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Weekly UpdatesPicture this. ... a brand new construction of luxury apartment homes with residents eager to move in. After falling behind schedule, the development company was finally ready to turn over the building to our management firm. We had already experienced a big delay in delivery of the first building and had disappointed many of our new residents. We knew we would face similar angry residents with any delays on this building.
It was the first snow of winter and we were getting ready for the next wave of move-ins.
The first residents were scheduled for a Saturday morning move for a second-story apartment. The construction staff had worked overtime and nearly had everything ready. It seemed we would finish on time. Then, on Friday afternoon, construction unexpectedly told us the concrete landing in front of the door was cracked so badly they had to re-pour it. They said the landing would be ready by the next morning when the residents arrived, but would still be too wet for the cleaning contractor to carry cleaning equipment across it.
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It seemed we had no choice but to call the young couple and tell them they would have to wait another day to move in. When we called they were nearly hysterical. Their old apartment had been re-rented and they had to be out that day. They had all their friends ready to help with the move and couldn't get everyone together at another time. "We have nowhere else to go!" they pleaded.
After a team huddle with the construction superintendant and my staff, we decided we couldn't let these folks down. The cleaning contractor had already left for the weekend, so we went into action as darkness fell. Due to the design of the landing, putting a plank over the newly poured concrete wasn't feasible. Instead, the construction superintendant got a ladder and leaned it up against the railing around the landing. Up went my maintenance man. He sat on the rail and unlocked the apartment door. Then he jumped into the apartment and opened the window. We moved the ladder to the window, secured it, then proceeded to haul all the cleaning equipment up the ladder and through the window. Our mission also included hauling floor lamps up the ladder, so we could see in the dark. We even managed to drag a commercial size sweeper into the apartment!
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Once we were done, everything that had gone up the ladder had to come back down. By that time, everyone was tired, so some things actually came flying out the window!
Early the next morning, our new residents arrived and moved into their new apartment, happy as could be. Little did they know what a mad house it had been the night before.
* THINK YOU CAN TOP THIS TALE? SEND YOUR TRUE STORIES TO MARKISAN NASO AT MNASO@IREM. ORG.
BY JENNIFER BAIAMONTE, CPM[R] | ILLUSTRATIONS BY PAUL LUKAS
JENNIFER BAIAMONTE, CPM[R] IS A PROPERTY MANAGER WITH DUKE REALTY CORP., IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.
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