HRI Properties Employee updates concerning hurricane Gustav
UPDATED 9.4.2008 3:30PM
From: Tom Leonhard
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2008 3:25 PM
To: @All HRI Properties Employees
Subject: Gustav Recovery
I wanted to give everyone a quick update on how our company is managing the recovery process from Hurricane Gustav. First, our corporate office in New Orleans has been open all day (Wednesday, September 4, 2008) and is fully functional with very few staff shortfalls despite many of our staff not having power at their homes. Second, all of our New Orleans properties are now open including our three hotels which are experiencing significant demand as a result of power-outages in the area and the needs of recovery workers. Third, we still have two apartment properties in New Orleans, one in Hammond and one in Houma that do not have power but we are hopeful this will be corrected very soon. We have reached-out to the City of Houma in an attempt to help them with their recovery like they helped us after Hurricane Katrina.
I am very proud of the way our company and region handled this terrible event and hope that we are spared the rest of this hurricane season.
UPDATED 9.3.2008 10:00am
From: Tom Leonhard
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 10:08 AM
To: @All HRI Properties Employees
Cc: Marcy Moses
Subject: New Orleans and Jefferson Parish Now Open
We have had several employees of HRI get into the City including HRI`s corporate offices at 909 Poydras Street, which never lost power. The big issue facing the City right now is the restoration of power. We received a report this morning from Entergy that the main transmission lines into the City that were damaged have now been repaired. This opens up work to repair the electrical substations that should bring power back to the City, which should be very soon. Norman Amort and his team are preparing to open all three New Orleans hotels and currently plan to have them open today with limited hotel services since all three have power and sustained little to no damage. David Abbenante and his team are making arrangements to do the same with the New Orleans apartment properties. I plan on being in the City today and at the office tomorrow morning. Employees should make plans to return to work as soon as tomorrow subject to their individual situations and the restoration of power to most parts of the City. Please e-mail Marcy Moses today if you cannot report to work tomorrow and let her know what we can do to help your situation including securing hotel rooms in the City. HRI`s first priority is the safety and security of our employees. We will be very flexible to accomodate the needs of our employees.
Let`s make HRI a shining example of how quickly New Orleans can recover from such a significant weather event as Gustav!
UPDATED 9.2.2008 3:00pm
HRI’s Executive Committee is working to gain city access to reopen the hotels as early as tomorrow.
HRI’s 909 Poydras employees should check this website tomorrow, Wednesday Sept. 3rd after 2:00 PM for updated information on reopening the office.
UPDATED 9.1.2008
From: Tom Leonhard
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2008 6:13 PM
To: @All HRI Properties Employees
Subject: Hurricane Gustav - New Orleans Impact
At 4PM today, the Executive Team of HRI Properties spoke via conference call and received a report from Pres Kabacoff and Eddie Boettner (they both rode-out the storm in the City) on the condition of our properties in New Orleans. I am very pleased to report to all of you that the preliminary report is very positive and they have observed no visible damage at our properties in New Orleans. We are still waiting for a report on our properties in Houma, Lafayette and New Iberia and our collective thoughts and prayers go out to all of those citizens who were affected by this strong storm. As soon as we get a report on these properties, we will share it with you.
I cannot tell you how relieved and proud I feel to be a New Orleanian. I know that many of our fellow Americans question why people live in such a place that is subject to hurricanes and the potential for flooding. My only response to that question is to ask them why anyone would live in such cities as Miami, Jacksonville, Baltimore, and Tampa when those cities have NO levee protection and would likely be devastated by a direct hit from a hurricane like New Orleans just experienced. A special thanks goes out to all of our public officials and public servants who kept us safe.
Our current plan is to re-open our office and operations in New Orleans on Thursday morning subject to the City allowing its residents to come home. Please travel safely and thank you for keeping HRI Properties prepared to weather this strong storm.
