More Updates

My helpful upstairs neighbor sent some good news:

good news(relitive), i just returned from 90 west, and I can say that at least while I was there, they had an elevator working tentatively.
I say that because it seemed that it took a team of three, with a lot of yelling up and down the shaft to get it to work, but I caught a ride to the 19th floor to fill my suitcase.
I had to take the stairs back down but that’s a breeze. Also, the lights in the stairwell and hallways are back on, but still no power/gas/water inside the apartments.

I went back to the building this afternoon as well, but I wasn't so lucky. I took the afternoon off work, and headed down to meet Lynn around 2pm. (Side note: I have the greatest boss in the world, who has let me take whatever time I need to deal with this, and even recommended I telecommute from CT a few days!) When I got to the building, the doorman on duty told me an elevator was working. But just then, the super radioed down to the doorman to say that he was stuck in the elevator on the 21st floor. Oh, and the mechanic was stuck in there with him. By the time Lynn arrived, they were still stuck in the elevator, so we walked all the way up the stairs again. Surprisingly, it didn't seem so bad this time. We cleaned out the fridge of anything that would go bad, packed a few more things, and headed out.

Some more notes from management came in. The first around 3:30pm:

Dear Residents,

We have secured a large block of rooms at the Hotel Pennsylvania (Located at 401 Seventh Ave). These rooms are available immediately and you will be reimbursed for your stay there. You can call or go to the hotel directly. You MUST say that you are from 90 West Street. The hotel is pet friendly. A continental breakfast is also included. The phone number for the hotel is 212.736.5000

For those of you that have already checked into the Ramada in Newark, NJ. You may transfer to the Hotel Pennsylvania tomorrow (If you choose). We will reimburse you for the difference between the Ramada and the Hotel Pennsylvania for this evening. If you are comfortable at the Ramada and wish to remain there, we will compensate you for the difference between the cost of the two hotel rooms.

We also ask that you dispose of all perishable food items in your refrigerators and freezers.

Again we will be holding an informational meeting tonight at 6pm at 100 Trinity Place. We hope to see you there.

And at 4:30pm:

Dear Residents,

We are aware that many of you have been contacting the Hotel Pennsylvania and booking rooms. Should all the rooms be taken, we are in the process of securing more rooms at an alternate hotel in Manhattan. We will update you once the location is confirmed.

We'll be heading over to the information meeting tonight after all, having elected to stay in the city for it. News on that later.