Power's coming back on for most of SoPo in Manhattan, but that's not necessarily of help to the 130 or so flooded buildings that suffered mechanical or other failures as a result of seawater. Herein, we're tracking everything we've heard about building statuses. Got intel or memos to share? Email tips@curbed.com. Anonymity guaranteed.
The tips continue to roll in from readers as power is starting to return to some buildings while many others remain uninhabitable and are still in the process of assessing damage. The latest, below. Keep the intel coming about once-flooded buildings in all five boroughs to tips@curbed.com. We'll keep updating over the weekend, and, it seems, well into December. See also Curbed's Unsafe/Restricted Use Buildings Map.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON (11/30/2012) UPDATES
1 West Street (FiDi): A few residents have written in saying they've received rent bills despite not being allowed to move back into the building, and the latest memo from management explains that:
First off, for anyone who received a rent bill in your e-mail today, please disregard it. Until you are back in your homes, we cannot determine the final amount of the credit, so no bills should have gone out. There will be no amounts due for December because of the rent credits, and the bills were released by mistake by my AR department. It's only the people who get bills delivered by e-mail who would have gotten these, so you can disregard them and any amounts showed as owing. I apologize for any confusion this has caused you.
Secondly, all ACH and Amex profiles have been deactivated for the month, and nothing will be billed to either system tomorrow. I assume none of you have sent in checks for any amounts for December, but if you have, and the bank receives them, the lockbox automatically posts any check they receive, so those amounts will be posted to your ledgers, and will be a further credit going forward. We cannot stop these checks from being posted.
Once you are back in your homes, and all credits have been posted, you will get a copy of your December bill sent to you showing the full amount credited off. In addition, as we are past the 30 day mark, there will be a partial credit that will apply towards any amounts you owe for January.
Finally, for your clarification, no electric amounts will be posted to your bills for December, and the electric now being used because of the generators will not be charged to you as residents. Only when ConEd service is restored in full to the building will you be charged again for the electric usage in your apartment.
88 Greenwich: The building expects to reopen to residents next week. A tipster who went by the building yesterday says there were no working elevators, "but at least one of the elevator doors was open and lighted."
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON (11/28/2012) UPDATES
20 West Street (FiDi): The building has power and three elevators are running, according to the latest memo. The building is scheduling the city-required walk-through with an architect and hope to have the building declared habitable this week. That means residents should, if all goes according to this timeline, be able to move back home sometime between today and Friday.
1 West (Fidi): Management filed this long update earlier this afternoon:
I met a father of a resident in the lobby today, who told me that residents just want to be leveled with and told exactly what is going on. It is hard to communicate how complicated this situation has been and how frustrated we have been when we could not give definitive information because we did not have all the answers. But right now, let me level with you now and let you know where we stand. The simplest way to put it, is that we won't be able to bring you home safely tonight.
The lights are on in all of the apartments, but not in the hallways, stairwells or lobby. We are working on getting the hallways, stairwells and lobby lit and we plan that this can be done by tomorrow. The generator we just placed on-line can handle the hallways, lobby and stairwell, but there are two different electric systems in place, and the hallways, lobby and stairwell are on a lower voltage system. Because of that, an additional low wattage generator has been brought in to power those systems and will be in place and hooked up tomorrow. In addition, as is to be expected with complex machinery, some further hiccups have occurred with the larger generator, and as I indicated, we really need it running for 24 hours straight to make sure that it will continue operating once you return. The problems have now been solved, but as indicated, we need to make sure it is safe for you to return.
There is a working elevator now, but only one. This one goes to every floor, meeting the DOB requirements, but it's the only one currently operating. They are working on restoring power to a second elevator as we speak, but it is not yet in operation for residents.
The building water supply tanks are being filled, and they are testing the water pressure and systems to make sure all is operational, but they need to finish wiring up another pump (in progress) to get the proper pressure to reach all apartments. In addition, we are still testing the gas lines to make sure all are properly operating, and need to do some more testing before we can fully restore gas service. Without gas service, there is no hot water.
The mobile boiler is operating as expected, and is generating steam for the heat, but the teams working on it still need to be able to properly test the new pump that would allow us to deliver the heat to the building, so the building is still cold. They anticipate that they should be able to get the heat started into the building later today or tonight.
We are doing environmental testing of each floor, as prudence dictates, and they are testing the air quality. These results will not be available until tomorrow.
Basically, what I am telling you is that we are about 85% there to restoring you to your lives at Ocean, but we are not all the way there, and we do not want you to move back into an apartment that is only partially restored. You, the residents, expect to be able to live in a safe and comfortable environment and we are doing our best to get you there, but safety concerns demand that we not rush you in this evening.
