Co-op and condo expo expanding to accommodate growing interest.

In response to a significant increase in the number of participants in the first residential real estate event of the new year, a second floor has been added to the exhibition area at the New York Hilton and additional seminars are being scheduled, announces Henry Robbins, executive vice president of The Cooperator, the publication that sponsors the annual event.

The day's events begin at 9 a.m. with a new seminar, "Hazardous Materials in Your Building: Lead and Asbestos Regulations," moderated by Michael J. Wolfe, president of Midboro Management, Inc. The featured panelists are: attorney Eric Goidel of Borah, Goldstein, Altschuler & Schwartz; John Butler of Kaye Insurance; and Irwin Sandler of Scientific Boiler Environmental.

Also beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing through 5 p.m. is part one of The Cooperator's New York State-approved 15-hour continuing education course for brokers and agents, "Understanding Co-ops & Condos," which is again being conducted through the New York Real Estate Institute. The fee for the entire course is $150 and requires advanced registration by calling the school at [phone].

Back by popular demand is "Refinancing Underlying Mortgages," lead by Robert Grant, director of property management for Diversified Property Management, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This year's panelists for the seminar will be Patrick Niland of First Funding; Mark Shernicoff of Zucker & Shernicoff, CPA; and attorney Eric Gonchar of Kane Kessler, PC.

From 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. another new seminar, "Overseeing Your Professionals: Checks & Balances" will be moderated by Greg Carlson of Carlson Realty, president of the Federation of New York Housing Cooperatives (FNYHC). It Will feature a preeminent group of panelists that include Steve Greenbaum of Mark Greenberg Real Estate; Donald H. Levy of Lawrence Properties; attorney Bruce Cholst of Rosen & Livingston; and CPA Carl Cesarano of Cesarano & Khan, PC.

The final seminar scheduled for the day is "How to Buy a Co-op or Condo" from 3 to 4 p.m. Among the panelists will be members of the Council of New York Cooperatives and Condominiums (CNYC). As always, seminars are available to Expo visitors without charge.

The Expo Exhibition Halls are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and this year's event will feature a food court. The well-regarded Free Advice Booths will once again feature many of New York's leading professionals, including attorneys and mortgage brokers lenders at Booth 61; property managers and real estate brokers at Booth 94; and insurance brokers at Booth 99. Free Advice booths will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Door prizes and complimentary copies of the Year 2000 edition of The Official Directory of Co-op & Condo Services will be distributed from The Cooperator's display area at Booth 25. Moreover, at 1 p.m. this booth will also be the site of the Grand Prize drawing in which a lucky apartment owner receives one month's free maintenance for up to $1,000. As in previous years, in order to qualify for the prize, contestants must be present at the time of the drawing, and will be asked to show a copy of a monthly invoice.

The day's events conclude with the Annual Leadership in Management Awards presentation at a gala cocktail party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are $15 and may be ordered at [phone], extension 321.