the cityhammer blog

Today we welcome new member KT Design Solutions and it's principle Keita Turner to cityhammer.com, New York's #1 Remodeling Directory.

Keita launched her full service design firm in 2000 and has been the recipient of many honors and awards as well as mentions in the press. KT offers everything from custom furniture to cabinetry to interior design and renovations to project management.

Located on West 126th Street, KT Design Solutions serves Manhattan, Brooklyn Bronx, Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, New Jersey and Connecticut.

To check out KT Design's full profile, click here: KT Design Solutions NY

Labels: 10027, Interior Design NYC, Interior Renovation NY, New York Design, New York Interior Designers

When the news broke last night that Hauppauge-based Agape World was a Ponzi scheme, many Long Islanders said, "no, duh". Over the course of 8 years, CEO Nick Cosmo and his company convinced thousands of investors, mostly middle class people, to invest with him in bridge loans for construction projects. The payouts promised were usually 14% guaranteed.

Many of our friends and neighbors here in New York that were caught up in the scam were cops, firefighters, municipal workers and in retrospect, that should have been a clue, as anything with a 14% guarantee would have naturally attracted big money investors, not people who could barely afford to put $50,000 in.

Another warning sign that was ignored was the fact that many of the employees of Agape World who were listed as loan analysts and such were nightclub DJ's and bouncers (how idiosyncratically Long Island is that?).

Scams like these usually come along when there is a major demand for the ability to "invest" in a specific craze or bubble that people feel as though they are missing out on, and the Long island construction/ home improvement fever of the early and middle part of this decade was as bubblicious as any we've ever seen.

It seemed as though every town in Nassau and Suffolk Counties were going through a construction renaissance and everyone wanted in. Agape World claimed to be a vehicle for regular people to be involved in loan syndicates that financed these building projects.

The reality, however, was that many of the companies that were listed as loan recipients had addresses in the same building as Agape World. This, in addition to Cosmo's own criminal record for securities fraud, which he did time for in 1999, may have helped people avoid the allure of guaranteed returns.

The good news is that with the atrocious economy, many of these scams and schemes get exposed because the money to keep them going dries up. To paraphrase Warren Buffett, "When the tide goes out, you can see who is swimming naked".

Read the full story: Newsday Agape World

Labels: Agape World, Long Island Construction, Long Island Home Improvement, Nassau County Construction, Suffolk County Construction

With Super Bowl XLIII right around the corner (February 1st), now is an excellent time to get your den or living room ready for company. If you're not headed down to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, you can at least get your home entertainment system hooked up right for the game day.

From surround sound to flat screen installation, New Yorkers have many companies to call for a great home theater system and we've highlighted the top rated home theater companies listed on cityhammer.com below:

First up is East Village-based Bright Home Theater headed up by Kerry Bright and David DuPuy and serving New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. Bright has been designing and installing custom-built home theater systems since 2003.
Bright Home Theater's profile on cityhammer.com

Based out of New York City and Bellmore, Long Island, Electronic Concepts has been serving the Tri State area since 1986 and boast a staff of Level 1 Intsallers and Certified Designers.
Electronic Concepts profile on cityhammer.com

Dmitri of Brooklyn's Home Video & Sound has been doing speaker and home theater installations since 1996. Some of his services offered include plasma and lcd tv installation, speaker systems and projector set ups.
Home Video & Sound profile on cityhammer.com

Renaissance man Che Carlotti was one of the first pro's to join cityhammer and his USA Plasma TV Installation company has been well-reviewed from the get-go. Che is currently offering TV mounts for $150 and mounted hidden wiring for $190, these are some of the best prices in New York City.
USA Plasma TV Installation profile on cityhammer.com

New Rochelle-based NYC Plasma has been doing TV installations for New York since 2002. They also offer indoor and outdoor speaker systems and pre-wiring services for new and old homes.
NYC Plasma profile on cityhammer.com


Click the link for the complete list of New York Home Theater Companies listed on cityhammer.com.

Labels: Flast Screen Mounting New York, Home Theater NY, Home Wiring NY, NY Home Theater, Plasma Installers NYC

This is truly cool...head over to Lexington and 59th-60th if you're in the area over the next 2 weeks and you will see the installation of the Big Window Challenge, a partnership between Apartment Therapy and Bloomingdales. The AT gang is helping Bloomies with the launch of Furniture on 5 (5th floor) by showcasing the interior decor work and imagination of four different designers as they create a four complete rooms, each in a different style.

Maxwell posted some photos of the work in progress over at AT yesterday, and the rooms look amazing. We especially like the "Blogger's Office".


Check out the pic's over at AT for a sneak peak of what the rooms/ windows will look like:
Big Window Challenge

Labels: 10022, Apartment Therapy, Big Window Challenge, Bloomingdales, Interior Design Manhattan

Cold enough for ya, New York? I know, I hate when people ask that question, too.