So, though it may be frustrating, what I am saying to you is at this rate, we need some more time to make the tweaks that are needed to make sure everything is safe for your return. We will not be able to return you to the building this evening. We are now anticipating that we should be able to welcome you back to your homes on Friday, 11/30 at 5pm. Assuming all continues to go well, and we solve the remaining issues, we should easily be able to meet that time and bring you back home.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON (11/27/2012) UPDATES
75 West/110 Washington (FiDi): A tipster tells us management has offered a half-month credit toward January rents. "Still no green sticker showing unrestricted access to the building. Have asked management repeatedly to provide a date that we received full clearance to inhabit the building and were no longer under restricted use."
100 Maiden Lane (FiDi): The lights came on at 100 Maiden Lane more than a week ago, but a tipster says the power was out again last night, with "fire trucks and complete chaos." Anyone know more?
200 Water Street (FiDi): The latest memo from management explains that power will be shut off for four to eight hours tomorrow, November 28: "To complete the switch from the temporary generator to the new transformers installed by Con Edison, which will provide a permanent source of electricity to the building, we will need to shut down power to the building for several hours. Therefore, the building will be without power starting at approximately 9:30am on Wednesday, November 28th, for a period of 4-8 hours. During this time period, the building will be without electricity, elevator, water, and heat service."
1 West Street (FiDi): Yesterday night's update from management still listed today as residents' likely return date:
Today has been spent working to try and power up the building. We have been working all day to hook up the temporary equipment and get power and heat back into the building. The test of the equipment was scheduled for earlier, but was delayed and is now taking place. As soon as the equipment is tested, we can start the process of powering up the building. It will be a slow process, but the crews will be working all night to get this done. At the same time that they are powering up the building, other crews will be testing the building equipment. As indicated previously, we have been working in advance by replacing damaged pumps and motors and we are just waiting on the power. The elevators are ready, the pumps are ready. The work underneath the building is drawing to a close, and the environmental teams have pronounced that it is safe for our residents to return. We are just waiting on the power to be restored.
It is the current belief that we should be able to get residents back tomorrow, probably in the evening. However, I cannot give you an exact time at this hour. It will depend on what happens while powering up the building.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON (11/25/2012) UPDATES:
88 Greenwich (FiDi): A tenant was able to get his hands on project management update from the 21st. Cold running water has been restored, heat and hot water are expected to be restored this week, and a temporary generator has been delivered (but not yet set up.) The next part is less encouraging:
This is only a temporary solution. Meanwhile, the contractors are working on completely restoring power in the building. In order for this to occur, the main switches (which as you were previously made aware were also completely submerged) require replacement. Unfortunately the main switches are original to the building and are difficult to obtain. There are several companies, including representatives from NYC Rapid Repair (a subdivision of the Mayor's office) who are currently in the process of locating the switches. There does not appear to be any timeframe for residents moving back in. There was also this tidbit: "This is a reminder: All storage bins were submerged in salt water mixed with oil." Just try to think of it as a nice salad dressing.
257 Water Street (FiDi): A tipster sent us the following email: "I'm a resident at 257 Water St, the cute 6 story building above Acqua Restaurant that's currently managed by Camelot Reality (or 810-257 Water St, LLC -- they're essentially the same entity). We all just received notice, via our monthly rent bills, that our rent will not be pro-rated, even though we were out for 10 days, first because of the mandatory evacuation orders (we're in Zone A) and then because of the building repairs after the storm."
394 East 8th Street (Alphabet City): Management initially offered to prorate residents' November rents by 25 percent. However, residents claim in a strongly worded email to management that "our building did not have basic amenities restored until the night of November 15, 2012 at the earliest. We were all without some combination of heat, hot water or water pressure in our units." They demanded that rent by prorated to reflect the entire half-month that the building wasn't livable, also adding, "Note that we are also still awaiting a number of repairs to the building--including new laundry and storage facilities, cleanup of common areas such as hallways, new intercom and key systems, etc.--which are causing extra expenses and inconveniences." Management then requested a meeting with representatives of the unified tenants. Apparently, it didn't go well. From a tipster: "After requesting a meeting with the tenants regarding rent abatement, the management company turned off the heat to the entire building. It has been off since Wednesday evening, including Thanksgiving Day. We have received no response from them as to when or if it will be turned back on."
TUESDAY AFTERNOON (11/20/2012) UPDATES:
200 Water Street (FiDi): One resident of 200 Water Street tells us there is limited manual use of the service elevator, that there was no water as of last night, and that the power is coming from a generator, with "no definitive timeframe" about the restoration of power from Con Ed. This tipster currently has no gas or heat. UPDATE: Today's official memo from building management says the following:
The main lobby entrance on Water Street is now open. The Pearl Street entrance is no longer open, except for normal freight deliveries. US mail delivery resumed today, and the valet has also reopened. Elevators are now operational to all floors. One elevator is serving the low-rise floors of the building (floors 2-14), and two elevators are serving the high-rise floors (floors 15-32). Repair crews continue working to restore the remaining elevators, and during this time there may be intermittent elevator shut downs. Water service is still not fully operational. Crews are on-site working to restore full service as quickly as possible, and we will update you tomorrow on the status. 160 Front Street (FiDi): Residents are not pleased by the communication from management?or lack thereof?thus far. A tipster has seen no sign of crews cleaning and says there is still sediment from the flooding on the building's floor.
