WHAT’S  WITH THE  &*%$@! LOBBY?

Dear Boardie,

QUESTION: What the #%&*! happened to our lobby?

ANSWER: The problem with the lobby is the roof.

EXPLAIN PLEASE: Both the lobby and the roof needed remodeling. After the Board interviewed lobby designers and architects and zeroed in on a design, we started with the most basic change in the lobby (raising the ceiling). By that time, the Board realized getting a new roof before the rainy season begins had to take precedent. Timing is everything.

BOTTOM LINE: It was a simple case of age before beauty.

QUESTION: When will the roof be finished?

BETTER QUESTION: When will the roof get started?

ANSWER: Hopefully by the time you read this the roof job will have commenced.

IS THAT A PROMISE? No.

WHY NOT? Not only do we have to completely remove the 1974 roof, we have to create a 2020 roof that meets new OSHA standards and Building Regulations.

FAIR WARNING: The roof job will take eight weeks and will be dirty and noisy. Free earplugs are available in the Lobby Office.

WHAT’S THE HOLD UP? Your Board, since committing to the task and educating themselves as to the best type of replacement roof and then finding the best contractors to do the job, have encountered more restrictions and regulations than a dog has fleas. Also, there are different inspectors for various parts of the roof, and surprise surprise, some agencies are understaffed. So before we even start, we have been forced to play the waiting game.

IS THE BOARD DUMB?

SHORT ANSWER: No.

LONG ANSWER: The six board members and your president are Pacific Tower owners, just like you. Dispite their busy lives, they are and have been amazingly generous with their time. These volunteers shoulder the great burden of making decisions that will affect all of us for years to come. They don’t take their duties lightly.

Both the roof and the lobby are huge headaches involving interviewing experts, surfing the web (to get an education about boring stuff such as types of roofs) and learning about (Ugh!) compliance codes for what was a modern building in 1974. They’re doing their best to improve the building. They should be thanked.

TRICK QUESTION: What if roof delays push us too close to the rainy season?

ANSWER: We’ll pull the ole’ switcheroo and finally get our beautiful lobby! And that’s a promise.

                                                             ***