Elevator World

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

VT LICENSES LAG IN SOUTHERN INDIA DISTRICT

Of the more than 1,500 vertical-transportation (VT) conveyances operating in the Ernakulam district of Kochi in southern India, only 841 have up-to-date licenses from the Electrical Inspectorate, The Times of India reports. As per current law, property owners must pay approximately US$31 for an inspector to examine a lift's electrical system and safety gear to obtain a first-time license, with the fee about half that for a renewal. Other than issue notices, there is not much the inspectorate can do about property owners who lack licenses. Should a person become injured on an unlicensed unit, the property's insurer will not pay the claim.

TUTOR PERINI WINS CARLSBAD CAVERNS MODERNIZATION JOB

Tutor Perini Corp., headquartered in Los Angeles, has been awarded a contract to modernize the main elevators at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, the Associated Press reports. The units went out of service in November 2015 when a motor shaft sheared off and left an empty car dangling in the hoistway. Demolition will take place first, followed by the installation of two new motors, elevator cars, sheaves, cables and controllers. The project is expected to be complete in summer 2018.

43-STORY MIXED USE TOWER TOPS OUT IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI

Avant at Met Square, a 43-story tower containing approximately 390 apartments, an 18-screen movie theater, a gallery showcasing local history, restaurants and stores structurally topped out in August in downtown Miami, SkyRise Cities reports. The design, described by architect Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolf & Associates as "lighthearted" and "approachable," features "a playful composition of stacked cubes" and a pool deck with outdoor lounging space atop a podium. Located at 340 Southeast 3rd Street, the tower represents the fourth and final phase of MDM Development Group's US$1-billion Metropolitan Miami project.

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

THYSSENKRUPP WINS TORONTO AIRPORT MAINTENANCE CONTRACT

thyssenkrupp has been awarded a five-year contract to maintain more than 350 elevators and escalators and two accelerated moving walks at Toronto Pearson International Airport. In announcing the deal, thyssenkrupp described how the pair of Express Walkway high-speed moving walks installed at the airport in 2009 led to the creation of ACCEL, which uses Transrapid magnetic train technology to reduce gate-connection times by up to 70%. thyssenkrupp states 19 million Toronto Airport passengers to date have benefited from using Express Walkway, which enables passengers to walk at up to 12 kph.

 

TEXAS DEVELOPERS HOPE TO BUILD AUSTIN’S TALLEST

At 850 ft., a Gensler-designed, mixed-use tower planned by San Antonio developer Lynd Development Partners and Dallas-based Lincoln Property Group at West Sixth and Guadalupe streets in downtown Austin, Texas, would be the city's tallest structure, the Austin American-Statesman reports. The current vision is for 62 stories, but that could increase to more than 70 stories, according to Lynd. Austin's soon-to-be-tallest building is The Independent, a 58-story condominium tower that will stand 685 ft. The new tallest could break ground within the year, taking approximately four years to build out. It would have more than 500,000 sq. ft. of office space, more than 300 apartments and ground-level retail.

 

ELEVATOR REPAIRMAN DIES AFTER BEING CRUSHED

An elevator technician died after getting his torso jammed between a car and shaft at a residential building in Hangzhou, China, on August 2, the South China Morning Post reported. Surveillance footage showed the technician, a man in his 20s, approach the elevator, inspect the cabin and then exit the unit. The video did not show the accident, but authorities believe he was trapped for about 40 min. before a resident found him. Firefighters and police responded to the scene. An investigation into the incident was ongoing, but residents said the building's elevators had undergone repeated maintenance.

 

IAEC-NY FUNDRAISER COMING UP

The 24th annual fundraiser of the International Association of Elevator Consultants New York Region (IAEC-NY) is approaching fast. It is planned on the rooftop of the Dream Downtown, located at 355 West 16th Street, New York, New York 10011, on August 24. Proceeds benefit the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation. Reservations are US$360 per person, a slight increase over the previous iteration that enables an expanded menu. For more information or to RSVP, contact IAEC.

