Elevator World

Check out the Editor's Overview for the December 2015 issue online at

http://www.elevatorworld.com/magazine/editors-overview-remote/

LOGAN AIRPORT MOVING WALKS COULD BREAK RECORDS

Plans for the Logan International Airport in Boston include building a pedestrian connection between Terminal E and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Blue Line’s Airport Station next door. That link would measure more than 2,600 ft. long and may feature one or multiple moving walks. The Boston Globe reported that if a single one that stretches the entire length of the connection is built, "it would shatter the current global record for the longest moving walkway in a city." Even a series of moving walks stretching from the T station to Terminal E could break a different record for the longest system in the world. The modernization plans require state and federal approval before groundbreaking, scheduled for 2017.

WALES’ TALLEST RESIDENTIAL BUILDING IN THE WORKS

Developer Watkin Jones Group hopes to start construction in 2016 on what would be the tallest building in Cardiff, Wales, WalesOnline reports. Located on Customhouse Street next to a Radisson hotel and apartment buildings, the 433-ft.-tall, 42-story building is set to contain student housing and ground-level commercial space. Wales' current tallest building is the 351-ft.-tall Meridian Tower in Swansea. Should it gain approval, the Watkins Jones project is scheduled for delivery in 2018.

MODERNIST SKYSCRAPER PLANNED IN TORONTO

UrbaCon and BRL Realty hope to build a 43-story, 158-m-tall mixed-use tower in the northern part of Toronto's Yorkville neighborhood, Urban Toronto reports. Located at Bay and Scollard streets, the building would have a stepped, modernist appearance with punched windows. Architects are Foster + Partners and RAW Design. Approximately 110 residences, more than 130 parking spaces and amenities are planned. In late 2015, the plan was still in the approval process, and those involved acknowledged the design could change in light of a high-rise-sensitive public school nearby.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/november-23-2015/

THYSSENKRUPP INTRODUCES NEW BRAND IDENTITY, LOGO

In light of its “fundamental transformation to a diversified industrial group,” thyssenkrupp has unveiled a new brand identity and logo. The logo joins the previously separate Thyssen and Krupp signets to form a single element with the new slogan, “engineering. tomorrow. together.” The effort, representing a mid-single-digit EU investment, is the result of surveying more than 6,000 customers, employees, applicants, investors, works council members, public figures and consumers. The results show that thyssenkrupp (formerly ThyssenKrupp) is regarded highly in engineering. The company states: “The company and its employees and products are seen as high quality and reliable. The new brand identity builds on this image and, at the same time, puts an even stronger focus on customer requirements.”

PROPOSAL POINTS TO SEATTLE’S CONTINUED POPULARITY

A 41-story residential tower with a shape that brings to mind MAD's Absolute World Towers in Mississauga, Canada, by ZGF and Cotter Architects is on the drawing boards in downtown Seattle, Architect's Newspaper reports, which indicates the Pacific Northwest city's continued popularity as a skyscraper hotspot. It’s anticipated construction will start in fall 2016 at 2014 Fairview Avenue, within walking distance of the new Amazon Campus being built. A strip mall currently on the property would be demolished.

SOM-DESIGNED RESIDENTIAL TOWER IN SAN FRANCISCO

Skidmore Owings and Merrill (SOM) is partnering with developer Related California on a 39-story residential building at 1500 Mission Street and South Van Ness in San Francisco, Architect's Newspaper reports. To take shape on the site of Goodwill Industries, the building would incorporate an existing historic clock tower from the Coca-Cola Bottling Plant and have some stores and offices. It is set to contain 560 apartments, some of which will be "affordable." No timeframe was given for the project.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/november-20-2015

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/november-19-2015

SEGMENTED TOWER WOULD CUT STRIKING NYC PROFILE

Developer Triangle Assets plans to start construction in spring 2016 on a 41-story residential tower at 303 East 44th Street in Midtown New York City (NYC) with an interesting segmented design by ODA New York, The Real Deal reports. The floors are separated by biomechanical-looking white columns that would house outdoor gardens for residents starting on the 23rd floor. One of numerous unique designs planned in Midtown, the building will boast what promises to be a future must-have in its outdoor sky gardens, ODA New York founder Eran Chen observed.

