Peelle Announces New Sales Representative

The Peelle Co. has announced William J. Dunlevy & Son, Inc. as its sales representative for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and northern Virginia. Dunlevy & Son is a full-service manufacturers’ representative and was founded by William Dunlevy, an industry veteran that had decades of elevator-industry experience prior to his passing in 1994. The company is now headed by his son, William Dunlevy, Jr. Peelle and Dunlevy & Son came together in 1977, with Dunlevy representing Peelle in the eastern Pennsylvania region. In 2005, the territory was expanded.

According to Dunlevy, Jr.:

“Peelle was not the dominant player in this area before we took over. The largest contribution we’ve made to Peelle is the countless Otis, Courion, Harris Preble and Security Fire Door installations that have been converted to Peelle equipment since we became their sales representative. We owe our success to the excellent support we’ve received from the New York and manufacturing groups.”

Atlanta Airport Work In Progress

The Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta is undergoing a US$51.4-million upgrade to its escalators, elevators and moving walks. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, some of these units were installed as early as 1979. Airport officials say this contributes to an increase in their repair downtime in recent years – the oldest units have required at least three times the number of repairs new ones have. Funded by airline-backed bonds, the work will see 38 escalators, 45 elevators and 16 moving walks upgraded. Completion of the phased project is slated for August 2016.

Inclinator Appoints New President

Inclinator Co. of America recently appointed Steve Progin as its new president and CEO. Progin is the fifth president to lead the company, which was founded in 1923. Progin joined Inclinator in 2002, where he most recently served as chief financial officer and member of the leadership team. He earned an MBA from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania. His background includes work in public accounting and experience in manufacturing. Progin said:

“I am excited to lead our team at Inclinator into the future. Over the last few years, our focus has been on improving our products and building a stronger team. As we grow forward, there is a bright future for our company, and having a role in strengthening our already successful team is a true honor.”

Inclinator, a residential elevator and residential/commercial lift company located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, invented the stair chair lift in 1923 and home elevator in 1928. 

TEI Appoints Vice President of EH&S

    TEI Group of New York City recently appointed Ray Downs as vice president of Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S). Downs will oversee the company’s EH&S policies and procedures for corporate, federal, state and local compliance. Before joining TEI, Downs spent more than 22 years with Otis as North American Area Regional EH&S manager and Field Operations superintendent. He received the United Technologies Corp. Rentschler Memorial Award for his work ensuring proper air-quality measures were in place for elevator workers at the World Trade Center recovery site immediately following 9/11. In addition, he received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition in 2006. Downs is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and National Fire Prevention Association.

Boston Development Authorized

The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority has received authorization from the state legislature to begin its US$2-billion expansion project. The first phase will include the construction of seven hotels near the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in the Seaport District. The new hotels can have a maximum of 2,700 rooms, including a 1,200-room headquarters. According to state Senator Jack Hart, the hotels are a direct result of what the local neighborhood wanted.

Hudson Yards Update

A US$15-billion project for New York City is still set to begin construction this year, following a previous announcement of a 51-story skyscraper by Related Cos. (ELEVATOR WORLD, January 2012). According to NBC New York, the 26-acre Hudson Yards, a former train depot near the Hudson River on Manhattan, New York’s, West Side, is the “largest undeveloped parcel in Manhattan.” It is to consist of a cluster of commercial and residential high rises flanked by parkland, a cultural center, restaurants, shops, a hotel and a school. In response to the development, the state’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is extending the No. 7 subway line from Times Square to Eleventh Avenue, the center of Hudson Yards, to open in 2014.

Related Chairman and CEO Stephen Ross has stated an October groundbreaking is planned for the 12-million-sq.-ft. site. Its first building, expected to open in 2015, is a 46-floor high rise to be occupied by Coach Inc. The US$1.3-billion building will have a glass atrium and sit beside the High Line, a 1-mi.-long elevated public “greenway.” A platform costing US$800,000 will cover the field of open tracks from nearby Pennsylvania Station (EW, August 1999). These will continue to be used by the Long Island Rail Road. Another high-rise along Hudson Park and Boulevard will be designed by David Childs, who provided the same service for One World Trade Center (EW, September 2012). This as-yet-unnamed edifice is to be occupied by 2014.

A 60-block stretch of the West Side has been rezoned to accommodate 25 million sq. ft. of office space expected to be gradually developed as midtown Manhattan’s business district grows. The city estimates Hudson Yards will generate tens of thousands more jobs over the next 12 years. The first residential skyscraper for the development is to contain 5,000 apartment units and be planned by architect Elizabeth Diller and designer David Rockwell.

CEA Golf Outing A Success

On August 3, the Chicago Elevator Association (CEA) held its annual charity golf outing at the Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas. Attendees reported good weather with plenty of sunshine. A dinner was provided after the golfing, and a raffle followed. A 50/50 drawing for the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation (EESF) run by Brad Hunt of The Peelle Co. and Ken Grohowski of C.E. Electronics raised US$1,465. Considered “a great success” by Golf Outing Committee members Glenn Duncan, Tom Przybyla and Gary Schreiber (all from Parts Specialists, Inc.), a total of US$1615 was donated to EESF for elevator and escalator safety education.

