Our Brush with Watergate's "Deferred Maintenance"

Lots of talk in the Bay Area recently about the fate of the Watergate Office Towers in Emeryville. Three of the four buildings in the complex went into default, and are in the process of being sold. Asking price(s) range from $130 Million to $150 Million (depending on whom you ask) - but everyone agrees on one thing; the buildings need a lot of maintenance.

Which brings me to my post today -- we were making a delivery last night to one of the buildings in question, when we experienced what a lack of maintenance can do... namely the freight elevator we were using broke down, stranding our product mid-floor over night. The story has a happy ending, product was safe and sound, and freed from its captivity this morning.