WTC Site Formally Opens

Recent completions give NYC skyline a new look.

4 WTC Formally Joins NYC Skyline

The 977-ft.-tall, US$2-billion 4 World Trade Center (WTC) office tower formally joined the New York City (NYC) skyline during a November 2013 ribbon cutting. The Chicago Tribune noted that, although dwarfed by the 1,776-ft.-tall 1 WTC, 4 WTC is taller than any building in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas and Philadelphia. Located across from the National September 11 Memorial commemorating the thousands of lives lost in 9/11, 4 WTC is expected to start welcoming tenants sometime this year. The building is outfitted with 39 Schindler elevators and three escalators. Under a different contract, Schindler is also providing four escalators for 4 WTC’s planned retail space. 

Underground Walkway Opens at Site

The 8,000-sq.-ft., glass-enclosed Brookfield Place Pavilion and World Trade Center (WTC) West Concourse, an underground walkway destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, were unveiled at the WTC site on October 24 by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Six new escalators lead from pavilion to concourse, which enables pedestrians to safely cross West Side Highway. The pavilion and walkway are the first components of the US$4-million, Santiago Calatrava-designed WTC transportation hub, the escalators of which had to be rebuilt after being destroyed in Hurricane Sandy in October 2012.

One WTC Height Affirmed by CTBUH

In November, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) in Chicago affirmed the height of One World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City at 1,776 ft. (541.3 m), making it the tallest building in the U.S. Removal of cladding from One WTC’s spire due to maintenance concerns had called into question whether the spire was part of the building’s architecture or a functional/technical element. Had CTBUH decided the spire was a functional/technical element, such as an antenna, it would not have counted in the height measurement. CTBUH’s decision was based, in part, on a presentation by One WTC’s design team from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which pointed out that the spire holds a beacon light and is an integral – and symbolic – part of its design.

Lerch Bates, Otis Among Participants on LA, Boston Projects

73-Story Wilshire Grand Bottoms Out in LA

The team building the US$1 billion, 73-story Wilshire Grand mixed-use development in downtown Los Angeles (LA) marked a construction milestone on November 20 with a bottoming-out ceremony. Developer Korean Air and its construction team hit the project’s lowest point – 106 ft. below ground – after demolishing the 1950s-era Wilshire Grand hotel. They will now begin building a glass-encased tower that will house approximately 900 hotel rooms, 400,000 sq. ft. of office space and an undetermined amount of retail. Partners include architect AC Martin Partners, Turner Construction Co. and Lerch Bates Inc., which was tapped to design the façade-access system. Otis is the contractor for the building’s high-speed elevators (ELEVATOR WORLD, July 2012). Upon completion in late 2016, the building will be the tallest on the West Coast at 1,100 ft.

Lerch Bates in Boston for Christian Science Plaza

Lerch Bates Inc. has been selected by developer Carpenter & Company, Inc. to help design and construct a project adjacent to Boston’s Christian Science Plaza. Part of the company’s work will be to design the vertical-transportation systems. The development includes a mid-rise structure and a high-rise tower at 691 ft. tall (58 stories) that would be the tallest building built in Boston in more than 20 years.

 The project is part of a larger development plan to redesign the 14.8-acre Christian Science Plaza in the city’s Back Bay. The structure will include a 250-room hotel, 170 condominium units, restaurants and shops in its 712,500 sq. ft. Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and Cambridge Seven Associates were chosen as collaborating architects for the project. Construction of the tower is expected to begin early this year, with completion in 2017.

ATIS Performs Mississippi’s First Licensed Elevator Inspection

On November 5, St. Louis-based ATIS Elevator Inspections performed Mississippi’s first licensed elevator inspection under the new Mississippi Conveyance Safety Act. The inspection was performed by QEI Gary Brewer, ATIS Mississippi district manager and the state’s first licensed elevator inspector. Brewer inspected one elevator and one dumbwaiter at the Governor’s Mansion in Jackson.