1 West Street (FiDi): Here's yesterday's update from building management:
We still are shooting for a target date of November 27th for residents to return to the building. The vendor has notified us of a slight delay in getting the temporary equipment to the Ocean, but we anticipate it's arrival by Tuesday and we are prepping for it's arrival by putting together the necessary equipment to hook up the temporary service to our building equipment. Once it does arrive, we are prepared to take all necessary steps to get the building hooked up quickly, but safely. The delay in the equipment delivery should not negatively affect our ability to keep the 27th as the goal for return.
On another note, some of you have expressed concern about mold as an issue at the building, or other environmental concerns that may negatively affect your health when you return. Although I indicated that our primary concern is to get you back into your homes, please note, that we are not ignoring this concern. We have engaged the services of a company called TMC Environmental Services. They are not only handling the removal of damaged equipment and traces of the oil, but are also removing damaged walls and doors, and anything else that may have been negatively affected by the exposure to the water. In addition, TMC has provided the ventilation equipment that allowed us to vent out the fumes that made the building smell during the days after the storm. They are also constantly monitoring and testing the air quality, and will make sure that the building is safe to return to at the time we are able to bring you home. We are committed, and will continue to work to not just returning you to your homes quickly, but also safely.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON (11/18/2012) UPDATES:
100 Maiden Lane (FiDi): A tipster sent along some photos (above) showing that the lights are now on in the lobby and hallway, thanks to the generator. The target re-occupancy date of November 19 (tomorrow) appears to still be on track.
95 Wall (FiDi): Yesterday was "Move-Back Day" according to management. We haven't heard anything since, so we'll assume it went well.
90 Washington (FiDi): Management sent the following email to residents yesterday:
The Moinian Group and Management Team of 90 Washington Street takes great pleasure in announcing that we can welcome back the residents on 90 Washington Street from the lobby to the 17th floor starting tonight at 7pm. We anticipate being able to invite residents on higher floors back by tomorrow.
At the moment we have been able restore full power to the building, we have heat and hot water up to the 17th floor, and all building life safety systems are fully functional. At this time, there are two elevators available for our residents to use. One of them will take residents for floors 2-12 and another for floors 14 and above. That was followed, however, by this email from a tipster:
Sounds GREAT! Except for the fact that people on those floors have returned and LOTS are reporting no heat and no hot water (some apartments have it, but many more don't... We have a google group discussion going and keeping everyone updated). Sounds very much like management is trying to rush people back in to stop the clock on issuing rent credits. They also have not confirmed whether or not DoB certifications have been filed and have been overtly rude saying that it's not any of our business and to (actual quote) 'leave it to the professionals.' FRIDAY AFTERNOON (11/16/2012) UPDATES:
200 Water Street (FiDi): Electricity and heat have been restored. The lobby should be restored by this evening, as should water service. As of yesterday, the building remained on schedule for the DOB to lift its evacuation order of the building by tonight, but building management isn't making any promises. UPDATE: An update from the building today has a slightly revised timeline: "Barring any unanticipated delays, we expect to have the evacuation order lifted by early next week at which time you may occupy the building, and rent credits will be granted."
90 Washington: (FiDi): Building management sent the following update to building residents this morning:
ConEdison and the building staff and electricians worked overnight last night to start powering the building on. As indicated last night, it needed to be done slowly for safety reasons. As of 9am this morning, we had returned power to the steam and water pumps, the elevators and the fire safety equipment. Representatives from the elevator company, ConEd and the company who maintain the fire safety equipment have arrived, or are coming today to test all of their equipment and make any repairs or adjustments that need to be made to insure the safe operation of their equipment.
This testing and slow powering up of the building will continue through out the day and will continue as long as it takes to make sure that we return you to a safe environment. We all want to get you home quickly, but we also want to return you to a safe building.
1 West Street: The building has gotten its hands on the temporary equipment needed for power and steam. "Temporary generators and a temporary boiler will be on-site within the next few days, and then we'll be hooking up the units to the building systems so that we can get the building running again. We still feel that we can do this within the time line I indicated on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the cleaning and repairs of the sub basement levels of the building continues around the clock. That work will continue at the same time we are working on the temporary systems so we're making excellent progress in getting you home."