Image courtesy of thyssenkrupp:

https://www.thyssenkrupp.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/press-release-132576.html?id=182402

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

PLAN INCLUDES WASHINGTON AREA’S TALLEST HIGH RISE

A development in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Tysons Corner, Virginia, would include several high-rise buildings, including a 48-story tower that, at 615 ft., would rise higher than the region’s current tallest structure, the Washington Monument, insidenova.com reports. The View at Tysons, a proposal by Clemente Development Co. Inc., would bring together residential, office, retail and lodging to a 7.4-acre site near a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) station. The mixed-use “iconic tower” would sit on a base that houses retail, and the tower itself would hold a “five-star” hotel and condo units. Other structures would include four high rises ranging from an estimated 310.5 ft. to 420 ft. housing office, residential and retail space.

NAESA INTERNATIONAL HAS TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS

NAESA International has announcements about training and an event. It is offering QEI Certification training on September 18-22 in Clearwater, Florida, with the exam to be held on the fifth day for individuals who qualify. Applications are due no later than August 31. Then, on September 28-29, NAESA will once again partner with the State of Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services to host the Wisconsin Elevator Symposium in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, which NAESA describes as “a great opportunity for inspectors, mechanics, consultants and other interested parties to network with others in the industry and learn about the latest code issues and applications.” For information about either, visit the NAESA website.

ROWDY PLAY LEADS TO ESCALATOR INJURY

A toddler in China was hurt July 30 after he was apparently pushed down an escalator by another child, trapping the toddler's finger, the Daily Mail reported. The incident took place in Xinfeng County, in east China's Jiangxi province. An alert bystander pressed the emergency stop button, and firefighters soon arrived to free the child. He was rushed by ambulance to a hospital, where his condition was described as stable.

PROPOSED MANHATTAN TOWER GAINS HEIGHT

A proposed tower at 247 Cherry Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side has apparently grown in height, according to a filing with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The original proposal, as reported in April 2016 by Curbed New York, was to have been a 77-story, 900-ft.-tall structure holding about 600 apartments. According to the FAA filing, dated July 12, the structure now has a targeted height of 1,013 ft. And boweryboogie.com reports that the tower will house 660 residential units, with about 165 earmarked as "permanently affordable." The plan has not been without controversy: some neighbors have raised concerns about the impact the tower will have on the neighborhood.

Image courtesy of insidenova.com:

http://www.insidenova.com/news/business/the-view-at-tysons-would-emerge-as-tallest-in-the/article_3a28d0c4-7ad6-11e7-bf7e-634b25f35989.html

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

ELEVATOR INDUSTRY AT CTBUH 2017 AUSTRALIA CONFERENCE

Elevator-industry experts from KONE, Schindler and thyssenkrupp are among those scheduled to speak at the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) Connecting the City: People, Density & Infrastructure conference planned on October 30-November 3 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia. Highlights include KONE Chief Technology Officer Tomio Pihkala and Major Projects Director Jeffery Montgomery, who are among presenters on “Future Technologies”; and thyssenkrupp Head of Product Development Markus Jetter, who is among “Public Realm: Interior Systems” presenters. Schindler is sponsoring a networking reception to wrap up Day One. Visit the website for the most up-to-date speaker list.

 

FOUR ESCALATORS BEING REPLACED AT WMATA STATION

An approximately 10-month project to replace four escalators at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) NoMa-Gallaudet U Station in northwest Washington, D.C., began on August 7, the authority announced. Part of a capital-improvement program to increase reliability and availability of parts, the project involves taking two units out of service at a time. Passengers can still access the platform via one escalator at each entrance, stairs or elevators.

 

ELEVATOR SHAFT FALL FATAL FOR WORKER AT UMD CAMPUS

A fall down an elevator shaft was fatal for a male construction worker at the University of Maryland’s (UMD) College Park Campus in College Park, Maryland, on August 3, ABC News reports. Fire and police personnel responded at approximately 1 p.m., and pronounced the worker dead at the scene. University and state officials are investigating.

 

MANCHESTER PROPOSAL CALLS FOR 30-STORY STUDENT RESIDENCE

A proposal for a 30-story student-housing tower in Manchester, U.K., has been submitted to the Manchester City Council for approval, bdonline.co.uk reports. The building, designed by SimpsonHaugh, would offer a variety of apartment sizes with a total of 573 student bedrooms. The plan also calls for common areas, bicycle parking and commercial space. The project would require demolition of two buildings at the New Wakefield Street site, a music venue and vacant industrial building that both date to the late 19th or early 20th centuries, but the application suggests that neither holds historical significance. The proposal will be open for consultation until August 21.

