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Curbed's Up-to-the-Second Guide to Zone A Building Rebirth

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By Lockhart Steele
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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.

WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATES

88 Greenwich (FiDi): The latest update from building management still doesn't give a firm timeline for moving back into the building, but it does say "it will be a month or longer, not weeks. It could be 1 to 4 months, but that is a guess as assessment is still in progress and we do not yet know the lead time on replacement of multiple pieces of equipment that the experts will determine are needed." UPDATE: Several other building residents say they have not received notice of this timeline.

199 Water Street (FiDi): A tipster passes along the following notice from 199 Water: "As most of you know from the images on TV, the damage to lower Manhattan has been extensive in the wake of Post-Tropical Storm Sandy. We met with our building managers at length today to understand the condition of the building and when we can return. At this point, we have been told that 199 Water Street will be closed for 6-8 weeks due to the extensive flooding and other damage in the building."

75 West/110 Washington (FiDi): The state of things within 75 West/110 Washington as of yesterday: "The West St entrance is blocked off, and the Washington St entrance is in bad shape. Only one side of the stairs are open, and the ramp is closed. Thusly, no carts, wheelchairs, strollers, or pets may be taken down the ramp. Trash is piling up on both sides. Residents were advised not to use the trash chute, but to instead place their bagged trash in the garbage room. Each night, staff brings trash down in carts via the only elevator. Limit elevator use after 10 or so, if possible.

379 East 10th Street (East Village): A resident tells us "the equipment in the building suffered mechanical failure due to flooding." The building has power, according to the super, but the individual apartments do not, and ConEd will be coming to replace the meters.

95 Wall (FiDi): Management is still indicating "early next week" as the earliest possible date for residents to return home. "Our engineers are standing by, ready to test the salvaged electrical equipment as soon as ConEd restores our feeder line," according to Tuesday evening's memo. A tipster points out, meanwhile, that ConEd has said on its Twitter that the company is ready to provide power to the building but hasn't been contacted by building management. The DOB is still labeling the building uninhabitable.

The Westminster (Chelsea): From building manager The Related Companies: "We will be crediting your account 50% of the rent charged during the four days the building was without power. As an example, if your rent is $4,950, you will receive a credit of $330 ($165 per day times 4 days times 50%). We will also not be charging late fees provided rent payment is received by November 15, 2012."

10 Hanover (FiDi): Electricians have certified that the building is ready for power, management says, but the building is waiting on ConEd: "ConEd continues to attempt to de-water and dry the vault under the street that feeds electricity to our building. They still have some water / moisture in their vault, and we have offered our our assistance in removing the water and dehumidifying the vault. The vault, however, is locked and we cannot access it without ConEd's permission, as it is the property of the utility. The utility has not responded to our request." Once power is restored, it will be about 24 hours before residents are allowed back in.

1 West (FiDi): "The pumping company has finally removed all of the water and the basement is now dry," according to Tuesday's building update. "There are still some pools with oil in them from the leak, but those are being taken care of, and the work will go faster now that we do not have to separate the oil and water." Residents will receive a rent abatement for each day they are displaced from their apartments.

90 Washington (FiDi): The Tuesday night building management update: "Our building's effort in having all electrical panels and equipment, steam equipment, fire alarm systems, and elevators dried today is taking longer than expected. We had hoped that our electrician would have given clearance to Con Edison to power up the building, but that was not the case. Drying efforts are continuing throughout the night. Hopefully, the electrician will be satisfied with the condition of the equipment tomorrow to request Con Edison's intervention. Unfortunately, we are not expecting that you will be able to return to your home this week." Residents will be credited rent from October 28, the evacuation date, until they are allowed to return.

160 Front Street (FiDi): A Tuesday update from building management says repairs to the electrical system are in the works, after which electricity will be turned on again. "A pump crew with a generator is on hand all the time now to keep the water out so they can get the electricity back on at which point the ejector pumps in the basement will take over the water removal?.they are also working on getting a temporary boiler set up outside the building, but these are in short supply right now as you may imagine."

Spears Building/525 West 22nd Street (West Chelsea): Electricity and elevators are back, a tipster reports, but the boilers were damaged and won't be replaced for three or four weeks. "As of late Monday evening the building had installed temporary electric water heaters for kitchens/bathrooms, and supplied each unit with 3 or 4 electric space heaters."

100 Maiden Lane (FiDi): Management is now anticipating that the building will be ready for residents by November 19. There will be no rent charged for November.