THURSDAY AFTERNOON (11/15/2012) UPDATES:
90 Washington (FiDi): Management filed an optimistic update with residents late yesterday:
ConEdison has been in the building since yesterday, working to get their equipment replaced/repaired. As of this hour, this replacement is nearing completion. We are getting good readings on our equipment during testing but ConEdison is still waiting at this hour for the readings they need to power on the building. They will continue working on it until their equipment shows the reading they need, and then we will be begin the process of powering on the building.
Once we are able to successfully power on the building, then we will begin powering on the building life safety systems and testing the equipment. This could take 1-2 additional days. Also, during this time, we'll be working with ConEd Steam to get the heat and hot water returned to the building.
394 East 8th Street (Alphabet City): The building has finished basement cleanup is starting to rebuild with the installation of sheetrock. Once that's done, the building will get a new laundry room.
75 West/110 Washington (FiDi): Hot water has been restored, according to a posting on the residents' message board yesterday. There is no update on whether the heat is on.
100 Maiden Lane (FiDi): Management filed this update last night:
At this time we have successfully installed a high powered generator which is capable of providing power to the building on a near-full scale basis. We have already been able to switch over all building systems to this temporary power source.
Heat to the building has already been restored at the mechanical room level and we anticipate to have heat throughout the building restored by this Friday, November 16th. Additionally, one of the building's elevators that services all floors has been restored and we are currently in the process of bringing online additional elevators in service as soon as they are readily available for use. Both hot and cold water systems which were also effected by the Hurricane are in the process of being restored and our anticipated turn-on date is Saturday, November 17th, 2012.
Essentially, we are on target and prepared to make the building fully operational and ready for your return and re-occupancy on Monday, November 19th, 2012.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON (11/14/2012) UPDATES:
90 Washington (FiDi): The most recent update is much the same as yesterday's: Con Ed is replacing its equipment, and once that's done, the building can connect it to 90 Washington's own equipment and get things running again. Testing all of the systems will take a day or two.
20 West Street (FiDi): An update from management yesterday afternoon offered a long rundown on the efforts to get water out of the building and restore services. The upshot is that the building is working on getting temporary systems in place "while also designing a new design for permanent power on a higher floor of the building." The current timeframe for getting temporary power and other services in place "is four weeks, no earlier than December 10th."
2 Gold (FiDi): The residents of this building were told yesterday that their estimated return date is March 1, 2013. Building manager TF Cornerstone held a town hall meeting for residents last night (with attendance capped at 50 and limited to leaseholders, according to one tipster), and someone caught it on audio.
1 West (FiDi): Here's yesterday's update on building repairs:
On the clean up front, the crews continue to work around the clock to clear out the damage and debris that was left behind as the waters were pumped out. The structure of the building is sound, and was not damaged in any way, but many interior doors and surfaces were damaged by the waters and oil leak, and that work will continue for some time. That said, the DOB has indicated that this will not in any way hinder us from bringing back the residents to the building. If any of you have been to the building in the last couple of days, you will notice a distinct change in the air quality and smell. The air quality is still being tested on an hourly basis, and there is no danger for our tenants who come to the building to collect belongings. On the power front, Con Edison has been working around the clock on replacing their equipment that was damaged by the storm. At the current time, we are working on getting our equipment assessed and repaired, but as a short-term solution, we are bringing in temporary equipment that will help us restore services to the building while we work to make permanent repairs.
Once we get power back, the next step is to test all of the life safety systems in the building, which will take 1-2 days. Once all systems are confirmed safe and in working order, and the DOB signs off, then we will be able to welcome you back to the building.
Based on the discussion in the meeting and the plans involved, we will need a little more time than last reported, but are firmly committed to returning you to your home within the next two weeks from today. It is possible that it could be sooner, but we would like to err on the side of caution and tell you two more weeks. As previously indicated, you will continue to receive a rent concession for each day that you are displaced from your apartment.
200 Water Street (FiDi): The Tuesday afternoon update on the return timeline for residents:
As of 1:00pm on Tuesday, 11/13/2012, we are continuing to work diligently to fully restore all building services. The refrigerator cleaning and trash removal per our prior messages has just begun and we continue to prepare the building for your return. In addition, the repair work to the pumps in the basement (servicing the life safety systems and providing water service to all apartments) is progressing on or ahead of schedule. Please note, however, that the building is still not safe to occupy because the life safety systems are not operational and the mayor's mandatory evacuation order is still in effect for 200 Water Street. Barring any unanticipated delays, we are able to reconfirm that we are still on track to apply for the Department of Buildings approval to lift the mandatory evacuation order covering 200 Water Street by Friday night. TUESDAY MIDDAY (11/13/2012) UPDATES:
42 Peck Slip (South Street Seaport): Several building residents report that the building is on day 16 without gas, electricity, heat, hot water, or Internet, and that there's been no contact from management or evidence of repairs.
