BuildingsNY show offers wide variety.

The BuildingsNY convention, held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center featured over 600 company booths, whose services ranged from best tenant investigation services to best toilet parts. Obviously, this was a far cry to the first convention back in 1979, which featured a whopping 12 booths. Larry Silverstein was the honored guest at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, after announcing his plans for the future of the former World Trade Center.

At the Hercules Corporation booth, visitors were entertained by a masochistic, card-trick playing magician, who invited volunteers to throw things at him after having them tie his hands up until they turned blue.

Prizes were given out to anyone who could make a slam dunk in the basketball net between all the wooden cabinets at the Modem Kitchen and Bath Designs Inc. booth. Even the non-winners got something. The Kitchens guys handed out basketballs to all of the participants. Other athletic types could have fun at the Kew-Forest Maintenance Supply booth, where there was a mini-golf course.

Mustard? Relish? Co-op loans? Answering to a higher authority, Meridian Capital Group thoughtfully provided convention visitors with Kosher Delight hot dogs, sparing them from shelling out $5 for the non-kosher variety at the Javits cafeteria.

The decor was both prehistoric and futuristic at the metal specialist booths. Aki Tzilvelis of Hi-Tech Metals Inc. (the makers of the waterfall tower at The Mariott) lovingly handcrafted his booth's centerpiece: a dinosaur skeleton. "We make parts for elevators, too!" Meanwhile Tien Mao, marketing associate for UAD Group, (architects and engineers who've done work for Newark Airport) operated out of a booth that resembled a cabin on a spaceship.

The quirkiest invention award should definitely go to the guys at Franmar Chemical, whose soybean-based paint, lead, latex and lead remover, Soy-gel can entirely strip, a wood floor without sanding; and make it all shiny, too. Just apply the odorless; skin-friendly goo and leave it for 10 hours. And voila! A completely smooth and clean floor.

Mel Neulander of GlassCare Inc. demonstrated how another useful material, a new type of glass film, removes. heavy scratches and graffiti from win dows. The film has been around for a few years, said Neulander, "but word hasn't gotten out yet, and it's so much cheaper than replacing the glass."

Some of the users of the film include Old Navy, French Connection and the MTA.

The grossest display award goes to Bug Doctor pest controllers, who decorated their booth with hundred of giant cockroaches. Fortunately they were all plastic.

"Don't worry," said Janice Barsuk, the company's accounting manager. "We get rid of the real ones."

At last! The landlord's revenge on his ultimate adversary: the pigeon, a.k.a. the flying rat. At the Bird Doctor booth, company rep Heath Waldorf explained that with a special type of screen they install, any bird that lands on it will feel a mild electric shock that makes them "know something's wrong and it's not safe to land." He also quickly pointed out that unlike some pigeon removal methods of the past, such as spikes or poisonous birdseed, the pigeons won't die or become injured. "It just gives. them a funny feeling." It's okay, Heath. As long as they're gone, we don't care.

Former New York Jet Joe Klecko manned the Urecoats booth, hawking the company's adhesives and water sealants made from recycled tires. Klecko, who retired from sports in 1989, seems to love his new gig.

"There's no boredom to go along with this," he said. "There's always something new and innovative."