21 West Street (Battery Park City): The building is using a generator to power "critical building systems so that they can be assessed, stabilized, and brought back on line." The building's also working on getting a larger generator to power the rest of the building if ConEd is unable to restore power soon. Residents are advised to "extend your stays at alternative locations for the forseeable future."

TUESDAY MORNING UPDATES

90 West Street (Battery Park City): "There is an army of engineers, electricians, carpenters, and clean-up labor working tirelessly at 90 west street. All the mechanical and electrical systems below the ground floor are being replaced or repaired. The restoration is very involved. At this point we feel confident that the building systems will be complete and the building will be ready to re-occupy within 2 weeks," according to yesterday afternoon's update from building management.

95 Wall (FiDi): Building management will be pro-rating rents, "to reflect the period of time that you have been prohibited from returning to your apartment," according to management's Monday evening memo. Engineers are also "cautiously optimistic" that some of the equipment damaged by salt water during the hurricane can be repaired, so the timeline for residents to return home will be shorter than many feared. "Early next week is the very soonest that residents might return," management now estimates.

122 Water Street (FiDi): A tenant who contacted the super tells us "there is power coming in from the street?but that the meter was damaged. He's waiting for an electrician to come today or tomorrow to assess the damage and wire around the damaged meter."

10 Hanover (FiDi): Management will pro-rate rents for however long residents are unable to return to their apartments. The vault that feeds electricity to the building was damaged by flooding, and power can be restored only after it is repaired. ConEd told building management yesterday that "the earliest it would be ready to provide the building with power would be '2 to 3 days from tomorrow.'"

100 John Street (FiDi): There was no heat or hot water as of last night, but the building has been deemed habitable by the DOB, which means residents are free to return. Heat and hot water should be back on by Wednesday, according to management.

200 Water Street (FiDi): "We have been in contact with Con Edison," building management wrote in a memo to residents, "as recently as late afternoon [Monday] – and they assured us that we are 'in the queue' for having power restored, but they would not give us a definitive time frame." Management has already promised to adjust rents "appropriately."

88 Greenwich Street (FiDi): Building management is talking to the building's attorney and insurance carrier "concerning the payment of common charges while the building is uninhabitable," which we're sure is at the top of everyone's worry list. In more immediately relevant news, building management says "almost all of the water" has been pumped from the basement, which means various contractors and inspectors can get in and figure out how to handle repairs.

394 East 8th Street (Alphabet City): The building was able to restore power temporarily, according to a memo from management yesterday, but Con Ed and electricians are still dealing with flood damage.

116 John (FiDi): MetroLoftNYC is issuing all residents a one-month rent credit and expects "full use of the building to be restored within two weeks."

90 Washington (FiDi): Building management will be waiving the late fee on rents "for those unable to get payments in within the usual grace period," according to an update posted on the building's online portal.

42 Peck Slip (South Street Seaport): "The front door remains broken and insecure and the lobby is a mess. There has been no progress on restoring power, no contact from landlord, no cleanup apart from initial basement pumping," reports a building resident.

75 West/110 Washington (FiDi): A tipster writes in: "The building is marked with "Restricted Use" signs and you can still see and hear the machines drying out the basement on the Washington St. side of the building. We have elevators working and power restored, but water has been on and off intermittently throughout the last 24 hours. Still no heat, hot water or internet and Management has given us a general hope for it to be returned by this weekend - but no promises. Residents are encouraged to return to their apartments and I will be doing so formally tomorrow. Fingers crossed!"

20 West Street (FiDi): Management advises residents to find alternative accommodations, "as?we can not say when the building will be operational and habitable." Yesterday's memo from management described damage to the building:

- Substantial water penetrated the basement, including the elevator pits. Extraction efforts were challenged due to continual seepage from water in neighboring buildings' basements.
- Elevators remain inoperable. Elevator maintenance company did an initial assessment and determined cables may need to be replaced. We are soliciting a second opinion. The electronic components can not be evaluated until all of the water is out.
- Electric room is located in the basement and the panels were below the water line. Electrician is coordinating their efforts to inspect with the water removal team, however it is presumed that they are destroyed. The restoration team is considering all options, including bringing in generators.
- Telephone and intercom equipment are located in the basement and were damaged due to being below the water line.
- The building is heated via Steam as provided by Con Edison. Pipes in the basement were damaged and will need to be evaluated by Con Edison and repaired. Con Edison has also yet to restore steam service.
- Multiple pumps are located in the basement and will need to be repaired or replaced once the water is out and electrical power restored. This means that it is not possible to move hot water or heat to the upper floors.
- Basement will need large portions of its sheetrock cut out and re-built.
- Mold remediation will be necessary.