Naesa Seeks Participants For Pilot Program

NAESA International is hosting two four-day QEI Training Courses, with a QEI exam to be held on the fifth day in Phoenix on October 22-26 and Clearwater, Florida, on November 5-9, to assist with its endeavor to become certified with the American National Standards Institute (ELEVATOR WORLD, July 2012). The courses and exams will be offered to eligible applicants at a discounted rate. Exam results will be analyzed by professionals in the testing field, which may take up to three months, thereby delaying notifications of results. Eligible applicants familiar with researching industry codes have the option to take the exam only. Exams may be taken at the locations specified in the organization’s Training Calendar or at sites conveniently located in the vicinity of examinees, providing proctors are available. Examinees must have access to a computer with fast Internet service. For more information, contact NAESA at phone: (360) 292-4968 or visit website: www.naesai.org.

AIA Announces Construction Growth Forecast

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has forecasted growth in commercial construction in 2012. AIA projects the U.S. will see a 4.4% rise in nonresidential construction spending this year, up from a 2.1% projected increase in the trade group’s “January Consensus Construction Forecast.” Commercial construction, including industrial facilities, warehouses, hotels, retail and office buildings, is expected to rise 5.7% this year and increase 10.2% in 2013. However, institutional construction such as healthcare and educational facilities is expected to rise only 0.7% and 3% in those years, respectively.

According to Kermit Baker, AIA chief economist:

“With companies looking to bring back manufacturing jobs from overseas, there has been a sharp rise in demand for industrial facilities, which is leading to an upward revision in projections for future construction spending.”

Olivermcmillan Restarts Construction On Buckhead Atlanta

Developer OliverMcMillan has restarted work on Buckhead Atlanta, a 1.5-million-sq.-ft., mixed-use project on which construction halted more than three years ago. According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the San Diego-based developer began clearing construction debris August 7 on a parcel between Buckhead Avenue and East Paces Ferry Road located in Buckhead, Georgia, an uptown district of Atlanta. The parcel will include 85,000 sq. ft. of stores and restaurants, two 12-story apartment towers, 15,000 sq. ft. of office space and a parking deck. OliverMcMillan reached a deal to acquire the project almost a year ago, after it was once launched by developer Ben Carter. Known as Streets of Buckhead, the US$10-billion-plus project stalled during the recession. Carter later gave up control of the project, opening the door for OliverMcMillan. Construction on Buckhead Atlanta is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.

Peelle To Modernize Army Terminal

ThyssenKrupp Elevator awarded The Peelle Co. a contract to modernize 18 elevators at the Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT) in Brooklyn, New York. The project will consist of 312 Peelle and Otis power-generated doors, 21 car doors and 11 car enclosures. Peelle will provide the repair, replacement and installation of the equipment, which was originally installed in the 1930s. BAT was heavily trafficked during World War II, during which 56,000 military and civilian personnel were employed there.

Industry Member Hosts Personal Fundraiser For EESF

In July, Dotty Stanlaske, executive director for NAESA International, and her husband, Bob, hosted a personal fundraiser to benefit the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation (EESF). The second-annual “Wino in Tenino” is a two-day event that provides local wine and entertainment in Tenino, Washington. Nearly 40 people attended and more than US$1,000 was raised for the Foundation through a silent auction. Several attendees offered compliments on the event’s success and their enjoyment.

Schindler To Equip California Stadium

The Santa Clara Stadium Authority has awarded Schindler a contract to provide elevators and escalators for the National Football League’s San Francisco 49ers new stadium in Santa Clara, California. The order calls for 25 elevators, including 18 400AE mid-rise machine-room-less units and 38 9300AE® escalators. The 400AE elevators feature AC gearless machines, which reduce energy usage, and Power Factor 1 drives that generate energy back into the building’s electrical system to be used for other equipment, such as lighting. The elevator cabs feature energy-efficient compact-fluorescent lighting. The escalators are equipped with a drive system that allows motor power to drop by up to 27% compared to earlier escalator models.

Designed by HNBT and Turner Devcon Joint Venture, the new 1.85-million-sq.-ft. stadium will include open pedestrian plazas, commercial and retail space, a store and a hall of fame. In addition, the stadium is being designed to be used for various events, including football games, concerts and civic activities.

New Address For Pincus Elevator

The address for Pincus Elevator Co. has changed. The new address is 901 S. Bolmar Street, Suite Q, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19382. The fax and phone numbers will remain the same.

Leed Projects Utilize Software To Expedite Process

In order to qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification, projects are required to compile and submit various data. In 2010, The U.S. Green Building Council unveiled the LEED Automation program, which is designed to expedite LEED building certification by integrating LEED Online from third-party technology platforms. According to a report by CONSTRUCTECH, construction teams have found that using the software to compile the data has helped the data-submission process.

In August, the New Buildings Institute announced the launch of a new LEED Automation tool, the COMNET Energy Modeling portal. The system collects energy-modeling data, performs quality-assurance checks and submits the results to LEED Online for the energy atmosphere prerequisite and the energy and atmosphere credit. The system filters the results, but users can still review the data on LEED Online to confirm it has been filled out appropriately. One design firm estimated an entire day’s work can be saved by using the software, because it eliminates manual paperwork. This technology enables architects, engineers and construction teams to spend more time on the design and construction of the LEED project.

Nashville Developer To Build Guitar-Shaped High Rise

 Impakt Commercial Real Estate has plans to build a 32-story, guitar-shaped glass and steel high rise, to be called “Strings,” in Nashville, Tennessee. The 300,000-sq.-ft tower is planned to include high-speed elevators and retail, office and residential space. According to the Nashville Business Journal, Travis Kelty, president and managing broker at Impakt, plans to secure land for the project by November. Partners for the project include Atlanta architect Rich Standard of KPS Group and general contractor Anderson Cos. of Gulfport, Mississippi.