90 Washington (FiDi): Building management sent out this update to residents this morning:
ConEdison was able to work out a way to get their equipment into the basement without needing the elevator. All of their replacement equipment is now down there, and they are coming this morning to begin the installation and replacement of their damaged equipment. Once they start the work, they will need 24-48 hours to complete the replacement.
After they have replaced all of the equipment, we can begin powering up the building. We will need 1-2 days to power up the life safety systems to make sure that the building is safe for your return. Once we have determined it is safe, and once we have been cleared by the city, then you will be notified that you can return to your homes.
Also, some of you who visit the building today may note that there are lights on at the ground level. Please note that the lobby and bridging outside of 90 Washington is now powered up from an emergency generator. However, we have not been able to return power to the elevators at this time.
Finally, since some of you have been asking, we spoke to FEMA and basically a displaced tenant MAY be eligible for the market rate of the apartment per rates below, depends on their circumstance: Tenants need to apply individually online at http://www.disasterassistance.gov or via phone at 800 621 3362.
1 West Street (FiDi): A Monday afternoon update from building management informed residents that:
Right now, the building status remains the same, as far as the lack of heat, hot water and electricity. The teams continue to work around the clock at cleaning, organizing and repairing all of the basement service equipment. Teams have been power washing and cleaning electrical equipment, and ConEd has been working around the clock to assess the damage and working to repair or replace any equipment that requires it.
This morning, there was a meeting between the managers of the 17 Battery Place and 1 Wests Street and the building engineer in charge of the recovery. They have been plotting out a course of action to get you back into your homes. They inspected and reviewed the affected areas of the building, and have scheduled a second meeting tomorrow morning that will also have present representatives from ConEd and other affected service providers. After this meeting we should know a lot more about what we are facing and should be able to give you more detailed information about where we stand.
90 West Street (Battery Park City): Building management writes, "Electricians have worked thru the weekend and the power is now restored in both the hallways and public stairs. Technicians have restored one elevator and should have others working very soon. Now that power is back, mechanics will be working to restore both the water and heating systems. It is imperative that all apartment heating units and water faucets are turned off before these repairs are complete. Building staff will make sure that these units are off and valves are shut. We are hopeful that everything will go as planned and we will be able to reoccupy the building no later than Monday November 19."
200 Water Street (FiDi): The building has restored power via a generator, but there's no timeline for transformer replacement, and the building has not yet been declared safe to occupy.
130 Water Street: The building has "made major progress in restoring power, cold water & heat to the building through temporary means," management wrote to residents yesterday. The building expects to receive an engineer's letter today to submit to the Department of Buildings, the next step in the process of letting tenants back into the building.
10 Hanover (FiDi): Residents have begun to return home to 10 Hanover, and management issued some instructions about the payment and abatement of rent. Residents who have already paid November rent will see their abatements and refrigerator credits reflected in their accounts for December. Those who have not paid November rents should deduct abatements and refrigerator credits from November payments and submit those by Friday, November 16, to avoid late charges. And business as usual begins to resume.
75 Wall Street (FiDi): A broker who did a walk-through in the building for a client reports that heat, hot water, and electricity are running, but the cooking gas lines are still being tested. The basement of the Andaz also still needs some cleanup, says our tipster.
75 West/110 Washington (FiDi): A building memo from the weekend estimated the restoration of hot water by tomorrow, as a best case scenario. Anyone have any more recent updates?
116 John (FiDi): Management hopes that residents will be able to return home this week, but there's no definite date. "Three elevators in the building are now operational and we expect elevator service to be completely restored tomorrow. The generator has been installed and electric service has been restored to the building. The boiler is running and heat is on in the building as well as hot water. Complete water service is expected to be restored tomorrow once the pumps are started and calibrated. The Life Safety systems in the building are still being repaired and we anticipate these repairs to be completed within the next few days. It is mandatory for the Life Safety systems to be restored before you will be able to reoccupy your apartments." Once those systems have been tested, the building can schedule its required DOB inspection.
MONDAY MORNING (11/12/2012) UPDATES:
10 Hanover Square (FiDi): The building isn't "100% in terms of services," but is basically ready for residents to return home. There are two elevators operating in each bank, which means tenants' process of returning to their apartments could be slow. The official end of the rent rebate period was yesterday, November 11.
120 Wall Street (FiDi): A tipster had heard the building would be open Wednesday, but still judges the building to be unusable after walking by. "Management offices are totally gutted. Saw them still removing equipment from the basement. Air quality is awful."
Rivergate (Murray Hill): This weekend's management report estimates that heat and hot water will be back for the whole building by the middle of the week. "Your total rent concession will be reflected in December's rent. This will include the $100 food credit as well. We have chosen to do this since we do not have an exact date as to when we will be fully functional with heat and hot water (and as before mentioned, you will not be charged rent until this happens)." Oh, and the gym is back open.
