Elevator World

Rendering by Marchetto Higgins Stieve

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/june-6-2016/

OTIS ELEVATORS FOR DISTINCTIVE BEIRUT BUILDING

Otis has been selected as the elevator provider for Beirut Terraces, a distinctive 27-story residential building designed by Hertzog and de Meuron overlooking the waterfront district of Beirut, Lebanon. The building's unique design features overhanging floorplates and extended terraces in a full-height glass envelope. The Otis order includes eight custom-designed, 4-mps units making 33 stops, one panoramic Gen2® elevator and a service elevator, along with the energy-efficient ReGenTM regenerative drive. Benchmark is the developer.

KONE ACQUIRES DENVER SERVICE AND REPAIR BUSINESS

KONE has acquired the service and repair arm of Elevators Unlimited in Denver, adding "depth and talent to KONE's service, repair and modernization business in the Denver area," according to KONE. Welcoming Elevators Unlimited customers, Larry Wash, executive vice president of KONE Americas, described the move as part of KONE's strategy to expand its presence in key U.S. markets.

37-STORY JERSEY CITY RESIDENTIAL TOWER MOVING FORWARD

A 37-story tower housing approximately 360 condominiums and 7,250 sq. ft. of retail has been approved by Jersey City, New Jersey, officials, meaning the structure will likely join 10 other residential high rises nearby, New York YIMBY reports. Marchetto Higgins Stieve and Woods Bagot Architects are the designers of 75 Park Lane South, which currently has two looks – one with dark red brick and the other with monochromatic panels and glass. The developer is Strategic Capital, the U.S. arm of China State Construction Engineering Corp. The site is close to the Hudson River, and the building is roughly scheduled for completion in 2018.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/june-7-2016/

10,000 ELEVATOR AD TERMINALS TO BE INSTALLED IN CHINA

China Information Technology, Inc. (CNIT) has reached a deal with advertising agency Tianjin Hailuo Technology Co. Ltd. to install 10,000 CNIT digital advertising terminals in elevators in Tianjin, China, over the next two years. The elevators are in office, residential, hotel and retail buildings. Installation is set to start in the second half of 2016. CNIT expects to earn money not only from sale of the terminals, but also recurring fees for data-monitoring systems and elevator alarm/emergency systems. In addition, CNIT will earn revenue from customers' use of its cloud-based content delivery platform, Yunfa Net.

RESIDENTIAL TOWER JOINS OFFICES IN NYC’S HUDSON YARDS

A 38-story sedate-yet-classy residential tower is joining the office towers taking shape in Hudson Yards on the far West Side in New York City (NYC), New York YIMBY reports. Located at 515 West 36th Street, the structure will stand 418 ft. tall and house approximately 250 apartments (20% of which will be below market rate) within 98,000 sq. ft. The first three floors will house retail. Lazerian Properties is the developer and Ismael Levya Architects is the designer of the building, which features a simple, glass curtain wall atop a white base. Work is scheduled for completion in 2018.

ANOTHER BATCH OF MRT-3 ESCALATORS TO BE REHABILITATED

The Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has awarded Mitsubishi Electric distributor International Elevator & Equipment Inc. (IEEI) a contract to rehabilitate 34 escalators in stations in Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), GMA News Online reports, building upon previous upgrades (ELENET 628 and 629). Approximately US$1.4 million has been budgeted. Projected to take approximately 220 days, the project consists of 10 units at Ayala, eight units each at Araneta Center-Cubao and Shaw Boulevard, four units at Buendia and two units each at Boni and Taft. DOTC next plans to replace 32 escalators that became obsolete in 2013.

Photo by David McGlynn

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/june-2-2016/

CHANGES IN MANAGEMENT AT GAL

GAL Manufacturing Corp., headquartered in Bronx, New York, has made two key changes to its management team. Doug Witham, a 40-year industry veteran and 16-year employee of GAL, has shifted from vice president of Sales and Manufacturing to the newly created position of vice president of Business Development. Filling Witham's shoes in Sales and Manufacturing is Steven Ort, who has more than 25 years of sales and marketing experience, most recently with Oerlikon Surface Solutions of Switzerland. Ort holds a BS in Business from Central Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

ORGANIZERS HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR UPCOMING EURO-LIFT

Organizers of international lift exhibition EURO-LIFT, planned on October 18-20 at Targi Kielce in Kielce, Poland, are optimistic about the latest iteration of the event based on past success. For the first time, EURO-LIFT will be held in conjunction with property maintenance and services exhibition LOKUM EXPO. The last EURO-LIFT in 2014 attracted approximately 130 companies, 60% of which were foreign, and nearly 2,000 industry professionals. EURO-LIFT bills itself as central and eastern Europe’s first lift-industry expo.

TECHNICIAN LOSES ARM IN ELEVATOR INCIDENT

An elevator technician had his arm severed at the elbow in a Lower Manhattan office building on May 26, the New York Post reported. He was working on an elevator at the building’s 19th floor. He suffered an additional, unspecified injury to his leg.

