legendary band is holding its annual New York "residency" (that's what they call it) in Washington Heights for the first time. Last year's guests included Eric Clapton, founding members of the Grateful Dead, Sheryl Crow, Bruce Willis and others. They'll spend two weeks with us in March. -10:14 a.m., January 27

Helping Haiti: The proceeds of a concert of jazz guitar, given by a Hatian musician who lives in WaHi, will go toward earthquake relief. It's tonight in Inwood. -12:27 p.m., January 26

Tax deduction: Shareholders can deduct about 34 percent of their maintenance fees from their 2009 tax returns, and are eligible for an energy credit equal to about 5 percent of their maintenance. For details, refer to the letter from our corporate accountant. If you haven't received yours yet, please contact Hedda. -9:06 a.m., January 25

Weekend picks: The Cloisters are known for the Italian, French and Spanish art inside. You can take a tour of the lesser-known  German art on Saturday. And on Sunday, the Macabees host Albany pharmacists in Fort George. -9:42 a.m., January 22

In print: Did you read about the neighborhood in The Times? The article came out several weeks ago -- we're behind in our reading! Aside from an error-riddled map, it's a nice piece. If you like living here, consider leaving a comment. -9:04 a.m., January 20

Haiti fund-raiser: The proceeds of a concert of jazz guitar, given by a Hatian musician who lives in WaHi, will go toward earthquake relief. It's tonight in Inwood. -8:56 a.m., January 19

MLK Day: Take time to give back to your neighborhood today. Events are taking place near and far. -10:37 a.m., January 18

Weekend picks: College track & field teams compete at the Armory Saturday night, and Vampire Weekend brings its African-influenced emo music to the United Palace Theater on Sunday. You can also get your hair cut for Haiti Sunday afternoon. -11:12 a.m., January 15

Help for Haiti: The Haitian Embassy and the Red Cross are accepting food and medicine for the victims of the earthquake. You can drop off your donations in Fort George at Banco Populare, on Dyckman at 181st. Follow WaHi's responses to the disaster with The Manhattan Times and a Facebook group. -11:19 p.m., January 14

Dried up: If you still have your Christmas tree indoors, don't let it end up like Norman Bates' mother. Take it down to the trash area today so the city will turn it into mulch tomorrow. -2:08 p.m., January 14

A day on: Monday is MLK Day, a day off for many people that could be a day on for serving the community. Find out how to contribute to the neighborhood. -2:23 p.m., January 13

Tree mulching: This is your final week to have your tree collected by the Sanitation Department and turned into mulch. Remove all decorations and place it in the garbage area. After this week's trash collection, you'll have to chop your tree into pieces that will fit in a trash bag. Need help? Ask Bud. -8:44 a.m., January 11

Weekend picks: Don't fret if you missed Caribbean paella last night, there's still plenty going on (although it won't taste as good). Recycle your electronics on Saturday at the RING garden, and eat a slice of birthday cake at the Morris-Jumel Mansion on Sunday in honor of our native son, Alexander Hamilton. -9:24 a.m., January 7

Google it: Our site has now been indexed by Google, which will make it easier for on-line searches to turn us up when someone's looking for information about the Pinehurst, Hudson Heights, or events in Upper Manhattan. Try it yourself! -3:58 p.m., January 6

Sotto voce: Tile floors and plaster halls make for excellent reverberations, an acoustic phenomenon particularly notable by your neighbors when you're visiting with friends in the hallway during the wee hours. As a general rule, when it's dark out please keep you hall conversations brief; ask you guests in or show them to the elevator. For the specific rule, check the House Rules (below). -12:54 p.m., January 5

Silver anniversary: Happy new year! On April 22, another milestone will be upon us: the twenty-fifth birthday of 447 Ft. Washington Owners Corporation. To mark the occasion we've changed the text beneath the logo, above. -9:36 a.m., January 4

Pitch in: Bud has a three-day weekend, so we ask you to help keep the building clean. If you see some trash, toss it in a trash bin! If you have an urgent need, you may of course call him or Argo. -9:57 a.m., January 2