- A large amount of building supplies and machinery was ruined. MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATES

2 Water Street (FiDi): The latest update from building management: "We hope Con Ed will restore power to the building at some point today. Although we have been ready, Con Ed has determined that it must install new equipment in the street prior to energizing our building. This work is currently in process?.We should have one elevator in service within 24 hours of getting power with the others to follow thereafter. A mobile boiler which will provide heat and hot water has been onsite for several days and is being installed today. It is also power dependent." A tipster ads that "the glow sticks and cases of water are still flowing like champagne in a strip club." A tipster who evacuated the building, though, says there have been only limited updates from building management.

Historic Front Street (South Street Seaport): An update from management this afternoon has no good news for residents: "We have begun our assessment of the buildings' life safety and mechanical systems and, unfortunately, the damage is as severe as we feared. The electrical, heating, cooling, elevator and fire alarm systems were submerged in salt water for several hours and now need to be replaced or rebuilt. This process will take several months, and during that time, we will not be able to provide the necessary services, including heat, hot water, elevator services and fire safety systems. Without these systems, the buildings are not legally habitable. We will be working as quickly as possible to restore these systems, so the buildings can again be occupied."

75 Wall Street (FiDi): An e-mail from building management this afternoon confirms that systems have been evaluated and elevators will be working by 9 a.m. tomorrow. Units, stairways, and hallways have power, but there is no heat or hot water.

2 Gold (FiDi): The latest development in the ongoing saga: tenants are seeking other housing for the 60-90 days they will be out of the building. Writes one displaced 2 Gold resident, "I called this morning to see if there were housing updates and was told that they were working with other management companies in the city to get us places in other buildings, since TFC rentals throughout the city are apparently sold out. I am on a waiting list of over 100 people who submitted their applications and was told to "keep checking the website" because things are opening up, an average of two a day."

200 Water (FiDi): A 200 Water resident writes, "I just confirmed through Rockrose that the residents will be getting a rent credit for days that we are not in the apartment. Not a reimbursement, but a credit."

100 Maiden Lane (FiDi): Per this afternoon's building management update, "Various consultants and engineers are inspecting the building to advise us as to the extent of restoration required and how long they anticipate the building to be without utilities. At this time we are estimating that power will not be restored for approximately at least another week – Monday, November 12th is the earliest the building will be habitable?.By this Wednesday November 7th we will send out an update informing our findings."

100 John Street (FiDi): A tipster is full of praise for the management of 100 John, where power has been restored. As of Sunday, building management was inspecting the building, but the DOB hadn't yet approved tenants' return.

123 Washington (W Downtown) (FiDi): "The flooding shorted out one of the generators and the fire safety system. As a result, emergency lighting and other systems did not function as intended. Residents were allowed to return last night but the hotel remains closed since heat/hot water are still out," according to an e-mail from a tipster.

116 John (FiDi): Building management needs to replace "electrical switch gear," and the necessary parts should arrive this week, according to the latest memo. "While repairs to the electrical system are in process, other building systems that utilize Con Edison gas also require repairs. These repairs require the participation of Con Edison, which will supply various components in need of replacement. Once we make the necessary repairs, and the repairs receive the necessary approvals, including by the NYC Department of Buildings, we can resume occupancy immediately. Barring any unforeseen delays, we estimate the building will be ready for occupancy during the week of November 12th."

90 Washington (FiDi): Today's update is a bit less dire than the previous one: "The equipment in the basement of 90 Washington has been dried and is currently being assessed by our electricians. We should know very soon the extent of the damage and what is required to repair or replace the equipment. Once all equipment is functioning, Con Edison can turn on the power and then the Department of Buildings can inspect the property for re-entry. We still do not have a definite timeframe for re-entry to the building."

1 West (FiDi): So far, 1 West, aka the Ocean, has been one of the buildings most on top of communicating with tenants. The latest update: "Much of the basement/garage is now free of water and oil, and work has begun on cleaning and inspecting the damage. As previously indicated, the DEP is still overseeing the entire process, making sure it is safe, and constantly checking the air quality. The work is slowed by the constant safety checks, but it is progressing and they will continue to work around the clock until the basement is free of water and all traces of oil are removed. As of now, we are still looking at the same time line that I indicated yesterday, though that could change in future updates. Right now, we foresee approximately another week, but that could turn out to be longer or shorter based on the extent of the damage."

20 Exchange Place (FiDi): Building management is issuing a rent credit of 25 percent of one month's rent to tenants, and they have extended the deadline for rent payment to Friday, November 9.