Photo by Ford Brackin via Pixabay.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/june-3-2016/

KONE WINS 60-UNIT ORDER IN INDONESIA

KONE has been awarded a contract to supply 60 elevators and escalators to Taman Anggrek Residences, under construction in Jakarta, Indonesia. Located in the shopping and luxury housing center of Taman Anggrek and scheduled for completion in December 2017, the development consists of six residential towers connected to Taman Anggrek Mall via a skybridge. KONE will install 42 MiniSpaceTM and 15 MonoSpace® machine-room-less elevators, and three TravelMasterTM escalators. The order also includes the E-LinkTM remote-monitoring system. The developer is Agung Sedayu Group.

IN MEMORIAM: RAYMOND L. ROMAN

Raymond L. Roman of Emsworth, Pennsylvania, passed away on April 27 at the age of 82. He spent 30 years in the elevator industry, working for Marshall and Haughton and, most recently, Industrial Elevator Maintenance Co. (IEMC), from which he retired. For IEMC, Roman installed and maintained elevators in coal mines, power plants and other industrial sites. He was well-regarded in the elevator industry, earning the nickname "Golden Hands" at IEMC. He was the first in the U.S. to install the Bode brake in an elevator. Roman is survived by his wife of 56 years, Lucille; children, Vivian and Carol; brother, Angelo; and four grandchildren. A funeral was held at Christ Church at Grove Farm in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.

SAUDI INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY EXHIBITION

Alagat Exhibitions is holding the second Saudi International Exhibition for Elevators & Escalators on September 25-27 at the Riyadh International Exhibition and Convention Center. An expected 12,500 professional visitors and exhibitors from around the world include those involved in the elevator/escalator and related industries. The organizer notes increasing public and private investment in Saudi Arabia to meet the needs of 1.65 million new homes by 2018 via a minimum of 375,000 new buildings.

Photo by Paul Martinka

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/june-01-2016/

87-UNIT ORDER FOR KONE IN BEIJING

KONE has been awarded a contract to supply 87 elevators to four towers ranging in height from 120-200 m in the Lize Financial Business District of Beijing. Situated on 52 ha, three of the towers will house offices and a fourth will have a hotel, apartments and retail. They are scheduled for completion in 2018. The developer is Beijing Capital Land Ltd., and the architect is Gensler Architecture. The order consists of 76 MiniSpaceTM and 11 MonoSpace® elevators, along with the E-LinkTM remote-monitoring system.

TEXACONE JOINS ANCHOR

The Texacone Co. has joined the Anchor family of companies, headquartered in Texas. Texacone has been designing and manufacturing hydraulic sealing components for the elevator industry since the 1950s. Citing Texacone's long history, Tra Willbanks, Anchor managing partner, said he is pleased to team up with Texacone President Gina Valdez and Executive Vice President Wallace Wheeler. The new relationship promises to allow Texacone to expand into new markets and develop new products and services.

FOUR YEAR OLD DIES IN FREIGHT ELEVATOR SHAFT

A four-year-old Park Slope, New York, boy died on May 26 after falling down an elevator shaft in a parking garage, the New York Post reports. The boy had been riding in the freight elevator with his parents when he ran away from them and, the report states, “accidentally tumbled down the shaft,” falling down a gap between the wall and the elevator shaft. He fell approximately 50 ft. from the third floor and passed away after being rushed to a nearby hospital. The public is not normally allowed in the freight elevator. The New York City Buildings Department has closed it while it is investigating.

Industry News for May 31, 2016

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/may-31-2016/

MASSIVE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNED IN VIETNAM

A development team consisting of a pair of Vietnamese companies and a Japanese firm plans to build a US$500-million, 4,800-unit residential project in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Saigoneer reports. Boasting view of the Saigon River, River City has an interesting elliptical shape ranging from 12 to 37 stories. The design takes cues from both Dubai and New York City's High Line. It includes a two-story waterfall swimming pool and elevated walking garden, among other amenities. An Gia Investment, Phat Dat Real Estate Development Joint Stock Co. and Creed Group of Japan said they anticipate a 2019 opening.

LINCOLN SQUARE TOWER PROGRESSING NICELY IN NYC

One West End, a 42-story, 458-ft.-tall primarily residential building designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects is progressing nicely at 1 West End Avenue in New York City (NYC), New York YIMBY reports. Encompassing 761,552 sq. ft., the tower includes a cantilevered portion that has reached 10 stories. It will house condominiums that start at US$1.94 million, as well as below-market-rate rentals. Completion is anticipated in 2017. The Elad Group and Silverstein Properties are developing One West End, part of the larger Riverside Center.

ESCALATOR MISHAP IN CHINA RESULTS IN BROKEN LEG

A 66-year-old man suffered a broken leg as a result of falling through an escalator step at a supermarket in Shenzhen, China, on May 24, various news outlets, including ejinsight, report. The unit continued to run for a few seconds after it malfunctioned, and it took rescue workers approximately 40 min. to extract the man’s leg from the machinery before he could be taken to a hospital. The domestically produced escalator had passed an inspection in December.

Read the Editor's Overview for June 2016 at http://www.elevatorworld.com/magazine/prettyis/.

