Friday, November 30, 2007

Second Information Meeting Scheduled for Saturday

This just came in:
We will be holding a second informational meeting Saturday, December 1st at 2pm. The meeting will be held at 100 Trinity Pl.

On Saturday and Sunday, the elevator will only be available from 9am-5pm. You will be able to access your apt after 5pm (on a case by case basis) via the staircase.

Over the next two days, building personnel will accompany our plumbers to reconnect the cooking gas in your apartments.

I'm hoping it's a good sign that they're reconnecting things in our apartments.

Meanwhile, since I'm out in Connecticut for the weekend, I don't think I'll be able to go to this meeting. If anyone out there does, please comment here and/or the 90weststreet blog.


Edit: 11:00pm

A few of the residents who have been spearheading the organizing of a tenant's association will be handing out information at the information meeting tomorrow. Head over to 90weststreet blog for full details. A draft of bylaws appeared on that blog for a short while, but seems to have been taken down. I'm reconsidering hanging around Connecticut all day tomorrow--since there really isn't much to do--so I am most likely going to attend the meeting. I'll post a summary here as soon as I can.

The People Have Spoken

And management listens:
We have received numerous requests for another tenant meeting. We are in the process of scheduling one and will update you once the time and location have been confirmed.


Edit 3:46pm

Another note from management:
December rent will not be due on the first and you will not incur any late fees.

Hopes are Raised

This just in from building management:
The claims office is now open!

Located at The Ritz Carlton
Rm # 417
Office will be open till 9pm tonight
Please call (866) 902-3276 for claim information or to schedule an appointment.

Our crews have been working non stop and have been making excellent progress. We anticipate that you'll be able to occupy your apartment by early next week.


It's great to hear what Leslie Riddle told me coming from building management themselves.

The Reiumbrusement Process

Derek over at 90weststreet blog went to the Ritz Carlton to see the claims office. He had this to say:
The claim office at the Ritz Carlton 2 West Street Room 417 is open at 7:00 a.m.. I don't remember when it closes. Today I met a sincere and attentive man, G-- who represents John R. riddle Associates, Inc. Third Party Administrator.

I was presented with a form that isn't very interesting so I won't bother scanning it and posting it.

The form asks for Name, Address, Family Members Residing at Address, Home Phone, Cell Phone, Work Phone and Email.

The rest of the form is just space for documenting Out of Pocket Expenses 1.) Clothing, 2.) Meals, 3.) Lodging, 4.) Transportation 5.) Incidental

Numerous pages are also attached to the form to be cited as generic losses.

I was asked to fill out the form but I declined on the excuse of being unprepared and exhausted and G-- told me to just write "will provide reciepts at a later time." sign and date. He made a copy, gave me the wet ink copy and off I went.

---------------------------

In addition to the form, I also obtained a handwritten note from G--:

Mail Reciepts to:
John Riddle Associates
125 Half Mile Road
Red Bank, NJ 07701
fax: 1-877-231-8636
917-390-2321


There's some discussion now about whether or not they're trying to divide the residents by dealing with us on a personal basis. While dividing large groups into individuals is a tried-and-true method of preventing those groups from acting together, I'm not sure this is the case. With some people staying with friends and family, some in the Ramada that building management is paying for, and some in hotels that they're getting reimbursed for, I'm not sure there's any way to do it that isn't on an individual basis. There's too much variety. Perhaps I'm being optimistic, but it seems that this is really more of an information gathering phase. They appear to be trying to gather data on all the residents so they can start building a record of what expenses people have incurred. Though I agree with some of my neighbors that it is happening surprisingly fast, Leslie Riddle told me yesterday to expect a phone call from them on Monday. It seems they're on the right track, but perhaps jumped the gun a little on acting without bringing everyone else up to speed.

Many residents are now calling for another big meeting to disseminate all the new information. That would certainly help get everyone on the same page.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Breaking News

I just got off the phone with Leslie Riddle. She does not work at the Port Authority, but rather for the law firm that is handling the claims made to the Port Authority via their hot line (866-902-3276). I called to ask for the procedure for reimbursements. She stated that on Monday, they will be calling of the residents who have called them thus far for the final procedure, but that it will involve either bringing receipts to a room they have setup at the Ritz Carleton (2 Battery Place) or an address to mail those receipts to. They are currently working on getting the funding to have everyone reimbursed by next week.