MONDAY MORNING UPDATES

10 Hanover (FiDi): "According to New York City Department of Buildings, 10 Hanover is not habitable at this time," says an e-mail from building management. After power is restored?and ConEd hasn't said when that will be?the building will need 24 to 48 hours to evaluate the state of its systems. Residents can pick up belongings between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., and will need a photo ID. (They'll also be asked to sign a waver.)

The Tate (Chelsea): As of Sunday afternoon, building management told residents it had established temporary power for the north tower. As for next steps: "Our elevator contractors are currently working to replace the storm damaged components. Once the elevators are operational we will be able to submit to the Department of Buildings for re-occupancy of the north tower. We will provide a follow up notification when you can return to the north tower....We would like to emphasize that over the next 60 days there will be additional power disruptions to the north tower. We will announce these power disruptions in advance to allow you time to prepare. We recognize that further electrical disruptions are not convenient. However, to properly repair the storm damaged electrical components, these scheduled power shut downs are necessary to permanently repair the electrical system of the building."

75 Wall (FiDi): "It seems like Tuesday power will be back, but heat/hot water will not return until next Sunday," says a tipster who has communicated with building management. The tipster, a building resident, also explains the communication situation: "Management has been updating residents daily, however if you were not on the email distribution PRIOR to Sunday, they have not added you." Our tipster reports that "while doorman give you flashlights and let you walk up to your apartments, the lobby is dark, covered in some weird slimy filth and doorman confirmed that both the hotel and condo basements were flooded completely. Apparently lots of damage from the hotel garage and conference rooms."

100 Maiden (FiDi): An electrician will reportedly be checking out the building today, so residents should have an update by the end of the day. Another resident tipster who went by the building yesterday tells us, "Their hope was to start with geting power back to common areas in the next few days and get one elevator running so they could help residents access to their apartments. They were honest that power was just step 1, and once that is up they will have to deal with water and then there is the issue of steam which isn't back yet. They didn't want to give an official answer about a timeline, but they did confirm that a week was not unrealistic."

Rivergate (Murray Hill): A few tipsters have written in with updates on this building at 401 East 34th Street. As per a memo from building management, the DOB has declared the building uninhabitable at this time, and "ConEdison has been on site since 9:00am Sunday morning draining their vaults beside the building and trying to restore power to the building."

21 West (Battery Park City): "Power will likely be on by Tuesday at the latest (and possibly as early as Monday evening), either via landlord-acquired generator, or by ConEd. Building has agreed to abate rent through the entire period of the evacuation order," says a resident tipster.

95 Wall (FiDi): The latest update from building management: "On Monday, a team of engineers will provide us with a full assessment of our mechanical systems. Please note that these were completely submerged with salt water and will need to be tested thoroughly, repaired and/or replaced before any resident can return. This report will allow us to provide you with a better timeline for returning."

SUNDAY EVENING UPDATES

116 John (FiDi): MetroLoftNYC does not know when the power will be restored or how long it will take to fix the damaged fire and safety systems and, what's more, they would like everyone to please stop asking them about it. An email sent out at 5:45 this evening includes this sentence: "We have been receiving an overwhelming amount of emails from all of our residents." The residents are crying mutiny in the comments section of this post.

10 Hanover (FiDi): The building emailed residents to let them know that ConEd has not supplied a timeframe for when the power will be restored, although the original estimate of "before Wednesday" remains a possibility.

100 Maiden (FiDi): Residents were notified on Friday that the "restricted access" placard had been removed, although one resident finds it troubling that he had never been notified the placard was there in the first place, and had in fact been inside the entire time. An email sent by management yesterday afternoon states that the building does not have power or know when it will.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON UPDATES

200 Water (FiDi): The news is not good. Although management originally hoped power would be restored within 3-4 days, they're now telling residents to seek temporary accommodations elsewhere, as the building will likely be uninhabitable for "at least 2 weeks, possibly much longer."

90 Washington (FiDi): According to a tipster, residents were told they would not be able to return for 6-8 weeks. According to another tipster, no one has been told any such thing. Management says that all the water has been pumped out of the basement, but the equipment has yet to be assessed for damage.

63 Wall (FiDi): Some welcome good news, as power has been fully restored to the building. Residents are free to move back in.

75 Wall (FiDi): Building management tells residents that ConEd was supposed to restore power last night, but did not. One resident tells us that management has very communicative, with daily email updates, while another claims to have received zero updates so far. One tipster spoke with a concierge, who relayed the distressing news that electrical rooms were flooded with 2-4 feet of water.

