Cavinder Elevator Celebrates One-of-a-Kind Redesign in Florida

Cavinder Elevator Co., Inc. recently celebrated completion of an elevator conversion at the Ocean Ritz condominium building in Panama City Beach, Florida. With Lerch Bates serving as consultant, the job involved converting an Otis Gen2^® machine-room-less (MRL) system to a traditional, nonproprietary, overhead 1:1 roped traction system. The team got to work in January 2022, delivering the converted system to Ocean Ritz in July 2023. Built in 2006, Ocean Ritz boasts 64 units within 23 stories on the beachfront. Cavinder tells ELEVATOR WORLD the most challenging aspects included engineering the hitch plates on the car and counterweight. Principal engineers Daniel and Danny Bowne assumed their roles in September 2023. The Cavinder team transformed the MRL with a machine mounted at the top of the hoistway into a traditional overhead application that provides the most protection possible from the elements, including saltwater. Cavinder also increased elevator speed from 400 ft/min to 550 ft/min. Cabs, fixtures and the landing system are all waterproof.