Image courtesy of WMATA:

https://my.gallaudet.edu/Asset/00010737/NoMa_GallaudetU_Replacement_ProjectWarningENGLISH_FINAL.pdf

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

ELEVATOR RESCUE TRAINING FOR VIRGINIA FIREFIGHTERS

Virginia firefighters gathered at the Petersburg Public Library in Petersburg, Virginia, on July 31 for training on how to properly rescue people trapped in elevators, part of a larger monthly program launched by new Petersburg Fire Chief Dennis Rubin, Firehouse reported, crediting McClatchy. The event included a classroom session and hands-on training at elevators at the library and a local public-housing complex. The firefighters learned when and when not to attempt a rescue, and the difference between hydraulic and traction elevators.

ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF RENZO PIANO’S NEW MANHATTAN PROJECT

Additional renderings of Renzo Piano-designed 565 Broome Soho, a pair of 30-story towers containing approximately 115 residences in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan, New York, have been released ahead of an anticipated 2018 opening, designboom reports. The publication includes a video of the Italian architect explaining the design, which incorporates rounded corners and floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views. The residences are loftlike, and amenities are plentiful, including a 55-ft. pool, spa and private gated driveway. Bizzi Real Estate Development, Aronov Development and Halpern Real Estate Ventures are behind the project, which is aiming to be the first zero-waste residential building in Manhattan.

OSHA INVESTIGATING NEW ORLEANS ELEVATOR ACCIDENT

An elevator carrying 11 workers fell seven stories at a construction site in New Orleans on July 28, resulting in minor injuries for five of the individuals, various news outlets, including Safety Unlimited News-Service, report. The braking system failed, but a spring at the bottom of the shaft lessened the impact, officials said. The most serious injury was reportedly a broken foot. OSHA is investigating the incident, which occurred at the site of a luxury apartment complex being built in the central business district.

BART ESCALATOR CANOPY PROGRAM BEGINS IN EARNEST

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) installed a prototype escalator canopy at its 19th Street Station in Oakland, California, in 2014 to protect equipment. With the move resulting in a reduction of downtime by 66%, BART now plans to build additional canopies at stations in San Francisco, hoodline reports. Consisting of escalator replacement, canopies, lighting and signage, work is set to commence in the fall or winter at entrances at Powell Street, Civic Center and one additional station and continue through 2019 and beyond. Embarcadero and Montgomery stations are also included in the project, which fulfills a state code requirement to protect new escalator investments.

Image courtesy of firehouse.com:

http://www.firehouse.com/news/12356030/elevator-training-part-of-va-chiefs-new-program

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

MIXED-USED PLAN FOR QUEENS BOROUGH

A group of developers envisions a 1.5-million-sq.-ft., 65- and 50-story complex that would have offices, apartments, retail, a school, public space and a factory along the East River in Long Island City, Queens, New York City (NYC), The Architect's Newspaper reports. Bringing housing and light manufacturing together would require rezoning, since that is not currently allowed. TF Cornerstone was selected by the NYC Economic Development Corp. to lead the US$925-million development on 4.5 acres along 44th Drive. Architects are ODA, Handel Architects and Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects. The plan is for approximately 1,000 apartments, 100,000 sq. ft. of light manufacturing, 400,000 sq. ft. of office space and 19,000 sq. ft. of retail. If all goes well, the project could be complete in 2022.

DISTINGUISHED BROWN-CLAD CONDO TOWER FOR TORONTO

A lot formerly home to a gas station and doughnut shop in downtown Toronto is being prepared to make way for the 36-story 159SW Tower, which will have 360 condominiums, Urban Toronto reports. Developed by the Alterra Group of Cos. and designed by Richmond Architects, the brown-clad structure will rise just southwest of St. James Town's 20th Century towers. It will have a four-story podium with retail fronting the corner of Sherbourne and Wellesley streets. The plan also includes wider sidewalks and new landscaping by Alexander Budrevics and Associates.

TEI HIRES SMOCOVICH

TEI Group of New York City recently hired account Glen Smocovich, who has more than 30 years' experience in the vertical-transportation industry, including stints with KONE and City Elevator Cos. Adam Hersh, TEI senior vice president of Sales & Marketing, said Smocovich’s “experience, knowledge and passion will help ensure our brand promise is delivered” and that he embodies TEI’s core values of safety, integrity and quality.