75 West (FiDi): Partial power restored, water and elevators should be running later today, per a tipster.

SUNDAY MORNING UPDATES

1 West (FiDi): An email from building management to residents doesn't pull any punches: "The situation at the Ocean is still the same, with no heat, hot water or electricity. The building still smells like oil/gas and it is not safe yet for you to return to resume your tenancy at this time ... The water is now being pumped out of the garage and basement. This is a very slow process, and could take a couple of days ... Then the real job of inspecting the building can begin." It is possible that, although this is probably a lower priority concern, someone is now regretting the decision to call the building "The Ocean". UPDATE: Tenants have now been informed that it will be "at least another full week before we are able to get you back into your homes."

The Archive (West Village): The Rockrose Development Corporation gave Archive residents a scare last night with an email saying that it may take up to three weeks to restore electricity. A tipster let us know that the building is actually almost back to normal, and that the email was probably intended for one Rockrose's other buildings (one on Horatio Street, two on Water Street). Whoops! At least it didn't happen the other way around.

Superior Ink (West Village): According to management, the electrical systems are badly damaged and they haven't even been able to get all the water out yet. The timetable for residents returning will depend on a Monday inspection. As of right now, the building has been declared uninhabitable.

SATURDAY EVENING UPDATES

88 Greenwich Street (FiDi): Definitive word about this residential building is impossible to come by. Says one Curbed tipster: "Management now saying up to a month before power, heat, water, restored at 88 Greenwich." Another tipster offers, "My colleague at 88 Greenwich heard from her super that It could be inhabitable as late as February."

200 Water Street (FiDi): According to a Curbed commenter, "According to management @ 200 Water they have extensive damage to the systems and are not sure when we can all go back this is contrary to what I was told yesterday. Has any one heard anything positive." Why, yes! Says another tipster: "Your sources are incorrect. mgmt have been sending emails daily. Doorman says we should be juiced up within 3 days." When we dropped by this afternoon, staff was filling residents in at the back entrance on Pearl Street (above).

2 Water Street (FiDi): A tipster emails this afternoon, "The staff there has been amazing. Updates via email and text daily and response time of minutes to questions. The super just wrote no power yet but anticipating tonight. They were able to salvage mechanicals and have contractors lined up already to do further repairs the moment the lights are on. He's supplying flashlights candles and glow sticks to light up apartments in the meantime for tenants." Solid.

One West St. (FiDi): On-the-ground intel, via Twitter:

UPDATE 6:52pm SATURDAY: A delightfully terse update about One West from building management: "We do not yet have knowledge of any damage, but if there is and it affects your ability to resume tenancy, I'll let you all know."

90 Washington St. (FiDi): The latest from building management: "We are currently waiting for ConEd to inspect equipment and assess the damage at 90 Washington St. We are aware that some power is being restored throughout lower Manhattan, but there are still hundreds of buildings without power... Buildings that were not flooded may have power by now but again, 90 Washington basement and equipment was flooded floor to ceiling. Please be aware that we are doing everything in our power to have these answers for you. ConEdison has been in the building everyday as they also have helped to pump out the basement and their equipment. Unfortunately we do not have a time or date of when ConEd will assess our damage."

7 Hanover Square (FiDi): If this is accurate, it's bad. Per a Curbed tipster: "I work at 7 Hanover Square, and at a conference call yesterday morning we were told it was a 4-6 week ETA before we would be allowed in. FDNY not allowing anyone in to retrieve things." Scene in front Saturday afternoon not encouraging: lots of yellow tape keeping everyone away from the building entrance (above).

Truffles Tribeca: Emails from building management here show that it is, indeed, possible to talk to tenants as if they are actual human beings. This, via a tipster, from last night: "Aside of the fact that the Mayor has come to his senses and cancelled the marathon... Most of the water removed in the garage is gone (phew). However, the garage level of the building is extremely dangerous to life and limb - residents are not allowed to go down there. This means you cannot go to the storage room, the bike area, or to get to your car. As soon as we can make clear these areas of hazardous material we will coordinate to take you down there to get your things."

SATURDAY AFTERNOON UPDATES

116 John (FiDi): Residents were evacuated last night. A Metro Lofts email reads, "Following an inspection at the building site yesterday, we were regrettably informed that our Life Safety Systems were damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy. While the building remains structurally sound, unfortunately, among the Systems affected is our Fire Safety System. Without such systems in place, we cannot operate or inhabit the building." Residents are now being advised to pick up belongings.

95 Wall (FiDi): A tipster tells Curbed that the building is adorned with a yellow restricted access sign. According to the doorman, power will return tonight, but residents won't be able to move back in for 4-5 days. In addition, the stairs are extremely slippery from the fourth floor up.

