Dinner on an Otis Elevator

This freight-elevator photograph was taken on June 6, 1933, in celebration of the completion of the first of two such elevators, which were, at the time, the largest truck elevators ever built. These elevators were installed at 111 Eighth Avenue (originally known as the Port Authority Commerce Building) in New York City. The art-deco building is still in use today and contains 14 passenger elevators, nine freight elevators and two 40,000-lb.-capacity truck elevators designed to carry vehicles up to 32 ft. in length. A major renovation of the building was undertaken in 2000, and the elevators were modernized in 2003. As can also be seen in this photo, the truck elevators had vertical bi-parting doors manufactured by The Peelle Co., which provided 270 freight-elevator doors to the building.