Next week? I asked if we should guess at the total expenses for the two weeks, or not. She said that it may not be necessary: Crews have been working around the clock on the building, and they're talking about moving residents back in as early as Tuesday!

Tuesday! Could it be? To be clear, Leslie told me that Tuesday was the goal, and not a final date. But it sure does sound promising.

"This is One Hell of a Building"

After last night's meeting, I hung around a bit to talk to P---, the building owner who was part of the rebuilding team of 90 West. An architect by trade, P--- first saw the building just after September 11th, when it was completely enshrouded in scaffolding. The damage to such a beautiful building was heartbreaking, but when he was taken up to the 21st floor and shown the detail and sculpture on the facade he knew it was worth any investment. Here are a few other fascinating facts about the building that I learned from P---.

Since the building is in the flood plane of the Hudson River (which is actually an estuary around NYC), the entire building is built upon under-water wooden piles. On top of these rest the steel columns encased in terra cotta block.

Originally, Cass Gilbert (the designer of 90 West, and later the Woolworth Tower) intended there to be an elaborate clock tower rising from the middle front of the building.

The gargoyle that guards our mailboxes is one of the three original gargoyles of that type remaining. Before P--- and his team took over the building, there was a very low-budget rebuilding planned. Part of that scheme involved recasting all of the sculptured gargoyles in fiberglass and then painting them to look like granite. So they sent one of the three intact gargoyles to a fiberglass facility. When P---'s group took over, they decided to rebuild everything using the original materials. They employed hundreds of granite carvers from Buffalo, NY all the way to northern Italy. And when they replaced all of the gargoyles atop the building, they learned of this one other original gargoyle at the fiberglass facility. So they shipped it back and installed it in the lobby.

In the northeast corner of the lobby is the only original 1907 terra cotta pilaster left. All the others were damaged or destroyed in the 70's when the building (an office building at the time) acquired its "modern" lobby. By the time P---'s group decided to restore the lobby to its 1907 splendor, no one knew if there was anything left of the original lobby. P--- told me last night of pulling down the northeast wall of the "modern" lobby and discovering the original terra cotta pilaster. He said it was "like opening Tut's tomb." They cast that pilaster and used it to recreate the rest of the pilasters around the lobby. But you can still tell which one is the original, it even feels different from the others to the touch.

The gargoyles around the 16th floor, which are just heads with faces, were all lost in the 9/11 damage. P---'s team recast them, but having no faces to reference, they took a note from Cass Gilbert's book and put themselves into the gargoyles. You'll find P---'s face up there, as well as his nephew, and many other of the leaders of the restoration project.

On the roof of the building are three recreated granite griffins, all facing the WTC out of respect. There is also a plaque commemorating the two people who died in the elevator during the 9/11 attacks.

P---, as I said before, loves this building. His face lights up at the chance to talk about it's structure, design, history--everything. He even offered to take me on a tour of the more interesting elements of the building when all this mess is behind us. I cannot wait to take him up on that.

"This is one hell of a building," he said.

Another Update from Management (Hotline)

This just came in:

Dear Residents,

We know that many of you could not attend last nights meeting. Here is a brief overview of what was covered.

¢ª The cause of the flood was due to work being done by the Port Authority at ground zero. A new storm/sewer line that was being constructed by the PANYNJ was left open and flooded our cellar. As a result all our utilities (electrical switch room, gas boosters, heat and fire protection) were devastated. Without these major systems in place, the building had to be evacuated. Originally our contractors had advised that the building would be closed for two weeks. Things are going well with the repairs and cleanup. We believe we will be able to open the building sooner.


¢ª This has been an awful experience for everyone. Our central focus remains to find all of our tenants comfortable temporary housing and get you back into your apartment as quickly as possible. The Port Authority has set up a hotline to handle your claims. The phone number is (866) 902-3276. There will be a PANYNJ claims center set up. Information about that will be forthcoming. City Councilman, Alan Gerson offered his support and services to those in need. He can be contacted at gerson@council.nyc.ny.us.