Weekend picks: We'll be recovering from revelry tomorrow, so here are our suggestions for the end of your holiday break. Tonight you can ring out the aughts with live jazz at New Leaf. Discover the stories behind the Cloisters' stained glass on Saturday, and on Sunday take a tour of Fort Tryon Park's Winter Walk. Cheers! -9:48 a.m., December 31

Winter visitors: The cold weather drives people indoors for warmth, including, unfortunately, some who have no business in our home. Please be aware of your surroundings and report suspicious visitors to 311 and Bud. -11:07 a.m., December 30

Housing market: Home prices in the U.S. increased 3.4 percent in the first ten months of the year, accorded to data released today. Details here, under "On the market." -11:23 a.m., December 29

Calling birds: If you're a generous giver of Christmas gifts, you probably already discovered that the inflation rate for all the gifts in "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was only 1.8 percent this year. If  there were six gold rings it would be higher: because gold is up 42.8 percent. Thankfully our boiler isn't gold-plated. -9:12 a.m., December 28

Sleigh-dar: Santa's on his way, making stops where children are already in bed. Thanks to the crew at NORAD, you can track him to find out how close he is to New York. Or watch Santa on GoogleEarth for even more detailed updates. -12:25 p.m., December 24

Weekend picks: We'll be busy with snowball fights on Friday, so we're posting our picks today. Have friends & family in town? Show them the Upper Manhattan of President Obama's college days on Saturday. If you're a runner (or shot-putter, for that matter), grab your spikes (or shot) and head to the Armory on Sunday. -10:48 a.m., December 24

Tracking Santa: Parents will be able to keep their children informed of Saint Nick's location on Christmas Eve by checking in here. Lucky for us there's a fireplace in the lobby! -9:16 a.m., December 23

Travel plans: If you're going out of town for the holiday, turn off any miniature lights, whether they're at your windows or on your tree. Especially if they're on your tree! We don't want to wake up to the fire department in your apartment.-9:51 a.m., December 22

Smoke detectors: It's the first day of winter, which is as good a time as any to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Need help? Ask Bud! -9:42 a.m., December 21

On camera: Thanks to our party photographer and her subjects for sharing their good times with us. You've seen the photos above; more are over here. -11:23 a.m., December 20

Holiday photos: We have some wonderful photos from the holiday party (see above!) and will be posting them through the weekend. Check back for updates. -12:06 p.m., December 17

Wednesday events: For some reason, Wednesdays in December are loaded with activities. Gaze at the stars from Fort Tryon Park; sit in on an improvement presentation for Inwood; a new book group meets in Fort George, where you can also watch college basketball. -10:46 a.m., December 16

In the water: Did you hear the exciting news at the holiday party? Congratulations to the mothers- (and fathers-) to-be! How many Pinehurst parents have had babies in the last ten years, anyway? -12:54 p.m., December 15

Kitchen cutlery: A young friend of a sixth-floor neighbor is offering to demonstrate top-quality cutlery ("better than Heinkle but lower prices") in your home tomorrow. There's no obligation to buy. Schedule an appointment here. -10:47 a.m., December 14

Calling shutterbugs: Did you take photos of last night's party? Care to share them with us? We'll get permission before posting, so you don't have to. E-mail here. -10:25 a.m., December 14

Holiday party: Please come enjoy the residents' holiday party in the lobby today. It starts at 5:30, and delicious treats will be served! -10:15 a.m., December 13

Decking our halls: Come help us decorate the lobby this afternoon! We'll start around 3 and welcome all volunteers. -10:17 a.m., December 12

Festival of lights: Happy Chanukah! It starts shortly. Sundown is at 4:28 today. -4:07 p.m., December 11

Weekend picks: Jazz at the rarely opened American Academy of Arts and Letters on Saturday; the Waverly Consort's only New York performance on Saturday and Sunday; college basketball on Saturday night. -9:12 a.m., December 11