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Montebello Lobby Questionnaire Report Final, Version C, July 17, 2009 Montebello "Lobby Questionnaire" KEEP SCROLLING DOWN--THIS IS LONG1 Preliminary Report – 17 Feb-15 Mar Owner Used by courtesy of The Times of Montebello and Resident Survey Draft A, Version 03/22/2009
Preliminary Report: Opportunity for Owner and Resident Input17 February – 15 March 2009
The goal of community meetings in each lobby in late February and forms that could be filed out on the spot or on-line through the Montebello website was to learn both about how residents use the space and what they feel about how it looks and to introduce the Design and Décor Ad Hoc Committee webpage. Responses to a request for input on lobby and hallway design by are varied but provide a helpful overview for future planning purposes.
All the respondents use the Montebello main lobbies to come and go, pick up mail or wait to be picked up or meet friends. A significant number of us sort mail, chat with neighbors, and hold small meetings when we do not want to invite someone to our unit. And many who do not use the spaces welcome the ambiance.
In terms of appearance, the responses reflect a tension between wanting the public spaces to look fresh, light and up to date to maintain property values and a clearly articulated concern at unnecessary expense in the current economic climate. Nearly a quarter of the 184 responses received as the Times went to press are extremely satisfied, while more than half rank the lobbies above average. A quarter of respondents feel that the over all impression is poor or outdated.
Many who are satisfied overall have specific comments but there is no overwhelming consensus (OF COURSE THERE IS, SEE YOUR OWN COMMENTS ABOVE in yellow . . .ed). Lighting—energy consumption and fixtures—cluttered table decorations and "fake" plants and art are among the concerns. Furniture is sometimes viewed as "tired." People who like to meet with friends want the chairs to be movable; a few outspokenly called chaining the chairs "tacky." Many hope changes could be kept minimal but carefully thought about to "provide more bang for the buck."
The entry vestibules are far less favorably viewed, with the difficulty of unlocking the doors while carrying something being the most frequently cited problem of anything in the public spaces. Others mention heavy doors that were difficult to open when it is windy, stale smells, and the poor condition of the carpets. Many people suggest swipe-card entry instead of locks.
A ramp to mitigate the problem of the stairs between levels of the lobby is also a clear concern, both to make it easier to get in and out with suitcases or wheelchairs and to protect the stairs from damage done by "bumping suitcases."
Regarding elevators, the widespread wish is for indicators on each floor showing where elevators are. Many people also suggested a chair or two near the elevator. Others wondered about replacing carpets in main floor elevator lobby with tile to minimize maintenance. Hall lighting, carpets and basic drabness is a recurring concern.
A detailed analysis will be posted on the Design and Décor page of the Montebello website in early April.
February 18 – March 15, 2009
Tabulation and Report
Part 1: General explanation of survey
The questionnaire was created and sponsored by the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Interior Design and Décor and sanctioned by the Montebello Board of Directors to gather the opinions of the owners and residents of Montebello about the design of the public areas of the Montebello residential towers.
The survey was announced in the Times of Montebello and through a "Lobby Forum" on a week-day (4:00 – 7:00) in each tower building. The questionnaire form was made available at the lobby forums, on-line, and at the Montebello office desk.
There were 222 respondents to the survey, 150 by paper copy and 72 on-line. Building 1 had 20 % of the respondents with the other buildings represented almost equally, with 27% each.
The survey respondents were self-selected and the demographics of the respondents (ownership, age, tenure at Montebello, etc.) were not captured in the questionnaire. We have no way of assessing how representative our sample is, but survey analysis experience would suggest that the results are not statistically representative.
The respondents constitute approximately 15% of the adults who live at Montebello - enough responses to get a wide range of input, some intriguing ideas and insights, and some understanding of the issues on the minds of many residents and owners.
Part 2: Responses to Summary Questions
These responses are to the concluding questions (at the end of the survey) in which respondents were offered the opportunity to state their highest priorities and to offer recommendations in addition to their comments already expressed.
|
1. What are the
two or three best features of our lobbies, elevator lobbies and
hallways?
Most frequent responses |
No. of Responses |
| Cleanliness | 42 |
| Lobby spaciousness / openness | 32 |
| Comfortableness, welcoming nature of lobby | 31 |
| Overall high quality, elegance, good looking nature of lobby | 29 |
| Functional space allowing multiple uses; multiple areas for seating in lobby | 26 |
| Lighting | 14 |
| Present furniture | 12 |
| Mailroom (functionality or good floor finish) | 11 |
| Terrazzo flooring in lobbies | 7 |
| Walls / wall color | 6 |
| Natural lighting | 5 |
| Book exchange program | 4 |
| Coordinated nature of present lobby design | 3 |
| Total number of responses | 256 |
| 2. What are
the two or three worst features?