¢ª The NYC Buildings Department has confirmed the structural integrity of the building. This report and our independent report will be posted on the 90westresidents.com website early next week.

¢ª We will have independent air and water quality tests performed and the results will also be made available to you online.

¢ª Councilman Gerson has met with the Port Authority to discuss noise issues at Ground Zero. They are trying to establish ¡°Quiet Hours¡±. The representative from the Port Authority claims they should have an answer by the end of the week on this issue.

¢ª We are implementing additional security in the building.

¢ª Mail is still being delivered to the building. The valet will be open M-F from 8am-8pm, Sat. and Sun. from 8am-5pm.

¢ªAs an additional reminder we ask that you empty your refrigerators and freezers of perishable items. Trash bags will be provided. If you cannot physically carry the food items, please ask the super or handymen for assistance

¢ª Con Ed has advised us that it is not necessary to unplug your electronics.

¢ª If you are currently without housing, a block of rooms are reserved at the Roosevelt Hotel. Please call (888)833-3969. Please use the code: 90 West

90 West Management


The hotline is up! (866) 902-3276

Solidarity

There are two other blogs in existence for the residents of 90 West.

http://90weststreet.blogspot.com/

http://90westresidents.blogspot.com/

It's heartening to see residents talking to each other so much more. It will both help us keep organized in the face of our current situation, and hopefully make the building a little more friendly when we all get to go home again.

Thanks to "Neighbor from 19th Floor" and Derek of 90weststreet.blogspot.com for bringing these blogs to my attention.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

"It's Not Going to be More Than Two Weeks, and I Hope to God It's Not Even Two Weeks"

So said one of the building owners at the information meeting tonight. For the sake of simplicity, we'll call him P---. This owner more or less led the meeting tonight, although at least one other owner was there, as well as the building manager and a few other staff members. Also in attendance were:
  • City Council Member Alan Gerson
  • Glen Guzi, Senior External Affairs Representative, Public and Government Affairs, of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
  • An unnamed representative of Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the New York Assembly (our representative)
  • A NY1 cameraman
  • Hundreds of residents


The meeting began with P--- giving a fairly detailed account of what actually happened on Monday. I'll try to give a synopsis, since I was able to take a few notes on a piece of paper given to me by another neighbor.

As part of the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, the Port Authority (who owns the site) is constructing an underground secure truck facility immediately north of 90 West, beneath Cedar Street. This required redirecting a sewer main that runs beneath the WTC site. The Port Authority decided, with the City's consent, to redirect that sewer main through the sidewalk vault of 90 West. (Many, if not most, buildings in New York have sidewalk vaults.) The "downstream" end of this sewer main was connected to the massive main line that runs under West Street. The "upstream" end of this sewer main had not been connected to anything. While the Port Authority was building this sewer main, they were simultaneously building a wall that would separate permanently the sidewalk vault from the underground garage of 90 West.

Late Sunday night, and into Monday morning, it was raining heavily. The heavy rainfall, combined with a strong incoming Moon tide, overwhelmed the main line under West Street, sending water and sewage up the pipe. It continued up the redirected sewer main, and since the "upstream" end was not connected to anything, it spilled out into the sidewalk vault--and thus into our garage and sub-basement. Cars in the garage were submerged, the sub-basement had anywhere from 7 to 20 feet of standing water, and the enormous custom-made electrical switchboard that distributes electricity to the apartments was "devastated."

Since then, numerous City services have pumped all the water out and assessed the damage to the switchboard. It will have to be completely replaced, and this is the main reason the evacuation was extended to two weeks. Building management contacted the company that built the switchboard, Five Star, who has already began gathering components to rebuild. Meanwhile, ConEd has supplied a generator to heat the building and prevent pipes from freezing, and also to run the emergency lights and one elevator.