21 West Street (Battery Park City): The Department of Buildings has certified the building, which means residents can move back into their apartments. The building implemented staggered return times yesterday to avoid power spikes.
SUNDAY MORNING UPDATES:
90 Washington (FiDi): The news is not good. Building management sent the following email to residents yesterday at 3:30 pm:
We want to update you on the news from 90 Washington Street. ConEdison came to the building today to power on their equipment. The attempt failed, and they were not able to get their equipment working. They are now indicating all of their equipment (not 90W's for which we filed the Self-Certification) has to be replaced. Prior to this time, we had been told their equipment was in working order and that we could plan on getting the building re-opened next week. Today they are indicating that the situation is different and the status is up in the air.
In addition, because of the size and weight of their equipment, replacement parts cannot simply be brought down the stairwell. It requires a working elevator, which cannot run at this time due to lack of power.
So, we are working as of now on determining our next course of action, in order to get the building back up and running. We should know more as to how this affects the time line of your return to the building on Monday. Until then, we simply will not have any more information to give you.
We thank you for your patience and we will be able to provide you more information regarding this development on Monday. 75 West/110 Washington (FiDi): A resident tipster tells us that there has been very little communication from building management, writing, "Every resident I have talked to said [the property manager] refuses to return their phone calls. He only returned mine after I left 4 messages within 24 hours and sent a message to the company executives." Residents have no timeframe for when they will be able to move back in and are still in the dark about whether or not rent will be refunded.
200 Water Street (FiDi): An update yesterday at 4:00 pm: "[W]e are continuing to work on repairing and restoring all building systems throughout the weekend. We can report that the valet has reopened for business. We want to reiterate that the building is not currently safe for you to occupy."
SATURDAY AFTERNOON UPDATES:
10 Hanover (FiDi): Good news! Power was restored the building yesterday and the building systems are now being tested. Pro-rated rents are still being offered as well as a $100 credit for residents to restock their refrigerators. Now that's just nice.
160 Front Street (FiDi): Residents received the following brusque email from management yesterday: "Since the building is under restricted access, nobody is supposed to be staying there. Having a generator with many extension cords going everywhere is not practical or safe. If building is not habitable 30 days after services were lost, you can break your lease."
20 West Street (FiDi): The Downtown Club Condominium sent some pictures of the now un-flooded basement to residents, so that they could see for themselves how bad the damage was. Their timeframe remains "several weeks" as they want to avoid giving an overly optimistic or outright false estimate. "Some of the time frames we hear for some of these other buildings are, in our opinion, false and hard to comprehend," writes management.
FRIDAY MORNING UPDATES
88 Greenwich (FiDi): The latest update pushes back the date for residents to return. Building management writes, "Our team met with the insurance adjuster, insurance consultant, electrical engineer, and outside professionals and experts who were now able to access all basement areas. Due to the extensive damage caused by the massive amounts of salt water that submerged the mechanical equipment and building systems, they estimate that Greenwich Club Residences will not be ready to reinhabit for at least four months." Another tipster wonders how residents will manage move-outs without any power or elevators.
10 Hanover Square (FiDi): The building will be getting its power back later than estimated, because tests of equipment in the now-dry ConEd vault "determined that one of two large switches is irretrievably damaged and will have to be replaced in order to restore full power." The building's own electrical equipment is ready to receive power whenever ConEd is able to turn power back on, according to management.
Stuy Town: A resident writes in with praise for management's handling of the power outages: "Every day we were without power they knocked on everyone's doors to see if they needed anything and carried over 200 elderly residents down the stairs. I have power but many buildings still don't and every night when I get home there is a memo under my door with an update on what is going on, who is expected to regain power when, how you can get access to things you need etc."
130 Seaport South: As of yesterday, the building was still without power, heat, and water, according to a resident. UPDATE: A tipster passes along this update from building management: "The temporary electric panel has been cabled by Con Edison late this afternoon and we have currently provided power to the lobby, basement, sump pumps and the stairwells.The electricians will be working tomorrow to provide power to the mobile steam boiler, elevator panel and common hallways. In addition we will be checking the condition of the roof tank so that can be returned to service as well and water can be provided to the toilets."
95 Wall (FiDi): A resident tells us City Councilwoman Margaret Chin's office has gotten involved and is trying to help management and ConEd come together and resolve issues at the building.
90 Washington (FiDi): Here's the latest update to management's timeline for residents to return to the building:
November 8, 2012 - Con Ed returned to the building today and they are currently working to repair their equipment. As soon as we have an update from them, we will communicate the update to you.
November 10, 2012: If the power up is successful, then the building systems will be tested to see if they are functional, including life safety systems, the elevators, mechanical systems and pumps. This testing should take three days. If all the testing is satisfactory, then on November 10th we can request that Con Ed turn the steam back on so the building can be heated. Our architect is on standby to file the required self-certification documentation with the Department of Buildings when the building meets the requirements to be re-opened.
