our superintendent
when we’re all happy, mario’s happy
when mario’s happy, we’re all happy
meet super mario
Mario Taraska has been superintendent of 377 W11th for over 15 years. He is a godsend who is dedicated to making our building the best environment possible for all of us. Given the constraints of our building and its age, lack of public space, and limited facilities, he has a challenging job to make it all come together. But starting in the early hours of the morning he cleans, organizes and manages our building seamlessly.
when Mario takes vacation
When Mario takes vacation each year the super across the road steps in to help and will attend to Mario’s routine building responsibilities. During this period, problems and emergencies should be directed to ABC.
“Contact me for anything, anytime.”
- Mario
mario’s
responsibilities
to us
Handling garbage removal
Mario takes garbage and recycling out for collection and returns bins. He knows local garbage collection rules, including when trash is collected, and bulk items should be placed for pick-up. He processes the trash from the compactor, as well as clearing the recycling rooms on each floor.
Cleaning common areas
Mario cleans our common areas which involves sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming the halls, stairways, and walkways. Three times a year he deep-cleans the carpets. He also ensures that any contractors in the building protect the hallways and clean up afterwards. He performs snow removal in the winter months, even coming here on weekends if required.
Maintaining the property
Mario ensures that all building systems are functioning properly and efficiently, including heating, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, and elevator.
Mario is responsible for preventative maintenance, like scheduling regular inspections, and handling minor repairs, like a leaky faucet. Depending on the circumstance, he may handle major repairs, such as plumbing issues, or he may recommend a serviceperson to perform the task.
Manages Vendors and Contractors
Mario is responsible for coordinating with all service vendors and contractors for the building. He also assists with coordination and oversite of residents’ contractors insofar as it pertains to access to the building and protecting the common area.
Compliance with safety standards and city regulations
Mario is responsible for ensuring we maintain the building within the complex and often changing regulations that govern apartments and property in NYC. He is required to host inspectors on a regular basis. He is responsible for reporting safety hazards to management.
Resolving tenant issues
Mario does his best to field tenant complaints and requests. Depending on the severity of the complaint, he may address the issue himself (think: changing a lightbulb or unblocking a toilet or cleaning a messy hallway), or contact the managing agent for input, or recommend an outside service person handle it. (It is typical for residents to tip Mario for small jobs around their apartment.)
Communicating with the managing agent
Mario is often useful as the first point of contact for residents, and if an issue needs ABC’s attention, he will pass on the message. As super, he is also responsible to alert the managing agent to building issues, such as an illegal rental, unauthorized construction, safety issues or broken electrical/plumbing.
Managing the building’s security and responding to emergencies
24/7, Mario is the first call anyone should make in the case of an emergency in the building. If he cannot address the situation himself, he knows who should be contacted.
Mario has installed and monitors the 16 security cameras inside and outside the building.
mario’s
requests
of us
Recycling Room
Put items in the correct containers
Don’t just throw stuff in willy nilly
Break down cardboard cartons and boxes
Don’t put things on top of the bins, blocking access for others
Common areas
Please clean up after yourselves
And definitely clean up after your pets if they oopsie
Front Door
Keep it closed after coming in or going out
If you use the hook to keep it open while moving items in or out over a space of time, be vigilant as to anyone who doesn’t live here coming in
Stairwells
By law we are required to keep these areas clear of any impediments to egress. Please do not use the stairwells to store your stuff, including bikes
Packages
Mario is kind enough to deliver our packages to our doorstep during the time he is at the building (6am-2:30pm)
For packages that are delivered after that time, he requests that we take our own packages to our apartments and not leave them out overnight if possible
Renovations and contractors
Please ensure ABC is advised, an Alteration Agreement is submitted and Board approval obtained. Mario is not allowed to approve any renovations or work on an apartment himself
Introduce Mario to your contractors so he is aware of who is in the building and what they are doing
As Mario knows the ins and outs more than anyone else, he can be a resource to your contractors to avoid any missteps
Make sure they clean up after themselves so that Mario doesn’t have to nag them
Let him know if you plan on going away for longer than a weekend
This enables Mario to keep and eye on your apartment and to watch out for you packages
Inform Mario if you have guests staying with you for an extended period
Mario is always vigilant as to who is in our building
If he knows you have guests he does not have to worry about security risks
please give Mario
the keys to your apartment
Under the Lease and House Rules, all apartments are required to provide current keys to their apartment.
Mario holds the keys to everyone’s apartment so that if there is a major problem and access to your apartment is required, he or an emergency responder does not have to break down the door
He can also help you gain access if you lose or forget your keys. Note that the House Rules recommend that you use a neighbor for this purpose but if he can, Mario will oblige
Mario can remotely unlock the door to the room where the keys are held in case of an emergency which he is not able to personally attend or if you need your keys during his off hours
Your keys are safe. ONLY Mario has access to the keys
Mario’s rooms in our building
Always a bit of a mystery, there are several doorways behind which few of us have ever ventured. These rooms are Mario’s domain and he controls access.
Inside front entrance vestibule - this is the electric meter and ejector pump room. The ramp for the front stairs and our flood/hurricane kit is housed here. The door is key-coded and if access is required ask Mario, including via phone if he is not in the building
Midway along the 1st floor corridor from the front door - behind another key-coded door is the gas meter room. Here Mario also keeps the keys that residents have provided him. ONLY MARIO has the codes to this room He can open it remotely if needed. He will not share the code for this room.
To the left of the elevator - this is the compactor room where Mario gets down and dirty. Don’t ask what he does there! He also keeps his tools in this room.
In the western stairwell, between 1st and 2nd floors - it’s Mario’s toilet! The plywood for barricading the front door in the event of flood risk is also kept here.
please remember Mario at the holidays!
He is irreplaceable and deserves recognition. Showing your appreciation of his dedication to our building and our quality of life is an appropriate holiday gesture.
Residents are always asking how much is appropriate to tip Mario at the holidays. A minimum of $150 is advised by ABC but many residents give him as much as $1,000 to $2,000 if they are able to. He is grateful for any amount and certainly does not expect anything. Whether you tip or not, he will provide you with the same services and devotion to duty.