Image by Flickr user ASaber91

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/may-27-2016/

CONSTRUCTION STARTS ON 67-STORY CHICAGO BUILDING

Construction has begun on One Bennett Park, a 67-story, 850-ft.-tall residential building near Navy Pier in Chicago, Curbed Chicago reports. Located at the southwest corner of Grand Avenue and Peshtigo Court, the building is the tallest in the city's current building boom and will rise above its tallest neighbor by 250 ft. Developer Related Midwest is building a new 1.7-acre park as part of the Robert A.M. Stern Architects-designed project. Assuming Vista, designed by Jeanne Gang, and Grant Park Tower, designed by Rafael Viñoly, also proceed, One Bennett Park will be Chicago's 13th-tallest building.

30-STORY MALL/OFFICE COMPLEX FOR BANGLADESH

Banani DCC-Unique Complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a 30-story structure that will house a shopping mall and offices, is under construction, SkyRise Cities reports. Including a three-floor basement parking garage, the project is being developed by Borak Real Estate and promises to help better position Dhaka as a modern business and tourism center. The two-building complex will boast modern amenities such as information-technology services and a 24-hr. power supply.

LIFT MALFUNCTION CLAIMS LIFE OF DOCTOR IN TAIWAN

Authorities are investigating a May 23 accident at National Yilan University in Yilan County, Taiwan, in which a 45-year-old doctor was found deceased, trapped between an elevator cab and the shaft wall, the Taipei Times reports. The man, who was the campus doctor, was on duty at the time of the 2:15 p.m. accident. After passengers reported the elevator was not responding to calls, a custodian found the doctor’s body approximately an hour later. It is believed the cab failed to stop level with the floor, and the man fell as he entered. He died from blood loss due to injuries to his lower body.

BEIJING SURVEY REVEALS HIGH NUMBER OF UNSAFE ELEVATORS

A Beijing Municipal Administration of Quality and Technology survey found 94% of 3,053 "high-risk" elevators in the city examined are unsafe, the Global Times reports. A Beijing official who oversees inspections attributed the issues to aging equipment: Of the 196,000 elevators in the city, 54,000 are older than eight years -- the point at which malfunctions become more likely. He advised passengers to avoid riding elevators that lack current safety-inspection certificates and to refrain from trying to free oneself or others in the event of a stopped elevator.

ANOTHER MIXED-USE TOWER PROPOSED IN DES MOINES

On the heels of a proposal to build a 32-story mixed-use tower in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, comes another proposed high rise nearby, The Des Moines Register reports. Blackbird Investments hopes to break ground this fall on a 29-story tower that would include approximately 220 residential units, 150 hotel rooms and ground-level retail. The location is at Seventh and Walnut streets, next door to the remains of a burned department store that Blackbird is transforming into residences. Neumann Monson Architects of Des Moines designed the 250,000-sq.-ft. building, which would be made of steel and concrete with a largely glass exterior.

LESA 30TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER SOIRÉE COMING UP

The Lift Engineering Society of Australia (LESA) plans a 30th anniversary dinner on July 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Northbridge Masonic Centre in Northbridge, Australia. Subsidized by LESA, the cost is AUS$60 (US$43) per person, and family members, friends and industry visitors are welcome. The event includes pre-dinner drinks and hors d’oeuvres, a two-course dinner and a special anniversary gift for each person. Those wishing to attend must book a spot with Pam Strykowski by June 30.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/may-26-2016/

KONE APPOINTS HARA CFO

KONE has appointed Ilkka Hara chief financial officer (CFO) and member of the executive board, effective August 8. Based in Espoo, Finland, Hara takes the position previously held by Eriikka Söderström, who plans to leave the company in July to pursue other interests. Hara joins KONE from Microsoft, where he served as general manager and CFO for the phones division since 2014, based in the U.S. Since 2004, he held various finance, and mergers and acquisitions leadership roles at Nokia. Prior to that, he gained experience in investment banking with a special focus on technology. He holds a Master's of Science in Economics from the Helsinki School of Economics.

BLACK TOWER TAKING SHAPE IN MANHATTAN

A 42-story, shiny black tower designed by American architect Richard Meier is starting to take shape in New York City at 39th Street and 685 First Avenue overlooking the East River, Dezeen reports. Scheduled for completion in 2018, the structure marks a departure for the Pritzker Prize-winning architect, who typically works in white. The 828,000-sq.-ft. building is set to house more than 550 apartments. Architectural features include a terrace slightly north of the halfway point. Developer Sheldon Solow's tower is taking shape on a former parking lot.

43-STORY APARTMENT TOWER PLANNED IN SEATTLE

Chinese developer China Vanke Co. and California-based Laconia Development plan to build a US$200-million, 43-story residential tower at 600 Wall Street in downtown Seattle near the Space Needle, the Puget Sound Business Journal reports. Construction could start in early 2017. The structure would house approximately 400 rental units, and developers are optimistic due to growth of Amazon's headquarters nearby and a shift in demographics. Laconia has another residential highrise in Seattle that is close to 90% leased.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/may-25-2016/