Pinnacle Tower News
December 20, 2005
Lobby 533-7960               Const 231-7072
 
Greetings & Best Wishes at this special time of year.
 
For those of us who have moved into our new homes in the Pinnacle Tower this time of year is even more special & memorable (though not necessarily without problems).  The degree of satisfaction with Pinnacle International varies from resident to resident.  Rather than dwell only on the negative we attempt to balance the information in this newsletter.  Admittedly there is good news to be shared along with the not so good news.

Punch Lists - If you have items on your punch list still needing attention & you have not heard from anyone, or you are getting mixed messages, it is recommended you make an in-person visit to the construction office on the Mezzanine Level.  Please share your experiences with your neighbors in this newsletter - the good as well as the not-so-good experiences.  Perhaps we can all learn from the experience.  Gilda Cullison, in the construction office, asks for your patience.   A reminder that once the new move ins have finished then more attention will be paid to the outstanding punch lists.  Our units are warranted for one year.

Great News - No flooding to report, Exhaust Fan noise is gone, Richard Amberry is still at the Lobby Desk Monday thru Friday, the dishwasher & disposer have been connected in the Amenity Room, repairs have been made to the damaged upper floors, new carpeting is being installed in the common areas of each floor, and we live in one of the best (if not the best) locations in all of downtown San Diego.
 
Paint used in our Units: The following information was provided by the construction office.  The Paint Products used in the initial construction of our units in the Pinnacle Tower are all Vista Brand Paint. 

Location

Product # Color Type
Interior Walls VP20-1257 Ballet White Flat
Bathroom Walls VP20-1257 Ballet White 100% Acrylic Enamel
Interior Ceilings VP20-1259 Cloud White Flat
Interior Wood Trim OW-104 Off White Semi-Gloss
The closest Vista Paint Stores are located at:

5710 Kearny Villa Rd. San Diego, 92123   (858) 565-7477   Fax: (858) 565-2890

1103 Morena Blvd. San Diego, 92110    (619) 276-0003   Fax: (619) 276-0702

Venting - (not the emotional kind but rather the material kind) - This just in from one of our homeowners: 

"We have the stacked washer and dryer. In order to check the top filter I had to stand on the top of the washer to reach the top dryer filter. Grab the knob on the glass window cover and push the cover down into the track. Pull the cover out and the screen will come with it. Do not slide the cover left or right. Our second dryer filter was full of lint after one month use."

I would recommend using a ladder rather than standing on the washer.   More on venting - remember to keep your stove filters clean.  Consult your appliance manuals and the Homeowner Manual (avail. on our website).

Closet Shelving Screws & Pocket Doors - From one of our homeowners:

"....it would be good to spread the word about the closet shelving screws and the pocket doors. Whoever did our installation used screws that were a bit too long, so there are deep scratches in the pocket door. The door is on our punch list, but we at least fixed the screws ourselves.

It's also easy for residents who aren't familiar with pocket doors to create scratches or worse. In fact, we know a resident (who I won't embarrass by giving a name) who drilled a hole right through the pocket door while working on the closet!"

View from the top - In case you were wondering, here is what the view is like at the top of the Pinnacle.

Wine & Cheese Party - Friday, January 20th, 2006 6pm - 9pm at Richard Walker's unit 2008.

Rats in the Belfry - There have been sightings of rats in our building so please be on the alert and notify our facility director, Richard Giondomenico, if you see any of those critters in the building.  Rat Traps have been installed in different locations.

Window Washer Gondola Cranes - Julie Dillon, 3102, reports that the metal storage boxes for the window washing cranes on the 31st floor were installed on December 6.

Soft Water -  It has been noted that we have soft water in the building.  Lately the water feels less soft and we are trying to find out why.  

The Water Quality Association of the United States defines hard water as water containing dissolved hardness minerals above 1 GPG (grains per gallon). The most common hardness causing minerals are Calcium and Magnesium. Levels of hardness are classified as follows:
 

Soft Water - less than 1 GPG
Slightly hard - 1 to 3.5 GPG
Moderately hard - 3.5 to 7 GPG
Hard - 7 to 10.5 GPG
Very Hard - 10.5 and higher GPG
 

Hard water is fine for many uses around a home, such as watering a garden, washing cars and general outdoor lawn care. Water, as it comes from a well or from a municipal treatment plant, works fine for these purposes. But for indoor use such as showering and bathing, washing dishes and clothes, shaving, and dozens of other uses, hard water is not as efficient or convenient as "soft water." For example, soft water:

  • Uses less soap and cleaning products

  • Reduces "soap scum" and 'bathtub ring' that are difficult to remove

  • Minimizes unsightly spots on dishes, glassware and flat ware

  • Cuts down on scale that clogs plumbing and builds up on the inside of water heaters; which can increase gas or electric bills, and may lead to early failure of the heater

  • Increases life expectancy for appliances, including washing machines, dishwashers, and water heaters.

  • Contributes to softer skin after bathing or showering, opens skin pores and cleans hair more thoroughly. This reduces the risk of diaper rash, rough, red hands, and skin irritation and discomfort.

  • Improves the taste of ice cubes and boiled foods such as vegetables

Carpeting - Installation of our new carpeting in the hallways is proceeding.  As of yesterday carpeting was installed on the 8th floor.

Homeowner Meeting - A reminder that the meeting will be held on Jan 9 at the Marriott Hotel. See website for details.

Dry Cleaning Valet Service - Our concierge, Richard Amberry, has contacted three local Dry Cleaning services for all of your wardrobe needs.  The services are: SD Valet Cleaners (www.CleanersDelivery.com ); CleanTouch (www.CleanServ.net ); Margaret's Cleaners (www.margaretscleaners.com ).  [This is not an endorsement of any service - the information is provided merely as a convenience to you.]  Speak with Richard at the Lobby Desk for more details.

Trash Chute - Please do not place cardboard directly into the chute.  Make every attempt to bag all trash so that it will easily slide down the chute.  A clogged trash chute is NOT a good thing.

Recyclables - We DO have a recyclable room on the ground floor.  Access to it is available through the Main Elevator Lobby.  You are encouraged to bring your recyclables to this room rather than tossing them down the Trash Chute. 

Lobby improvements -Construction began today on the Decorative Mail Box Wall that you have been hearing about.  This wall will hide the Mail Boxes from view in our otherwise beautiful Lobby.  The same woods are being used and there will be glass inserts.  This should really enhance the look of our lobby.

That's it for this time around.   Wishing you all the best during this season.

Pat McArron

www.pinnacletower.org