We Are Architects. We Can Help Them Heal.

I apologize for the lack of development this post may seem to exhibit. Thrown into complete darkness by Hurricane Sandy, I am writing this from my warm bed on a Droid Incredible smart phone. We have not had power since 3PM Monday (October 29).

We are blessed to have survived the storm of our lifetimes with very little damage and are doing just fine. Thank God. Electricity is our only need. We will be patient as the ConEdison crews work overtime to help us return to normal routines.

We sent the kids off to the inlaws where they have heat, light and chocolate cake. My mom and dad surprised us yesterday and delivered a portable Honda generator. It’s tiny, but its enough to plug in Aunt Maureen’s old ceramic heater and warm up the bedroom.

This coming week is going to be very busy for us at Fivecat Studio. As our region begins to recover from the hurricane, there will be many homes in need of repair. In the wake of the storm, we have already scheduled three interviews and signed contracts for one major project, all directly related to storm damage.

Interestingly, all are prospects or clients with projects previously “on hold”. The damage caused by the storm gave them incentive to proceed with projects which were delayed due to the economy.

So, as dark as the clouds have been, we are seeing a very thin lining of silver glistening on the horizon.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost loved ones or watched as their homes burned to the ground. My heart is with the people at the Jersey Shore, a very special place where Annmarie and I both spent summer vacations as kids. The boardwalk and amusements we enjoyed with our own children have all been destroyed.

It is our responsibility as architects, in times of crisis such as these, to help our neighbors in need. Our expertise in building design and construction can help this region heal. As people start to evaluate the damage caused by the storm, we can be there to assist and be there to rebuild.

Please do what you can. Say a prayer. Send a donation. Volunteer your time. There are people who need us. Be there for them.