Learning to Age Gracefully

And in a condo, which is run by an elected board, decision making can be complex. "Even little changes create problems," Taylor said.

Last year, when the board raised the issue of replacing the carpet, Taylor recalled, a revolt ensued. Cost was mentioned. In addition, a number of owners -- the usual board meeting attendees -- complained because the board gave them only two choices.

Board President Mary Ann Bourbon recoiled at the memory. "I have people in the building who won't speak to me because of the carpet replacement."

The recent discussion over replacing the elevator floors hasn't been any easier. "It gets to be idiotic how you can argue over what color white to use. You'd think we were talking rocket science," Bourbon said.

Confronted with demands to modernize the lobby, the Towers hired a decorator to make the decisions.

Some residents say troubles began as far back as Gelman's death in 1978. His heirs sold the apartment house to a developer, and in 1979, the Towers was converted to condominiums.

"The aggravation started when it went condo," said Marjory Toldman, who moved in 18 months earlier. "When it was a rental, there was a boss and everyone followed the boss."

With the sale of the building, Toldman said, "there was a lot of fault-finding."

By the time Jim and Marlene Connors, a couple in their early 50s embarking on early retirement, bought their three-bedroom unit in 1998, the building needed work. "We were told the maintenance [fee] hadn't been raised in years, as if that were a good thing." (The board had not raised its common fees to match the cost of living since 1993.)

With growing pressure from residents such as Jim Connors, who later joined the board, the community hunkered down, adjusting the common fees in 2001 to play catch-up and make repairs. The corroded pipes for the heat and air conditioning were replaced, the roof was re-tarred, and every resident with a decaying balcony was forced to restore it at a cost of roughly $10,000.

With the edifice structurally sound, the Towers board then faced questions about retooling the condo's amenities, which now included a community room, a gym and a library. (The restaurant, florist and drug store were all closed by the 1980s.) What should the pool hours be? How much should the employees be paid? How to enhance the grounds?

The Towers looked to its neighbors for ideas. One complex the board consistently turned to was the Westchester, less than a quarter mile down the street.