MAN DIES AS A RESULT OF ELEVATOR MISHAP IN INDIA

A 40-year-old-man attempting to follow his family into an elevator in the industrial town of Vapi, north of Mumbai, on July 30, became caught between the cab and shaft when the unit suddenly started moving with its door open, The Times of India reports. He died from his injuries shortly thereafter while being treated at a local hospital. It took fire-brigade workers approximately one hr. to free him by removing a portion of the wall and elevator. Authorities are investigating the incident.

Image courtesy of archpaper.com:

https://archpaper.com/2017/07/long-island-city-anable-basin/

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

VAN VELZEN IS NEW DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AT NEII

Nicole Van Velzen is the new director of communications at the National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII®), responsible for developing content for its newsletters and website, handling media relations and supporting advocacy and outreach. Her experience includes marketing and copywriting for a variety of clients as owner of Larkspur Coordinations, serving as marketing director for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lawrence, Kansas, and as Public Affairs director for the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She has been maintaining NEII's Codefinder database for the past few years. NEII Executive Director Karen Penafiel says Van Velzen will be "a great asset to the association."

 

ELEVATOR COLLAPSES WITH INFANT INSIDE IN BULGARIA

An elevator at a metro station in Sofia, Bulgaria, carrying a family that included an 18-day-old infant, fell from the second to ground floor, Sofia News Agency reported on July 31. No injuries were reported, and authorities are investigating the incident, the latest in several, some fatal, similar elevator mishaps that have happened over the past few years in Bulgaria.

 

TEI AWARDED INSTALLATION CONTRACTS THROUGHOUT NYC

TEI Group of New York City (NYC) was recently awarded contracts to install 28 elevators at NYC properties: four overhead gearless and two holeless hydraulic elevators at 37 Blueslip, a 30-story, 372-unit rental property by Turner Construction Corp. in Brooklyn; three holeless, hydraulic passenger elevators for DaDong Catering in a new "retail cube" it will occupy between West 41st and 42nd streets at 3 Bryant Park; for Jack Resnick & Sons, four overhead gearless traction elevators at 133 East 58th Street, an office retail building completed in 1930 known for having the largest Victoria's Secret store in the world; and, for SL Green, 15 overhead gearless passenger elevators as part of the modernization of 125 Park Avenue, a Beaux-Arts building across from Grand Central Terminal.

Image credit: epa/bgnes via Sofia News Agency:

http://www.novinite.com/articles/181753/Elevator+with+18-+Day-Old+Baby+Collapse+in+Sofia+Subway

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

MALAYSIAN TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS VT SAFETY

Malaysia's Department of Occupational Health and Safety (DOSH) plans to have a task force in place by September focused on safe use of vertical-transportation (VT) equipment, Malay Mail Online reports. There were 51 accidents involving elevators and 33 involving escalators between 2012 and 2016, according to DOSH, with nearly all escalator mishaps due to children not being supervised. Work will begin in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, with DOSH cooperating with related agencies like the Fire and Rescue Department and the Ministry of Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government. Properties with many units such as shopping centers, office buildings and housing blocks will be a particular focus, and DOSH has already urged that additional signage and audio messages be implemented.

MANCHESTER PLAN FOR 26- 67-STORY TOWERS PROGRESSES

Trinity Islands, a plan by Allied London for five Child Graddon Lewis (CGL)-designed towers ranging from 26 to 67 stories in the city center of Manchester, U.K., looks to be moving forward despite opposition from historic preservationists concerned about its scale, Building Design reports. Officials plan to recommend it to the Planning and Highways Committee, observing that its high design quality and public benefits will outweigh any "minor and moderate" impact to the surrounding landscape. The development would include approximately 1,400 homes and Manchester's tallest building at 237 m. Construction could start by the end of the year.

NEW PLANS RAISE HEIGHTS OF TORONTO TOWERS

Plans for a faith-related residential development in the Scarborough section of Toronto have been resubmitted to increase the size of the project, Urban Toronto reports. Trinity Ravine Towers, a Reinders + Rieder Ltd.-designed life-lease development by Global Kingdom Ministries, was originally conceived as two 25-story towers connected by a four-story podium housing amenities. The new plan increases the west tower to 27 stories and 278 units (up from 209), and the east tower will now be 29 stories with 287 units (up from 235). The development is restricted to residents 55 and older.

