Suffolk University Receives Preservation Award

Preservation Massachusetts has presented Suffolk University with a Paul E. Tsongas Award in recognition of its restoration of the Modern Theatre in Boston’s Historic Theater District, which reopened in November 2010. Otis provided two units for the theater: one Gen2® high-rise elevator and a low-rise holed hydraulic elevator.

While the front of the building is dedicated to the arts, the building also provides housing for students in a 10-story residence hall built in setback, above the theater.

The building is also expected to receive a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® Silver rating.

Dewhurst Acquires Erm, Winter & Bain

Dewhurst plc of the U.K. has completed majority ownership acquisition of Elevator Research and Manufacturing (ERM) and Winter & Bain Manufacturing, both of Los  Angeles. Winter & Bain, established in the early 1920s, will continue to manufacture jacks, pump units, platforms, entrances, doors and cabs. ERM will continue to produce its line of signal fixtures. Dewhurst expects that its additional resources will enable it to expand capabilities to better serve existing and new customers throughout North America in conjunction with marketing partner Lift Solutions of Everett, Washington.

Dewhurst is an international supplier of elevator fixtures and buttons, and keypads for banking terminals. Its other North American holdings include Dupar Controls, a Canadian fixture manufacturer. Clive Mann will continue to serve as general manager for both companies. Ed Park will take the role of Sales, vice president.

QCCESS New Product Award

Qccess Co., Ltd. announced in March that it was designated the winner of Security Products magazine’s 2010 New Product of the Year Award for its Air@-EL300, a laser optical video transmitter. The product was specifically designed for elevator closed-circuit TV (CCTV) video-transmission applications. It is maintenance free and has no influence on power and traveling cables. In addition, it is compatible with existing CCTV systems and peripherals, and has real-time transmission and no latency.

Elcon Adds Director

Elevator Control Service (ELCON) has announced the addition of Donald Mitchell as director of Business Development for the Washington, D.C. area. Mitchell has more than 30 years of diverse trade experience. Over the last several years, he managed projects such as the Olympic Stadium Complex, Georgia Dome and Georgia World Congress Center for KONE. He has an MBA from Fairleigh Dickerson University College in Teaneck, New Jersey, and a BA from West Liberty University in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Bart Opens New Station

The first new San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station since June 2003 opened in February. The West Dublin/Pleasanton Station itself has been supplied with two escalators and one elevator, and its two parking garages contain four elevators. This is BART’s 44th station and brings 1,200 new parking spots, 2,500 jobs and more racks for bicyclists. A transit village for people with-out vehicles is expected to be built nearby in the future.

The US$106-million project was made possible by public/private partnerships between BART and firms such as Jones Lang LaSalle and Safeway, Inc., and cities such as Dublin and Pleasanton. The facility breaks up what had been the longest stretch of tracks between two stations: 10 miles from Castro Valley to Dublin/Pleasanton. The result is expected to be reduced traffic congestion and better access to downtown Dublin and Pleasanton’s Stoneridge area.

Great American Tower Completed

Cincinnati is home to the 41-story Great American Tower, which was completed in January. The building is equipped with 19 high-speed elevators with destination-dispatch systems that minimize passenger travel times, in addition to two 6,000-pound-capacity freight elevators. Developed and owned by Eagle Realty Group; designed by Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum; and built by Turner Construction Co., the tower is one of the city’s first to receive the Leader-ship in Energy and Environmental Design® Gold rating.

A 14% reduction in energy usage has been obtained through energy modeling of the façade and curtain wall system. The 800,000-square-foot high rise also conforms to the current requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other regulations that mandate  accessibility standards and guidelines.

Peelle Donates in Honor of Runner

H.E. Peelle, III, president of The Peelle Co., made a generous donation to the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation (EESF) in the name of Christine Horner during EESF’s Annual General Membership Meeting on February 23-26 (ELEVATOR WORLD, May 2011). Horner participated in the Atacama Crossing in Chile in March. The Atacama Crossing is one of the four deserts named by TIME on its list of “Top 10 Endurance Competitions in the World.”

Horner started with Peelle in 2000 and holds the position of controller for Peelle Canada, and treasurer and director for Peelle USA. She was also featured in EW’s January 2011 Last Glance. Horner explains specific challenges of heat, backpack weight and back-to-back running days in the series of races in which she competes, saying, “I’m thrilled to have Peelle take interest in my activities and show [its] support with a donation!”