From here, the questions began and it quickly deteriorated as people expressed their anger, frustration, and general woe at being forced out of their homes. Lots of questions were answered by P---, with Glen Guzi of the Port Authority and Councilmember Alan Gerson chiming in to answer. Here is the important information:

  • By tomorrow, the Port Authority will have an 800 number, and an office at 140 Broadway open to field claims from residents of 90 West. This will include hotel costs, travel costs, and any other incurred costs such as utility bills, etc. So keep your receipts!
  • In general, Glen Guzi stated and re-stated that the Port Authority is committed to addressing the residents' needs, and will pay for costs incurred
  • Also tomorrow, they are going to announce a maximum rate for hotels
  • The Port Authority will finish the wall sealing off the sidewalk vault withing a day or two
  • The Department of Buildings has stated that 90 West is structurally sound (Although a resident who happens to be the Deputy Commissioner of Forensics for the Department of Buildings stated that the final report from the engineer has not yet been received)
  • The mail room will remain open it's normal hours, 7am to 8pm
  • Building management is setting up an email address for them and the Port Authority to be a "one-stop shopping" address for all concerns
  • Security will be increased, and better records of repair crews entering apartments will be kept
  • People staying with friends or family and not needing reimbursements for hotels will also be compensated on an equal level to those staying in hotels


My impressions were, on the whole, relatively positive. P--- seemed genuinely honest. He clearly has a passion for this building, having been on the team that rebuilt it after September 11th, and it shows. Standing in front of all the residents was a daunting task, but he stayed calm and reaffirmed his intentions to make sure everyone has a place to stay, and is compensated for their losses. He even walked up to apartments with residents on Monday. Glen Guzi from the Port Authority was probably the most attacked person in the room, as representatives of the Port Authority tend to be. But he confidently stated that the PA would help--we'll just have to see. (Their track record is not exactly the best.) Many of the residents were confrontational, and understandably so, but many were also very calm and polite. Ultimately, the meeting didn't really bring out much new information, but it did allow residents to speak their concerns, and building management and City officials to hear them.

Now we wait and see if the promises are kept.

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.

Jersey Fun

One helpful neighbor posted some information in a comment on the last post. Although I'm not staying in New Jersey, I just wanted to pull that out here, in case any other neighbors stumble by:

so Im staying at the hotel in Newark, and i was terribly nervous about transportation. i had it in my mind that id have to spend $30 a day on the NJ train. As it turns out, you can catch the Path at ground zero, then jump on the Ramada shuttle bus from Newark Penn station to the hotel. Or catch the 62 bus which stops right in front of the hotel.
it doesnt sound to hard.


Thank you, neighbor! Meanwhile, the building management has announced a meeting tonight:

We will be holding an informational meeting at 6 pm at 100 Trinity Place. Hope to see you there.


I'm not entirely certain I'll be able to make it to the informational meeting, so if anyone out there does go to it, please fill me in! You can post comments to this blog, or email me directly at andrew.justin.fleming(at)gmail.com. I'm glad a few neighbors have already commented on this blog and emailed me, the more communication we have amongst ourselves, the better off we'll be.

Now, off to climb those stairs one more time....

Progress, of a Sort

This came in about 8:15pm last night, building management finally speaks about the mysterious hotel in Jersey:

Dear Residents,

We are currently working with OEM to set up a hotline to more efficiently answer your calls and questions.

We have gotten numerous inquiries regarding the 9am-5pm access to the building. If you need to access your apartment after 5pm, this may be done so on a limited case by case basis.

We understand what an inconvenience this situation represents. We have been in constant contact with our insurance companies as well as the Port Authority regarding the matter. Even though we have gotten no word about compensation or coverage, the management has decided to provide two possibilities:

If you find your own housing you will receive a pro-rated rent credit for twice the amount of your rent.

If you can't arrange your own housing during this period, we will provide accommodations at the Ramada Hotel in Newark, New Jersey PH: (973) 824-4000. If you choose to stay at the Ramada, we will pay for the room and give you a rent credit for the period of time you are out of the building. We are in the process of arranging transportation to and from the hotel and PATH station. We will have an update on the NJ hotel and transportation in the morning.

For those that want to stay at the Ramada please email XXXX XXXX ASAP at [email address]

Thank you


And then, around 10:30pm, information about carting us off to Jersey arrives.