99 John Deco Lofts (FiDi): A tipster forwards us the following message from management:

200 Water Street (FiDi): Newest intel:

34 Desbrosses (Truffles Tribeca, Tribeca): From the tipline: "34 Desbrosses St. (Truffles TriBeCa). Closed due to flood damage." First we've heard of that problem at this fancy rental building. Who knows more?

217 Front Street (South Street Seaport): A resident of Historic Front Street emails Curbed, "We live at 217 front. Stopped by this morning to get some things. The entire first floor has been gutted. Residents can get in to get things but can't stay. It's got one of the yellow 'restricted entry signs' on the door."

103 Washington Street (FiDi): Also from the tipline: "103 Washington Street has an Unsafe placard. 7 apartments in the building."

21 West Street (Battery Park City): Yet more from the tipline (y'all are great, by the way—keep it coming!): "Electric inspection approved. 1 more inspection not sure by whom. Building is pretty much dry pumped 7000 gallons and this is with no basement. In good shape considering the location. Hoping before wednesday according to building staff. Elevators tbd."

SATURDAY MIDDAY UPDATES

The Tate (Chelsea): Lots of problems in MePa/Chelsea, which we haven't heard as much about. If you're among these afflicted, please email us. More on the situation at The Tate from that same twitter account: "mass emails, robocalls, grim talks with super. south tower on, north tower off. very haves vs. have-nots." UPDATE: A building resident just forwarded us the latest memo from Related: "We would like to advise you that ConEd electric service has been restored to the south tower of the building. While the power has returned, we are working diligently to repair the elevators and life safety equipment that were damaged in the storm in order to have the DOB lift our evacuation order to allow the building to be reoccupied. Unfortunately, the electrical distribution system in the north tower sustained heavier damage than that in the south tower. Therefore, power has not yet been restored to the north tower. We have engineers and other staff working to restore the damaged components as quickly as possible."

95 Horatio Street (aka The West Coast, Far West Village): Here's another brewing shitshow. Management company TF Cornerstone tweeted this last night:

A resident of 95 Horatio emails Curbed: "It took 4 days for TF cornerstone to provide any information to tenants. Then when they did, it was nothing of value or help to residents in need.... Only a carefully worded legal note...Tenants are starting their own FB pages.... check out TF Cornerstone 95 Horatio Tenants Fight Back for a good post on what is going on. Building is not habitable... Smell from mold and fumes unsafe." More on this story to follow.... UPDATE, 12:14pm:

200 Water Street (FiDi): A resident tips us just now: "Climbed up 200 water. Building yellow stickers. 20th floor reeks of gas and oil. Staff refusing to update tenants."

SATURDAY MORNING UPDATES

42 Peck Slip (South Street Seaport): The building that houses Paris Café had it rough during the storm. Resident @kevindepew rode it out and has remained one of the best sources of local intelligence all week long, so we take his tweet this morning with due solemnity:

While we've gotten no new word from the Historic Front Street team today, we'd wager that planning on an absence of this long would be the smart move for all #seaportliving folk.

2 Gold (FiDi): Catch up on the miserable saga of this FiDi tower below and here if you're new to the story, then brace, because the news this morning is even worse. A tipster emails us: "We were just called by the building. Told us we're looking at 60-90 days before building is in shape to move back in. No word on whether they'll help cover moving expenses, but told us we'd likely be able to move out by end of the month. Problem is that with only one freight elevator, we're looking at a very limited number of people who can move out on any given day. That means you're going to have people who want to move out, they're technically able to move them out, but because of the sheer volume of people who want to move, there's the potential for a waiting list that could last weeks." UPDATE: As of noontime on Saturday, residents are being allowed in to get belongings. No word on how long this window of opportunity will last.

10 Hanover (FiDi): 7am brought this update from the management: "We contacted Con Edison yesterday and they said they planned to have the power restored sometime between today and Wednesday. Once the power is back on, it may take a few days to check all of our mechanical systems to make sure everything is in operating order. We do have some concerns as some of our mechanical equipment was fully submerged. We had electrical engineers on site yesterday evaluating our equipment. If the equipment is damaged, we will do work diligently to find temporary and/or replacement equipment."

One West Street (FiDi): Building management—among the most communicative of any big building, on which we'll have more to say later—sent this email at noontime today: "This is the most recent update for Ocean, 1 West Street. Unfortunately, I have relatively little to pass along to you. The water is still being pumped out of the basement and garage. The work is slow, but it's getting nearer to completion. The power is returning to lower Manhattan, but not yet to our building. The city (DOB) is requiring that all buildings that suffered flooding due to Hurricane be two things:

1) Completely free of standing water
2) Have had all equipment inspected and deemed safe and operational by a city engineer.