November 14, 2012: Assuming it will take Con Ed two to three days to restore steam to the building, the building should be ready for re-occupancy by the tenants on or about November 14, 2012.
Meanwhile, several residents have filed complaints seeking more information form management and assistance in finding alternative housing.
75 West/110 Washington (FiDi): A post from management on the building's online bulletin board explains that replacement boiler parts have been ordered and they should be delivered by the middle of next week.
66 Pearl (FiDi): Residents' rent will be abated for the time the building is uninhabitable. "Tenants should make arrangements for alternate housing through the month of November. The landlord is working diligently to address all of the Buildings Department criteria to restore occupancy status. Although temporary/limited electric service, as well as heat and hot water to the building, is expected to be restored by the 18th, there is a balance of Buildings Department re-occupancy criteria which is may to take longer to satisfy," management explains in its latest update.
200 Water Street (FiDi): The latest update: "The 2-Megawatt generator that was delivered to the building yesterday was connected by Con Edison today. Currently, we have limited power established at the building. Con Edison and Rockrose personnel are working together to determine whether the generator's capacity will be sufficient to fully power the entire building. We did experience intermittent shutdowns this morning, so we are being very cautious and methodical in our approach to powering up the entire building. With the restoration of power, we have begun the process of testing the building systems that required electricity in order to determine their operational capacities. We will provide updates as we determine the condition and operational capacity of each of the building systems."
21 West Street (Battery Park City): "The generator is powering the the lobby, hallways and stairwells. We also have running (cold) water. The building is still saying that they hope to have services restored in the next couple days (they have been saying this for since the end of last week)," a resident writes. Another resident hears from management that best case scenario is to have power restored on Monday. Rent will be abated through the whole month of November, as will "other related building charges" such as gym fees and storage.
90 West Street (Battery Park City): Management is "committed to have the building ready for residents to return no later than Monday November 19th."
Rivergate (Murray Hill): A Thursday afternoon update from management says power has been restored to both towers, the water's running, and elevators are working. But the DOB had not yet lifted access restrictions from the building. Another tipster says tenants were being allowed to return to the building as of last night.
1 West (FiDi): The Thursday evening update doesn't have much new information about building repairs, but it does include some further details as to how rent credits will work: "The credit will be a pro-ration of your rent and will be applied for every day you have been displaced. It'll be 100% of the rent amount for each day you were without full building utilities (heat/hot water included). It'll be posted to your ledger against your December rent payment. For those of you whose leases expired already, whose lease expires on 11/30/12, or those who paid in advance for the full year, we will be issuing payment to you against any outstanding charges on your rental statement. If there are none, then a separate check will be issued."
The Tate (Chelsea): Residents of the Tate will receive a 50 percent rent abatement. One resident who corresponded with the Curbed inbox takes issue with this: "residents of the tate (zone a) get the same rent abatement (50%) as renters in the undamaged, no-zone westminster even though 1) the tate wasn't just without power, it was evacuated for a week, and 2) after being flooded, the ground floor of the tate is a loud, dirty, dangerous demolition/construction zone with no gym, office, package room, common lounge, business center, etc."
Historic Front Street (South Street Seaport): Building management reports that, as feared, repairs to the building's mechanical systems will take several months. "As an update to our last notice, we have commenced work to protect the buildings from the effects of winter and cold weather. Work has begun on the sprinkler systems. This process requires we visit each unit to work on the sprinkler heads and drain the water from the system." Residents are allowed into their apartments by appointment.
15 Stone Street: Several residents report that there is "limited electric, cold water, no heat or gas."
THURSDAY MORNING UPDATES
88 Greenwich (FiDi): To clarify the situation at 88 Greenwich, building management confirms that it could be one to four months before the building is habitable again. An additional update: "The electrical system was severely damaged and many components will require replacement. In addition to the issue with the building's system, Con Ed's multiple main switches for the building were damaged beyond repair and will require replacement. Residents calling Con Ed will not speed up the process. We have been in constant contact with Con Ed and they are at the building doing everything they can on their side." The building will not be charging any late fees for the payment of November common charges, since an insurance adjuster still needs to visit the building and figure out how to deal with that issue.
2 Water Street (FiDi): "Although power was restored to our building on November 5th, days ahead of the Con Edison target date of November 10th, it has been less than full power and with intermittent shut downs and surges making our continued restoration effort of building systems difficult at best. In fact, the power again shut down in the immediate area yesterday evening and remains down," according to a Wednesday afternoon update from building management. "Immediately following the storm, we had generators in place and pumped the cellar level dry. We have been working feverishly on bringing the elevators back on line, providing life safety, hot and cold water (all equipment located in the cellar was destroyed) and providing heat (a mobile boiler was delivered last Friday). Although we remain hopeful that Con Ed will provide us with sufficient power to operate these systems by the weekend, we unfortunately remain uncertain." The building will be open once ConEd can provide power and the DOB has given the place a green sticker.