The first confirmed shuttle bus to the Ramada Hotel in Newark, NJ will arrive at 90 West St at 11am to begin boarding passengers. The bus will depart 90 West St at 12pm sharp! Pets are welcome at the Ramada Hotel and on the shuttle buses. Please crate your pets for the bus ride. We will be adding additional shuttle bus information regarding future trips as we receive confirmation from our transportation. Please check the 90westresidents.com website for future updates.


Lynn and I have decided to stay with her parents in Connecticut until our building opens up again. (Yes, I can't believe I'm going back either.) As much as we'd love to stay in Newark, staying in Connecticut might be slightly more pleasant.

So, today we're heading back into the building one last time to gather a few things, and then it's off to Connecticut. I'll be commuting into the city most days, and will probably work from home for a few days. Now I'm just playing it by ear.

And hoping, like my neighbor who commented on yesterday's post, that it doesn't turn into more than two weeks.

Edit:

And hey, more media coverage!
The Daily News
The New York Post
Gothamist

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

It Just Keeps Getting Better (Worse) and Better (More Worse)

A new update from the building management:

Dear Residents,

We have been working around the clock assessing and repairing damage caused by the Port Authority. The major problem lies within the central electrical distribution room. The equipment needs to be entirely replaced due to water damage. We have received word from our electricians that 90 West St could potentially be closed for the next two weeks. The electrical and other repair crews will be working 24 hours a day to try and restore service to the building sooner. We will keep you informed of their progress.

We have agreed to reimburse tenants for hotel expenses incurred on Monday and Tuesday night. For people without accommodations for this evening we have secured a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn located at 440 West 57th Street. 212 581-8074. Contact Rachel. For people with pets there are still some rooms at The Hotel Pennsylvania located at 401 7th Ave 212-736-5000.

If you did not stay at a hotel for these nights a pro rated rent rebate will be issued.

Since the magnitude of the situation has grown we advise tenants to contact their insurance carriers. For those people who cannot find alternative housing after tonight we are working on securing rooms at a hotel in New Jersey near to a Path Station. We will update the web site with information on this option later today.

There will be access to the building from 9am to 5pm however no one can move back to the building until the repairs are complete.

We sincerely regret the inconvenience this situation represents. Please be assured that we and the City are doing everything possible to expedite the repairs necessary to get you back home at 90 West Street. We plan to hold an informational meeting tomorrow evening. We will update the web site with the time and place.


So, we're officially homeless for the next two weeks, if not more.

But hey, did you note the phone number of the Hotel Pennsylvania? PA6-5000! The oldest continually used phone number in history. Cue Glenn Miller....

Media Round-Up

Well, the press certainly has jumped on this one! If only that would speed things up....

Check out the coverage on;
Gothamist, a local NYC blog (on my favorites!)
New York 1, the local news station
The New York Times
The Daily News
The New York Post
WNBC

And hey, even hipster photographers are getting in on the fun! Bella atmosfera indeed.

Also, TV news: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ddcS85x2jtk

Of course, there are a few inaccuracies in the press. I'm not sure I'd consider the building "luxury." It's quite nice--nicer than any place I've ever lived in--but certainly not top-of-the-line for New York. Our rent is far more reasonable than most places in Manhattan. The parking garage beneath the building is a public garage. A few tenets have cars there, but no one I know in the building owns a car. It's mostly commuters who park there, since it's location is pretty convenient for people who drive in. And most egregious, all the people who do live in Battery Park City luxury apartments will tell you flat-out that 90 West is most certainly not in Battery Park City. In fact, the building pre-dates the construction of Battery Park City by 65 years. When 90 West was built in 1907, it was built right on the Hudson River. Construction on Battery Park City began in 1972, extending the coast of Manhattan west of West Street. The apartment building is on the east side of West Street, meaning it is a part of the Financial District.

Being a Refugee

Another update from the building management came in last night:

Attention Residents of 90 West Street.
Due to flooding in the sub-basement of your building and the negative effect on utilities, the New York City Housing and Preservation Department has issued an order to vacate 90 West St. Your building will be closed until the utilities can be restored.