Most frequent responses |
No. of Responses |
| Outdated appearance | 35 |
| Lighting fixtures (hallways, elevator lobby, lobby, general) | 21 |
| Outdated or worn furniture | 20 |
| Lack of ramp in lobby | 18 |
| Plants and floral arrangements (2: "no artificial.") | 16 |
| Carpet | 14 |
| Color scheme | 10 |
| Artwork | 9 |
| Chained furniture and glued accessories | 8 |
| Lack of functionality of lobby (3: "chopped up nature") | 7 |
| Dissatisfied with décor | 7 |
| Not welcoming | 5 |
| Total number of responses | 244 |
Twenty-seven of the respondents expressed a pronounced distaste of the appearance of Montebello’s public spaces, most in terms of it being dated or dowdy. The imperative of maintaining property values was often cited.
|
3. Do you have
any other recommendation for the lobbies, elevator lobbies, and
hallways?
Most frequent responses |
No. of Responses |
| Improve the feel of the décor (simple, airy, contemporary, welcoming, elegant, attuned to exterior) | 28 |
| Do nothing | 20 |
| Provide access ramp | 15 |
| Do minimal | 13 |
| Use professional designer | 9 |
| Improve the color, including providing more color | 7 |
| Improve entry process at level-one vestibule | 6 |
| Concentrate on eliminating odors | 5 |
| Improve B-1 - B-3 | 4 |
| Total number of responses | 169 |
Twenty-seven of the respondents expressed a pronounced distaste of the appearance of Montebello’s public spaces, most in terms of it being dated or dowdy. The imperative of maintaining property values was often cited.
Some other specific recommendations (not mentioned elsewhere in this report)
Functional additions: computer station with printer for resident use, a fireplace in the lobbies, more seating and better view out for bus waiting, rest room on level 1, avoidance of noisy activities in lobbies
Design enhancements: reduce sizes of column encasements in lobby, rotate artwork, use low-maintenance materials and products, dark carpet at unit doors to mask discoloration caused by newspapers,
Part 3: Summary of Key Responses to Individual Question
|
1. How do you
use the lobby?
Most frequent responses |
No. of Responses |
| As passage or to get mail (actually worded as "Only as a passage…" a limitation largely ignored.) | 174 |
| Meet or greet guests or neighbors | 103 |
|
To wait for bus |
127 |
| To wait for other pick-up | 103 |
| Take part of community activity such as voting or Christmas concert | 11 |
| Read mail and books | 6 |
| Total number of responses | 549 |
| 2. Do you use
these specific areas of the lobby?
Responses |
Yes | No | Unaware/ No Response |
| Main sitting area | 81 | 133 | 8 |
| Sitting area in the mail room | 50 | 135 | 37 |
| Sitting room to the right of the entrance | 39 | 157 | 26 |
| Books and magazines left in the lobby cabinet | 55 | 82 | 6 / 79 |
7. Wall coverings in lobbies:
Rating of existing (10 is best) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total No. Median
|
No. of ratings 5
12 12 11 32 17 23 39 21 36 208 6.7
Most frequent comments about the wall coverings in the lobbies |
No. of Responses |
| Dated/ Boring | 23 |
| Nice | 9 |
11. Ceiling and wall lighting in lobbies
Rating of existing (10 is best) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total No. Median
|
No. of ratings 8
13 12 16 31 13 22 36 15 32 198 6.3
Most frequent comments about the ceiling and wall lighting in the lobbies |
No. of Responses |
| Present light fixtures look dated | 20 |
| Present light fixtures are too large / bulky | 9 |
| Present illumination level is too dim, (includes 3 responses focused on reading) | 9 |
| Dislike current light fixtures or a subset of them (chandelier, canister, brass ones) | 9 |
| Light fixtures seem cheap or ugly | 6 |
| Other specific ideas (use recessed or concealed lighting, install dimmers, install motion detectors, use daylighting) | 6 |
| Total number of responses | 86 |
|
Most frequent comments about the table ornaments and flowers in the lobbies |
No. of Responses |
| Old and outdated; needs updating | 17 |
| Look fine to me, no change needed, I am happy, leave alone, no change, great, overall in good taste | 10 |
| Need more fresh ones, need to be upgraded, not replaced often enough, cheap | 5 |
| Not attractive, tacky, kitschy | 5 |
| Need modernizing, dated, fair but look old fashioned | 5 |
| Hate artificial flowers | 5 |
| Fresh flowers, have orchids | 5 |
| Total number of responses | 84 |
|
Most frequent responses: "What do you like or dislike about the elevator lobbies?" |
No. of Responses |
| Elevator lobbies are dated, in poor shape, unattractive, bland, barren, unwelcoming | 21 |
| Elevator lobbies are OK, attractive now | 16 |
| Furniture and accessories (some specified table, lamp, or mirror) are ugly, cheap looking, or broken | 10 |
| Present light fixtures are unattractive, dated | 8 |
| Brighten, upgrade levels B-1 - B-3 (one specific mention, of broken floor tiles) | 7 |
| Change flooring at elevator lobbies to hard-surface | 6 |
| Replace worn carpet; replace hard to clean carpet | 6 |
| Total number of responses | 135 |
|
Most frequent responses: "Is there a use for the elevator lobbies that would be nice but not possible now?" |
No. of Responses |
| Seating (one specified B-3 through 1) | 21 |
| Elevator location indicator | 17 |
| Information board (electronic or otherwise) | 7 |
| Total number of responses | 60 |
Among the other responses: ""Refurbish 16
th floor ceilings," "Like current unit door color," "Add motion detector to control lights in hallways," "Add artwork to halls."