Only after that time will they be allowing us to return power to the building, and then we would be on the path to getting you back into your homes."

FRIDAY EVENING UPDATES

One West Street (Battery Park City): A tipster tweets: "1 West, basement is flooded + oil. We get an email about once a day. Still pumping water. No time line for our return." We'd very much like to know more about this one. Building residents, hit us up. UPDATE 6:27pm FRIDAY: A resident forwards us the latest memo from the building, sent at 3pm today: "Some of you have asked for copies of the mayor's evacuation order and the notice that was posted on the building indicating the building was unsafe. The UNSAFE notice was posted on the door of 1 West, so the best we can do is a picture, which is attached. Please be advised that as of 2:30pm today, the city has taken down this notice, and instead posted a notice indicating 'Limited Use'. This indicates that conditions at the building are improving as far as the city is concerned, so that's progress. We still need to see what we find when the water is removed, which should be complete by tomorrow." We'll have more on this property as events develop.

2 Gold/299 Pearl Wow. Building management now saying situation is so severe that residents are free to break their leases. UPDATE 6:44pm FRIDAY: Latest from building management: "2 Gold Street and 201 Pearl Street have been shut down by the DEP for testing. We have had a certified industrial hygenist inspect the buildings and it was determined that we should close building access. Once the water has been completely pumped from the basement, we will have the certified industrial hygenist return and reassess the situation and provide further updates." Earlier coverage here.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON UPDATES


Historic Front Street (South Street Seaport): Friday morning, a rep for this group of buildings along Front Street and Peck Slip emailed one local resident, "I have been at the building every day since trying to get things in order. The building was subjected to severe flooding. The area is still under an evacuation order. Unfortunately, you cannot expect to return this weekend." This afternoon, another Historic Front Street rep tells Curbed: "Nothing specific on replacement, but it's going to take a while. We are not swapping out dishwashers, but rebuilding most of the mechanical systems from scratch." No timetable yet here, at all, though residents also got an email saying, "Additionally, by the terms of your lease, your rent will be abated until you have the ability to move back in. "

10 Hanover (FiDi): A building resident forwards Curbed word from building staff: "We just had damage flooding in the basement. We should hope to have you back in sooner than later."

20 Exchange Place (FiDi): More glad tidings, via Twitter: "Friends at 20 Exchange are thrilled with their mgmt. Doormen are going floor to floor in freight elevator to help people get to high floors." Bravo.

100 Maiden (FiDi): Less auspiciously, also via Twitter: "i can confirm that 100 maiden also has an unsafe placard on the door. residents can get in to get things but no is allowed to stay."

FRIDAY MIDDAY UPDATES

200 Water (FiDi): "200 Water's entrance is shut down," a resident writes, "but they are allowing residents in and out through the back entrance of the building; the doorman is literally stationed on a stool outside, poor guy. Bring a flashlight to walk up and down the glowstick-lined stairs. They have pumped out the basement and had an oil clean up truck there last night. Doorman doesn't seem to think the building will be opening anytime soon."

The Powerhouse (Long Island City): A Curbed tipster emails, "The managing agent for the powerhouse in lic (which sustained a lot of damage and remains one of the few bldgs in the area w/o power, ironically) said they are bringing in a generator but didn't have a definite time on when it would be hooked up."

66 Pearl (FiDi): A building resident tips us: "What I've heard: Basement 95% bailed out. Not clear on return, but optimistic soon after power is restored."

116 John (FiDi): A 12:30pm Friday email from MetroLoftNYC: "Once power is restored, it will take up to eight hours to get all equipment and systems running. Water service would be back up a couple of hours after restoration of power, with residents receiving cold water first, and hot water taking about an additional two hours. Heating and cooling will take approximately an additional two hours to be fully restored." UPDATE Friday 1pm: "Please be advised that the flood water from Hurricane Sandy has been drained from the basement and lobby at 116 John Street. Con Edison and Management are currently assessing the equipment for damages. Power has not yet been restored."

90 Washington (FiDi): 90 Washington residents received this memo, passed along by a tipster, earlier this afternoon:

At this time, the Mayor has not lifted his evacuation order for Zone A and, upon inspection, the Department of Buildings has listed 90 Washington street as UNSAFE. This means that the building is uninhabitable due to a lack of electricity, heat, water and elevators. Resident presence in the building increases the risk of fire dramatically. To date, the effort has been to pump the salt water out of the basement. We will very soon have the opportunity to assess the electrical panels and other mechanical devices and get a better sense of the extent of the damage. At this point, we do not have a definitive time frame that you will be able to move back into the building. Our building will not have power back as soon as ConEd restores their power as our equipment must be assessed and determined that it is not damaged by ConEd experts. As soon as our equipment is inspected, we will notify notify you.