200 Water Street (FiDi): Management reported yesterday afternoon that "A 2-Megawatt generator was delivered to the building earlier today by Con Edison. We are currently awaiting Con Edison personnel to connect the generator to the main electric feeds of the building, but they have not yet provided a timeframe for when this will be accomplished. Con Edison believes this generator should provide sufficient power to service the entire building, and have told us that they will provide a second generator in the event one is needed?.The generator will likely remain on site until the transformers are replaced." Management also reminds residents that they will receive a rent credit for however long their apartments are "unusable or inaccessible," starting from October 28.
10 Hanover (FiDi): ConEd opened the dry vault that feeds electricity to 10 Hanover and allowed the building's workers in to do repairs, the latest management memo explains. The workers began drying the vault area, which should allow the building to have power within 24 hours, assuming the storm last night caused no other problems. Apartments on the 10th floor and above will have heat and hot water once the power goes back on. The apartments on the lower floors won't have heat and hot water until ConEd restores steam service downtown, which won't happen "until later this week at the earliest." Time to befriend a neighbor, everybody. The building is also offering residents a $100 credit toward refrigerator restocking.
Stuy Town: A resident reports that Stuy Town management has agreed to rebate the days the building was "without essential service i.e. electric, elevators, heat."
1 West (FiDi): Management sent another extensive update to tenants on Wednesday afternoon?with, unfortunately, a longer timeline for residents' anticipated return home:
As you may or may not know, we share a basement with 17 Battery Place. The electrical equipment for our building, and some water pumps are below 1 West Street, but the boilers for heat/hot water are below 17 Battery Place. This was the source of the oil and smell in the building in the aftermath of the storm.
I had a meeting today with representatives from 17 Battery Place management and The Moinian Group. Unfortunately, as more of the damage is uncovered on both sides of the building, it appears that we will not be able to stick to the time line we originally anticipated. After the meeting today, the best estimate that we can give you, is that it appears that it could be as much as two more weeks before we can return residents to their homes. We are sorry for any additional inconvenience this may cause you.
As of now, the cleanup work continues. Debris is being removed and damaged all equipment is being cleaned and inspected. Once everything is clean and all debris removed, we will be able to test, repair and replace equipment as needed. Already, we have an electrical crew on-site cleaning and working with all of the electrical panels in the basement and on the 17 Battery side, they are doing the same with their equipment. The work will continue as quickly and safely as possible to accomplish the ultimate goal of getting you back home. The Moinan Group and Management are firmly committed to getting you back home at the earliest possible date.
Please let me caution you on the 2 week estimated time line. This could, and probably will change, in either direction.
95 Wall (FiDi): Engineers are "cautiously optimistic" that some building equipment can be repaired, rather than needing to be replacement, according to the latest update. Building management is also offering a $100 refrigerator restocking credit to residents.
90 Washington (FiDi): Building management's latest update offers this timeline:
November 7, 2012: Yesterday the electrician determined that the situation was not safe enough to try to power up the building due to the presence of water. Today the electrician checked again and gave clearance for ConEd to try the power up. We are waiting for them to arrive today.
November 10, 2012: If the power up is successful, then the building systems will be tested to see if they are functional, including life safety systems, the elevators, mechanical systems and pumps. This testing should take three days. If all the testing is satisfactory, then on November 10 we can request that ConEd turn the steam back on so the building can be heated.
November 13, 2012: Assuming it will take ConEd two to three days to restore steam to the building, the building should be ready for re-occupancy by the tenants on or about November 13, 2012. 75 West/110 Washington (FiDi): A resident tipster writes in, "While we have gotten occasional emails (like the one below) saying they're working on it, we're not being given any type of time frame. I spoke to a building worker tonight who let me know it's most likely another week. He said all of the buildings are trying to order the same parts, so they are hard to come by. A week from today puts us at 16 days without heat and hot water. We have received no information on whether our rent will be reduced or credited for this time from J Hill Associates."
110 Greenwich Street (FiDi): One resident is less than happy with the way management has kept tenants informed at 110 Greenwich Street: "We were without a trash shoot until yesterday (11/6) and were given no other means for disposing of it. We were also without heat until yesterday. Finally, after the numerous complaints that my roommates and I have emailed to our management company (Jakobson Properties), many of which went unanswered, they sent out a reminder yesterday reminding us to pay our rent."
82 Beaver Street (FiDi): The building has received a green inspection sticker from the DOB, a tipster reports.
This post became so long that it broke Curbed. Earlier updates are in the original version of the thread.
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