Elevator U Announces New Membership Benefit

At the 2013 National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) convention, the NAEC Board of Directors voted and approved that college and university elevator shops are now eligible to become NAEC members under the “Associate Member” category. The amendment allows university elevator shops to be members as one entity. This precludes each qualified individual within the department from having to apply separately. The amendment also permits each technician within a member university to be eligible to participate in the Certified Elevator Technician (CET®) program. This can help institutions realize cost savings and increased educational opportunities. Other benefits of Elevator U membership include continuing education, an annual conference, networking opportunities, discounted educational materials and a subscription to ELEVATOR WORLD.

Elevator U President Terri Flint commented:

“The adoption of the NAEC bylaws regarding membership classifications is a great opportunity for Elevator U and NAEC. Both associations have been working together for a long time to find a way to make use of the tools that exist and can benefit [from] the safety and knowledge of the industry and make equipment more reliable and safer for the riding public. With the changes, it makes access to education and resources easier for Elevator U members to utilize.”

Transitions

PFlow Hires Kilbourn as Project Manager

Vertical reciprocating conveyor manufacturer PFlow Industries of Milwaukee has hired Kent Kilbourn as project manager. Bringing experience in account management and business development, Kilbourn will be part of a PFlow team overseeing the design and construction of material lifts, from order to shipment. 

Kings III Taps Orlando Market Manager

Kings III Emergency Communications has hired Candace Harrison as Business Development manager for its Orlando market. Harrison has more than 20 years of experience in commercial and multifamily sales and service, most recently serving in the same role at Palmer Electric. She has been a regional sales manager for Selig Specialty Chemicals and owned a post-construction cleanup business for more than 15 years.

Eight KONE Units Ordered for California Courthouse

General contractor Hensel Phelps has hired KONE to provide eight MonoSpace® elevators to the Santa Clara Family Justice Center under construction in San Jose, California. Using KONE EcoDisc® technology, the machine-room-less MonoSpace units consume approximately 50% less energy than their traction-machine counterparts, produce less heat and lower construction costs, according to KONE. This is the second California courthouse project KONE has done in conjunction with Hensel Phelps. Installation is scheduled for January 2015.

SiteCompli Launches Website for Violation Copies

SiteCompli, which monitors, reports and alerts on compliance issues for New York City (NYC)-area property owners, managers and investors (ELEVATOR WORLD, December 2013), has announced the launch of www.VioCopies.com. The website delivers copies of NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) elevator violations and is available to consumers who need copies of NYC elevator violations in order to resolve compliance issues. SiteCompli’s cofounder Jason Griffith explained:

“Obtaining [these documents] is a crucial step in resolving violations, as an actual copy of the violation must be obtained to ascertain the violating condition and necessary cure. This is critical information that, up until now, has taken weeks or even months to receive after a request to the DOB is made.”

San Francisco Residential Skyscrapers Multiply

Residential skyscrapers continue to multiply in San Francisco with the US$200-million, 32-story 299 Fremont St. project securing financing in October and developers planning to break ground by the end of 2013, the San Francisco Business Times reports. Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, 299 Fremont will join Lumina, a 665-unit, two-tower complex, and the 299-unit One Rincon Hill, among others being built nearby. Together, current local projects comprise more than 2,600 new units. 

Miami Project Details Released

Brickell CityCentre, a three-block project near the center of Miami’s financial district, is to include an 80-story mixed-use tower, developer Swire Properties Inc. announced in September. Designed by Miami-based Arquitectonica International Corp., the skyscraper will include stores, condominiums and a hotel. Dubbed “One Brickell CityCentre,” it would be one of the tallest buildings in Florida. One of more than a dozen projects set to change the city’s skyline, such as the 35-story SkyPalace (ELEVATOR WORLD, November 2012), the development has been under construction since June 27, 2012 (EW, September 2012). It remains on schedule for completion in 2015.

New York’s D&D Elevator Unveils Website, App

D&D Elevator, a maintenance, modernization, construction and repair firm serving New York City and nearby Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Nassau counties, has unveiled a new website, www.ddelevator.com. It includes a project gallery, customer testimonials, services list, downloadable employment application and team member biographies. Also new is a mobile-phone application that allows customers to immediately contact D&D, and potential customers to obtain free elevator maintenance evaluations.