We are heavily involved in the efforts to get the building up and running as quickly as possible. Management has authorized the hiring of security guards to ensure the security of your homes. If you need to return to pick up personal property, it is permissible, provided you do so between 9 am - 4 pm, bring a working flashlight and sign in/out the same day. Please note that no one will be permitted in the building outside of these hours for your safety and for the security of the building.

20 West Street (FiDi): The pumping of salt water out of the building basement is in progress, according to yesterday's e-mail from building management. "Our estimate at this point is...that the Downtown Club Condominium will not be habitable for several weeks."

90 West Street (Battery Park City): A tipster emails, "Receiving Daily emails from building for 90 West Street, NYC:

Dated 10/31/12: "Although Con Edison may be able to provide power to our building soon, we will not be able to use that power until we complete an extensive restoration of the building's electrical equipment room. The first step in that process is pumping out over a million gallons of water from our cellar. The pumping operation is currently underway. Once the cellar is clear we will be able to create a preliminary schedule for the work and an estimate when the building will be habitable. We hope to issue preliminary estimate by Monday. The building is still under the storm evacuation order from the city of New York. This order will will not be lifted until all the building services have been restored." Dated 11/1/12: "We have made good progress today and are almost finished with removing all flood water from the building. The extensive repairs will start immediately."

394 East 8th Street (Alphabet City): Positioned between Avenues C and D, the building sustained significant flooding. Per an email from building management yesterday, "At this time the city has not given firm indication as to when power will return, but even once power does return, we may not be able to restart the building systems due to the extensive water damage we sustained. We do not believe that under either scenario we will have power or heat for at least another 5 to 7 days. Because the safety of our tenants and staff is of the highest concern, we approach all electrical and pressurized system problems with extreme caution." The full memo, and our tipster's reaction, right now:

We just received the email below from our building management company. Power has been out since Monday evening. Although the building is less than half a block from Zone A, the company took absolutely no precautions. In addition to the damage described below: - The front doors to the building were completely unsecured for over 24 hours, as they run on electrical power.

- The stairwells have no emergency lighting and have been completely dark since Monday night. The stairwells are the only way in/out of the building.

- The door to the roof is broken and was left completely unsecured and open except for a piece of string tying it closed. I reported this issue several weeks before the storm.

- The fence outside our apartment on our shared balcony fell down, and pieces were blowing around and next to our glass doors and windows. Luckily none made a hit or flew in, but it was extremely dangerous. I have been reporting the fence as a hazard for almost a year.

- This is the first communication we've received from the management company even though the office is uptown and was not affected by the storm. We have received no communication from the super. The best part of the letter is the encouragement to email him to get a key to the building. The building has had no cell/internet all week, and he doesn't check his email in the first place.

Is there anything we can do to help publicize this negligence? We have effectively been evicted, yet are still required to pay full rent.

Best,
[redacted]

====

Dear 394 East 8th Street Residents:

As you know, due to Hurricane Sandy the building was flooded with over 5 feet of water in the cellar. For the past two days we managed to pump out all the water. During the next two days we will continue to have teams come to the building to assess the damage to the building systems, which include hot water tanks, boilers, and electrical equipment. A crew will begin clean-up as well.

At this time the city has not given firm indication as to when power will return, but even once power does return, we may not be able to restart the building systems due to the extensive water damage we sustained. We do not believe that under either scenario we will have power or heat for at least another 5 to 7 days. Because the safety of our tenants and staff is of the highest concern, we approach all electrical and pressurized system problems with extreme caution.

We have changed the lock cylinders for the front entrance doors to keep the building secure, and are setting up some flood lights as well. If you have not received keys to the front door lock please request one from Tony. Because cell phone service is spotty, you are better off emailing him at Tony@kandrrealty.com with any concerns.

We would like to thank all the tenants who have helped Tony and his family during this difficult time by providing food, clothing, and even shelter. We truly appreciate your generosity.

As we have more information we will let you know. In the meantime if you have any questions or concern you can email us at maintenance@kandrrealty.com.

Please be safe and alert and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Belkys Severino
K&R Realty Management, Inc.

Know more about any flooded Zone A building, or know what's up with your building? Email tips@curbed.com. We'll be updating this post throughout the day.

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