Reasons

The project continued like clockwork. Floor after floor was completed without a hitch. That was the strange part. Most construction projects were (and are) contentious. Change orders are requested and then denied. The project slows down at each of these change order stumbling blocks and then it has to accelerate to get back on schedule. But not this project. Every change order request was approved immediately and the project never faltered.

After a couple of months, I learned why this project was so different. I overheard a couple of conversations and put two and two together. All of the costs for this project would be submitted to the Public Utilities Commission in a request for a rate increase. That rate increase would more than pay for any costs incurred in building the new switching station. The costs were going to become evidence that Pacific Telephone was diligent in their efforts to be a responsible utility and to constantly look for ways to better serve their customers. So, the more this project cost…the better! And everyone was in on the game. Except for the PUC, of course. (Who knows? Maybe they were as well.)