Image courtesy of themalaymailonline.com:

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/special-team-for-lift-escalator-safety-to-be-set-up-says-dosh-chief#xvuVMYOM8U1BJdFR.97

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

DELPECH RESIGNS AS OTIS PRESIDENT

Otis President Philippe Delpech has resigned to “accept another opportunity in Europe,” Otis parent company United Technologies Corp. (UTC) announced on July 27. UTC gave no other details about Delpech's departure but said that Nora LaFreniere, vice president and general counsel, and Mark George, vice president for finance and chief financial officer, will lead the vertical-transportation company until a permanent successor is chosen. The Hartford Courant said Delpech became Otis president in September 2015, after having served as chief operating officer of intercontinental operations for UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of UTC that includes several brands, including Otis.

 

RELATED’S FLORIDA CONDO TOWERS GOING STRONG

The Related Group sold 100% of the residences in its first 40-plus-story condominium tower in Hollywood, Florida, just as the second has started rising, SkyRise Cities reports. The latest tower, Hyde Beach House, is approximately 80% sold and looking toward a 2019 completion. Designed by Cohen, Freedman, Encinosa & Associates Architects, it will have approximately 340 units that are a mix of permanent residences and rentals. Like its predecessor, Hyde Resort and Residences, Hyde Beach Club will boast extensive amenities such as an outdoor theater, large pool deck, tennis court, rooftop club and direct access to the beach from the exclusive Hyde Beach Club.

 

PARTIALLY BUILT MANHATTAN TOWER FACES FORECLOSURE

Steinway Tower, a planned 82-story residential tower at 111 West 57th Street in Manhattan, New York, has gone so far over budget that the project is facing foreclosure, the New York Post reports. AmBase, a major real estate investor, is suing the developers, saying the project is US$50 million over budget because of "egregious oversights like neglecting to budget for construction cranes.” The building, one of the trendy skinny skyscrapers on Manhattan's "Billionaires Row," is less than one-quarter complete, having risen fewer than 20 stories. The lawsuit targets project sponsors Kevin Maloney and Michael Stern, and lender Spruce Capital Partners.

Photo: Hartford Business Journal file photo:

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20170728/NEWS01/170729928/otis-elevator-president-delpech-quits

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

OTIS LANDS BIG RETAIL MAINTENANCE CONTRACT IN GERMANY

Otis has signed a contract with The KaDeWe Group to maintain approximately 180 installations at KaDeWe in Berlin, Oberpollinger in Munich and Alsterhaus in Hamburg, all department stores owned by KaDeWe in Germany. Units to be maintained are 44 elevators, 124 escalators and one platform lift. Jans Wein, construction manager at KaDeWe, observed that “Otis has earned our business with its extensive range of services. We are pleased to have found a reliable partner in Otis, which can guarantee the high reliability of our equipment and contribute to the satisfaction of our customers."

BROTHERS JOINS SNAPCAB ELEVATOR INTERIORS

Brittany Brothers, an elevator-industry veteran with five years’ experience in sales and management, is joining SnapCab as an interior specialist. In her new role, Brothers will be responsible for educating and training elevator maintenance companies, architectural firms, property managers and building owners throughout the southeastern U.S. and Canada about the SnapCab system. Brothers earned an MBA from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Middle Tennessee State University.

CHANGES HAVE 125 GREENWICH SET TO MOVE FORWARD

After several changes, a finalized design for a residential tower at 125 Greenwich Street in downtown Manhattan, New York, has been chosen, New York YIMBY reports. The Rafael Viñoly Architects-designed building was originally envisioned as a nearly 1,400-ft.-tall structure, but developers Bizzi & Partners and Vector Group have decided on a final design topping out at 912 ft., which includes 72 stories rising to about 840 ft. and a concrete core providing a crown that adds another 70 ft. The latest application indicates that 125 Greenwich will have about 350,000 sq. ft. of space divided among 273 units. Foundation work has already been completed, but the project sat dormant for several years. New York YIMBY noted that the developers reportedly had closed on a US$450-million loan, which was seen as a sign that the project was close to moving forward.

Images courtesy of Wikipedia user Jochen Teufel:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaufhaus_des_Westens#/media/File:KaDeWe_von_Nordosten_(2008).jpg

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