Lift Solutions/Adams Announcements

Adams Elevator Equipment Co. announced in March that its sales and service partner Lift Solutions, Inc. would begin serving customers throughout the U.S. The companies have been in cooperation since 2006 and agree they have a strong working relationship. “We are happy to represent Adams across the country and to grow our relationships with its customers,” explained John Castaño, president of Lift Solutions. “We’ll continue to provide the service and support Adams’ customers expect and deserve.”

Adams also announced that its online store (shop.adamselevator.com) has been launched (ELEVATOR WORLD, March 2012). Customers can also view part listings and supplier information at the company’s listing in the Elevator World Source eDirectory (elevatorworld.com/directory).

Miramar Project Faces Opposition

More than 1,000 Santa Monica, California, residents are opposing the Miramar Hotel’s plans to transform the existing hotel into a multi-use complex that would include condominiums, a hotel and retail space. The project would double the hotel’s size to more than 500,000 sq. ft. and three new towers up to 133-ft. tall would be constructed. Residents have argued the proposed complex exceeds Land Use and Circulation Elements provisions, which establishes a 32-ft. height limit for the entire city. The community also argues the complex would block ocean views, increase noise and create traffic and parking problems. Community members are calling on city officials to require developers to revise the plan to make it more compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. Concerned residents planned to attend April’s city council meeting to voice their views.

Kone Escalator Project At Union Station

KONE has been awarded a contract to supply escalators at Union Station in Washington, D.C., as part of a modernization project designed by Newmont Elevator Analysts, Inc. The order calls for KONE to supply 18 new escalators, in addition to joint contracts with Jones Lang LaSalle and the Union Station Redevelopment Corp. to supply eight KONE escalators to the station and 10 to the adjoining garage and bus terminal. The joint award also includes a three-year maintenance agreement with an in-house technician who will serve 33 units. The escalators will include KONE’s sleep-mode feature, designed to conserve energy. According to KONE, the project will begin in the second half of this year and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013.

EU Conference Set For June

Elevator U’s (EU) annual conference will be held on June 19-21 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing, Michigan, near Michigan State University. A pre-conference golf outing at the university’s Forest Akers Golf Course is scheduled for June 18 at 2:00 p.m. Attendees can expect educational sessions, social activities, “Vendor-Mercials,” an expo and a silent auction benefitting the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation. The cost of attendance is US$200 for members and US$350 for nonmembers. For more information or to register, contact the EU Conference Planning Committee at e-mail: elevator@gmail.com or website: www.elevatoru.org.

PAC West Pushes For Accessibility

Pac West Elevator of Sacramento, California, has announced an initiative to start installing accessibility and wheelchair lifts by Savaria, Hamar Mobility and ThyssenKrupp Access in both residential and commercial properties. Pac West offers a wide range of wheelchair lifts, including multilifts, which are vertical platforms designed for low-rise travel inside or outside a space. According to Teri Speel, owner of Pac West, the company’s goal is to affordably provide the disabled with better access to their entire living spaces.

Saenger Theatre Restoration

The City of New Orleans, Canal Street Development Corp. and ACE Theatrical Group have announced that work is underway to restore New Orleans’ Saenger Theatre. Built in 1927 in the city’s downtown area and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and has since been the focus of a complex redevelopment project. The theater will undergo a top-to-bottom renovation emphasizing authenticity enhanced by technical retrofitting. The renovation will return the landmark to a fully functional, multipurpose venue. The US$51-million project is expected to be complete in the spring of 2013.

ALPS Wire Rope VP Retires

Alps Wire Rope Corp. announced in March that its vice president (VP), Bob Zader, retired after nine years with the company. After working at Bell Labs, then AT&T, for more than 30 years, Zader moved to Alps as accounting manager before becoming VP in 2011. Brad Benner, president of Alps, said Zader “has had a major key role in building Alps both financially and physically. I thank him for his outstanding work. Zader will truly be missed.”

Great Lakes Elevator Appoints Manager

In March, Great Lakes Elevator Service, Inc. of Park Ridge, Illinois, announced the appointment of Christopher Nowakowski to Sales manager. He has more than 17 years of sales experience in the elevator industry and will be responsible for coordinating sales and marketing efforts for the company in the Chicago area. According to Ken Garst, president of Great Lakes Elevator, “[We are] looking forward to [Nowakowski] implementing a new and exciting perspective to our sales and marketing campaigns.”

California Courthouse Plans Progressing

In March, Stockton, California, received acquisition approval for the final parcels it needs to construct a new courthouse. The new 306,000-sq.-ft. facility will be 13 stories tall, and its design will incorporate sustainability features qualifying it for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® Gold rating. As of press time, construction was scheduled to begin in early 2014, with completion in mid 2016.

In addition, the San Joaquin Juvenile Justice Center in French Camp, California, received approval for a renovation project. The facility will also receive a 4,000-sq.-ft. expansion. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2013 and be completed in mid 2015.

Kone Relocates Technical Services Center

KONE has announced it will move its Technical Services Center into a renovated building in downtown Moline, Illinois. The restructuring will bring KONE employees, spare parts, training and technology under one roof in an effort to enhance customer service throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The building will also be located near the new KONE Centre, scheduled to open in June.

Elevator At Hidden River Cave

Officials in Horse Cave, Kentucky, are working to make improvements at Hidden River Cave. They plan to expand the area of the cave that visitors can explore and install an inclined elevator so visitors do not have to climb down 182 steps to reach the cave’s mouth. The stairs have proven a barrier for many potential visitors, and the elevator would attract more people to the cave. The cost of installation is estimated to be US$300,000. City officials have applied for US$500,000 in grant money that would help pay for the project. It is estimated that 10,000 people visit Hidden River Cave each year. Officials believe adding the elevator and expanding the tour would double that number.

Justice Department Mandates Elevators At Public Pools

The U.S. Department of Justice has passed a new regulation that would require all public pools to install handicapped-accessible ramps and/or lifts. According to The Weekly Standard, all elevators must be permanent structures. The regulation falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act; however, some U.S. senators are opposing the regulation, claiming it could increase the number of litigation cases.

Residential Tower In Downtown Seattle

Construction on Viktoria Apartments, a 24-story mixed-use development in downtown Seattle, began in April and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013. The project is a joint venture between Seattle-based companies Goodman Real Estate and Harbor Union, LLC and equity partner Capri Capital Partners, LLC, and will include 249 residential units and 3,690 sq. ft. of retail space. Viktoria Apartments is designed for today’s environmentally minded  resident and will serve the growing demand for residential units in the area.

Retirement Community Renovations

A three-phase, US$28-million renovation of the Charleston retirement community in Catonsville, Maryland, is underway. The renovations, which began in January, will add 55 apartments and four elevators, and expand facilities. The project is a result of an increased demand from aging baby boomers and a high rate of those aged 65 or older in southwestern Baltimore County. Design architects for the project are Marks, Thomas Architects of Baltimore. Work is expected to be completed by spring 2013.