Peelle is a longtime supporter of EESF. Its donation will be used to help the Foundation reach its goal of educating 700,000 elementary-aged students with the Safe-T Rider© elevator and escalator safety program.

Code Inspector Layoff

In Trenton, New Jersey, nearly 30 code inspectors are being laid off by the state, citing a lack of construction as the cause. The layoffs primarily affect housing and multiple-dwelling inspectors and are being determined by the employees’ specialization, not seniority. The state enforces building codes in 37 municipalities that do not have local code officials and waives permit fees in exchange for not having to hire inspectors locally. The state also inspects elevators, hotels, motels and multiple dwellings in more than 450 of its 566 municipalities. Privatization task force panels appointed by Governor Chris Christie have recommended the state turn the inspection of multiple-dwelling units over to licensed entities within the private sector. The layoffs were planned to take effect in mid-May.

Florida Airport Selects Thyssenkrupp

At a meeting in April, the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority accepted a bid from ThyssenKrupp Elevator to replace two escalators in the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport near Sarasota, Florida. The airport authority specified that the new ThyssenKrupp Tugela Heavy-Duty escalators not be standard commercial escalators and that they be equipped with variable operating speed capabilities. Skirt and handrail lighting will also be provided for safety and aesthetic features. The US$418,151 bid is to replace the escalators that connect first- and second-floor passenger terminals. According to an official, the escalators are 22 years old and have required frequent repairs.

Los Angeles Development Planned

Portland, Oregon, developer Williams/Dame & Associates plans to build a 22-story hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The project, which is expected to begin in March 2012, would be located near the L.A. Live entertainment center and operated by Marriott International Inc. Located on Olympic Boulevard, the high rise would be across from a JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton (both operated by Marriott). According to company executives, it is not unusual to have multiple Marriott products so close together. The US$120-million hotel is set to be completed by 2014.

MWAA Rail Station Plans

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) board of directors is evaluating an underground rail station at the Washington Dulles International Airport. In March, MWAA staff members gave a briefing on the status of the project. Phase I was running on schedule and within budget at the time and the line should be operational in 2013.

The MWAA board continues to evaluate a modified plan for an underground station that would use a dig-out-and-cover approach, rather than mining a tunnel. The above ground station would be located near the North Garage, about 1,150 feet from the ticketing area when following the underground path of tunnels, moving walks and escalators. The underground station, to be located near the front of the terminal, cuts the walk-in half. The underground station would add six months to construction and delay the opening of the line to Ashburn, Virginia, until 2018.

Ohio Colleges Receive Funds for Upgrades

The Ohio State Controlling Board has approved and funded projects at Wright University in Dayton and Central State University in Wilberforce, both of Ohio. Following a 2003-2004 study of campus facilities, 35 elevator deficiencies were found. Wright University was approved for US$322,500 to complete basic safety upgrades for its elevators. Central State was granted US$25,000 to complete work related to HVAC and security system renovations.

University of Minnesota Upgrades

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents has formally requested funds to restore campus elevators in time for the 2012 deadline for the units to comply with the ASME 2004 codes given to the entire state in 2007 (ELEVATOR WORLD, March 2011). According to Patty Erickson, Elevator U member and elevator shop manager at the university, there were two projects in process to address cylinder replacements as of March. Group I includes 11 units with primarily cylinder work, in addition to minor code items. Group II includes seven units that will undergo full modernization, along with cylinder work. The university plans to have Group I completed by fall. Group II was ready to go out for bid in March.

The campus has around 400 vertical-transportation units, including elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters, dis-ability lifts and stage lifts. Erickson’s shop services 208 of the units; the rest are a combination of new equipment under warranty and contract service elevators

In addition to the elevator upgrades, fire service upgrades are being addressed but have not been determined or finalized, as the elevator inspections done by the state didn’t break down what was needed for each unit. Some elevators will not meet the new code requirements with-out full modernizations.

Brooklyn’s Dock Street Tower

In April, Two Trees Management, developers of Brooklyn’s controversial Dock Street project, closed a deal with the city to follow through on its intentions to build a middle school inside the 17-story tower. Some have raised issues with the project (sited under the Brooklyn Bridge), claiming that the tower’s size and proximity to the bridge would obscure views of the landmark and that the developer’s promise of a school was a sweetener to get the project through the city’s public review process. Two Trees Management will absorb the cost of constructing the school, a move that the city says will save millions of U.S. dollars, while providing a new option for District 13 families in the Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass area and Brooklyn Heights. Construction of the building will begin in spring 2012 and be completed in time for the 2014 school year.