The year was 1985.
On Friday, September 27, 1985 New York City was hit by Hurricane Gloria.
The Twin Towers were closed due to wind in their elevator shafts. Roads, highways, and several portions of the public transportation system were shut as well.
Many sukkas that were already put up were blown over, damaged or destroyed.
Sukkos began just two days later, on the night of Sunday, September 29.
That motzei Shabbos and Sunday my phone rang many times with people frantically looking for someone to reassemble, repair, or rebuild their sukkah before Yom Tov.
Yes, I remember it quite well.