According to Mayor Bloomberg's office, the 311 lines have seen almost a 40% jump in New York City residents complaining about the heat in their buildings. City inspectors are making the rounds to make sure that landlord and building owners maintain an indoor temperature of at least 68 degrees whenever the outside temperature is 55 degrees or below.

Well, today it's under 10 degrees, so we figured we'd give you some New York plumbing and heating companies to call if you're not getting the warmth you need during this arctic blast.

First up is Archer Plumbing and Heating, serving Westchester and the Bronx since 2003.
Visit their cityhammer Profile Page: Westchester and Bronx Plumber

Next, we've got Staten Island's Duo Plumbing & Heating Corp, who've been serving the Staten Island area since 1938.
Visit their cityhammer Profile Page: Staten Island Plumber

Lastly, here is BMG Plumbing, a family-owned and operated business that's been serving the Nassau and Suffolk county community for almost 30 years.
Visit their cityhammer Profile Page: Long Island Plumber

Visit cityhammer.com for a complete list of Plumbing and Heating Companies in New York

Labels: Bronx Plumbing, Long Island Plumbers, Plumbing and Heating New York, Staten Island Plumbers, Westchester Heat Plumbing

There are few problems more annoyng and disgusting to deal with at home in New York than a bed bug issue. According to The New York Sun, lately, call volumes to exterminators and pest control companies in New York have gone up, making bed bug solutions one of the few booming industries around these days.

Below is a list of some of the highest-rated NY exterminators in New York if you find yourself in the midst of a bed bug infestation or dealing with any other pest problem in your home.

First up is cityhammer.com Featured Member 4 Seasons Termite and Pest Control. Luis Pimental's 4 Seasons is ready for your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He handles everything from carpenter ants to carpenter bees.
Visit 4 Seasons Termite and Pest Control's Profile on cityhammer.com

Next we have Brooklyn-based Bugs Are Gone Exterminating, a member of the New York State Pest Control Association. Todd Pemberton guarantees that their work will leave you with "100 % peace of mind".
Visit Bugs Are Gone Extermination's Profile on cityhammer.com

For New Yorkers looking for a greener solution to their pest problems, check out Ecology Exterminating Service Corp, a company that's been servicing the New York metropolitan area since 1973. They work with "children, pets, and plants in mind".
Visit Ecology Exterminating Service Corp's Profile on cityhammer.com

Lastly, we've got T.P. Exterminators, a North Bellmore-based outfit that recently serviced cityhammer.com user Brian King, who says, "TP did the termite inspection on my new home 4 years ago and took care of a carpenter ant problem just 2 weeks ago.They were thorough, efficient and honest on both occasions."
Visit T.P. Exterminators' Profile on cityhammer.com

For the Main Exterminator Page on cityhammer.com, click here: NY Area Exterminators

To read the full article in The New York Sun, click here: Bed Bug Boom

Labels: Bed Bugs NYC, Long island Exterminator, New York Exterminators, Pest Control in New York, Pest Manhattan

Anyone looking to do a little maintenance on their kitchen cabinets should go check out the newest video on Danny Lipford's site called Kitchen Cabinet Upgrade. You may know Lipford from his television appearances as a home improvement maven, but his website is equally interesting and informative. Here, he shows you how to repaint the cabinets and change the knobs, hinges or doors. For professional help with kitchen cabinets in New York, click Kitchen Remodelers in NY or Cabinetry in NY.

Are we really ready for a third installment of The Real World here in New York? Like it or not, last night was the premiere on MTV. Brownstoner's gave their Brooklynites a head's up, and right on cue, the snarking was hot and heavy on the comment board. If you live in Brooklyn, we're betting you'll be watching, if only to see some of your favorite BK landmarks serve as background for the travails of some of the most vain and insipid people ever put on television. Boy, are the Williamsburg hipsters gonna hate this!

Labels: Kitchen Cabinets New York, Kitchen NY, Real World Brooklyn, Remodeling Kitchens in New York

Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
- Albert Einstein

At this time of year, before the official spring cleaning begins, it is very common for people to become unhappy with either he size, layout or condition of their closets. Many of us are in disbelief at how much stuff we've got packed in that is either hidden or inaccessible.

With this in mind, we've posted an article in the cityhammer Tips Section to help you love the closet space you have and maximize what you can do with it.

Read "Taking Advantage of the Closet Space You Have" and find the inspiration to get organized for the year to come.

To find professional help with closet remodeling in New York, visit cityhammer's Closet Organizers page or Built-in/ Carpenter page.

Labels: Brooklyn Closet Design, Built-ins NY, Closet Organizers in Manhattan, New York Closet Companies