As of 9 pm residents of 90 West Street will not be able to re-enter the building. Re-entry will continue tomorrow (Tuesday, Nov. 27th) with an escort for safety purposes. If you need to enter your apartment for an important purpose (i.e. a pet or medications), go to the front desk of the building tomorrow between 9AM and 5Pm, and you will be escorted up, and then back out again. Have patience, this could be a slow process.

It is not known exactly how long the building will be closed to occupancy. If you are re-entering your apartment to retrieve clothes or medicine, you may want to plan for the possibility that it may be 48 to 72 hours before the building is cleared for moving back in.

For additional information or services, The American Red Cross and the NYC Department of Homeless Services have opened a Reception Center located at 2 West St at the Ritz Carlton in the Heritage Room tonight. See below for directions.

For more information:

Tomorrow if you need updates on whether you can re-enter the building, you can check on the BuildingLink site's "Library" by going to www.XXXXXXX.com and using your regular login, or if you do not remember your regular login, you can log in with user name "XXXXXX" and password "XXXXXX".

We will also try to keep you updated via your email addresses in the BuildingLink database, and via BuildingLink's new voice-broadcast system, which will send you a voice message to your cell phones. YOU CAN ALSO CALL 311.

Temporary Relocation Information for Tenants of 90 West:

The following hotels have rooms available, just say that you are from 90 West St. Tenants are expected to make their own arrangements and pay for their hotel and will later be reimbursed by management. You are welcome to make accommodations at other hotels, and will be reimbursed by management as long as it is a reasonable rate.

IF YOU DECIDE TO STAY WITH A FRIEND instead of at a hotel, you will be reimbursed your 90 West rent for the days that you are displaced.

[long list of hotels and pet kennels]


About the time this email came in, Lynn and I had just arrived at the building to gather a few things. The streets around it were closed off and full of firemen, policemen, and city workers. In the lobby, stepping over hoses and cables that ran from the elevator shafts out the front door, we were greeted by a city worker who gave us a flashlight and pointed us to the stairwell.

We live on the 18th floor. It took a while.

When we got to our floor, we made our way through the dark hallway to our apartment. The apartment itself was actually pretty bright, with all the ambient light of NYC coming through the windows. We gathered some clothes, salvaged what we could from the freezer, and set off back down the stairs.

As we made our way down the stairs city workers and firemen greeted us every few floors calling down ahead of us on their radios that two more people were coming down. At the bottom were a group of other residents who were not being allowed up until we had reached the bottom.

We grabbed a taxi and went over to a friend's place to stay. He's been kind enough to take us in for the next couple of days.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Homeless!

Aw crap:

Dear Residents,

Due to the flooding in the cellar from to World Trade construction HPD has ordered all residents to leave your apartment. We anticipate that the building will be without power, cooking gas and water for up to 72 hours. If you need to collect your personal belongings there will be personnel in the building lobby to assist you. Support services will be located at the Ritz Carlton located at 2 West Street, 2nd Floor for further info call [phone number removed].

We are very sorry for this inconvenience.


I'm off to go gather some things and stay with a friend, it seems.

An Update

Well, it seems this morning's flood was a little more serious than I thought. From our building manager:

Dear Residents,

Due to a problem with the city's utilities, our building suffered a flood this morning. In an effort to preserve the safety of the building and our tenants- we were forced to cut off electricity & gas to the building. We are currently working with FDNY, NYPD, Con Edison and the Office of Emergency Management to restore service to 90 West. We are still waiting for an update from officials to let us know when we can expect power to be restored. We will be setting up an emergency hotline and will be sending you updates via email as we receive more information from the OEM. We apologize for this unforeseen event and we are exhausting every effort possible to restore service to you.


Fortunately, Lynn and I have candles everywhere in the apartment. Power outages are rare in NYC, but this could be interesting.

The Firemen are Back

This morning seemed like most mornings: I wake up, I take a shower, I leave for work. But when I walked out of my apartment, the only lights in the hallway were emergency lights. The elevators were out of order. And at the bottom of my 18-story walk downstairs, the lobby was full of firemen.

No fire, thank goodness, but it seems the basement has flooded. Hopefully it's all back in working order before I have to go home--I'm not looking forward to climbing back up all those steps!