REPORT COVERS SPAIN ELEVATOR/ESCALATOR MARKET

ResearchMoz announced the Technavio report, Elevator and Escalator Market in Spain 2015-2019, is part of its collection. The report looks at key vendors including KONE, Otis, Schindler and ThyssenKrupp; market drivers such as modernization; challenges such as stagnation in the transportation sector and market trends such as government initiatives to spur construction. The market is projected to grow at a rate of 3.2% in terms of revenue and 3.8% in terms of newly installed units over the timeframe examined.

HYDERABAD FOUR-YEAR-OLD DIES IN SCHOOL ELEVATOR ACCIDENT

A four-year-old girl in Hyderabad, India, died in an elevator accident at her preschool on November 17 when her head became trapped between the elevator cab and the first floor, The Indian Express reports. Police said the accordion door was inoperative, creating a dangerous situation. Authorities are investigating, and several parents and others accused the school of negligence and staged a protest.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/november-18-2015

2015 BEST TALL BUILDING WORLDWIDE: BOSCO VERTICALE

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) honored Bosco Verticale in Milan with its 2015 Best Tall Building Worldwide award during its annual awards dinner in Chicago on November 12. CTBUH observed that this year’s contest was the most competitive yet with 123 entries, up nearly 40% from 2014. The Best Tall Building Worldwide was selected from the winners from the four competing regions in the world (ELENET 627). Designed by Boeri Studio Architteti, Bosco Verticale means “vertical forest” and boasts its own distinct “microclimate” with a façade that is home to more than 90 species of flora. Look for an article about the awards dinner in an upcoming issue of ELEVATOR WORLD.

BROOKLYN’S FIRST SUPERTALL ON DRAWING BOARDS

The first supertall outside of Manhattan is planned in downtown Brooklyn, New York City, at 340 Flatbush Avenue Ext., a 1,000-ft.-tall residential/commercial tower by JDS Development and SHoP Architects, New York YIMBY reports. They also make up the team responsible for the superslim, supertall 111 West 57th Street taking shape in Manhattan (ELENET 623 and 597). With a preliminary ratio of 12:1, 340 Flatbush Avenue Ext. will be twice as wide as the Manhattan tower but still slim for Brooklyn. The project looks to be completed in 2019.

DOOR CONTROLLER UPDATED

Siemens has expanded the technology of its door management system SIDOOR related to its application areas and optimized the controller to include modern electronically commutated (EC) motors. EC motors offer increased service lives and faster acceleration. During the commissioning phase, the “intelligent” system calculates the optimal drive characteristics at the door and ensures they are continuously maintained in accordance with application guidelines. Siemens explained, “There is a need for control engineers to maximize their efficiency and reduce errors. Control products like elevator door management systems should help meet those needs. They should save time and effort for every application.”

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/november-17-2015/

WITT HIRED AS LERCH BATES CONSULTANT IN TORONTO

Lerch Bates Inc. has hired David Witt as a consultant based in Toronto. He previously served as review engineer for the Technical Standards & Safety Authority, the AHJ for elevating devices in Ontario. In that role, he oversaw safety reviews for new technology and was part of a team that developed a patent-pending, risk-based inspection system for elevator equipment. He was formerly operations manager at Bramalea Elevator Ltd. He is chairman of the ASME A17.1 Dumbwaiter and ATD committees and sits on the A17.1 Hoistway and Emergency Operations committees. He is a member of NAESA International and has been a CEI since 2009. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Canada.

BROOKLYN OFFICE TOWER TO HELP FULFILL DEMAND

A 600-ft.-tall office tower planned by JEMB Realty in downtown Brooklyn, New York City, at 420 Albee Square promises to help fulfill demand for office space in the area, where vacancy rates are hovering at around 3%, Bloomberg News reports. Kohn Pedersen Fox is the architect for what promises to be one of the tallest buildings in Brooklyn, a borough that is seeing a flurry of residential high-rise development. The US$300-million building is set to contain approximately 400,000 sq. ft. JEMB aims to break ground within a year and wrap up construction in approximately 18 months.

DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE REDEFINING ITSELF

A trio of skyscrapers, along with historic properties turned into lofts and new infrastructure such as a streetcar system, promise to inject new life into downtown Milwaukee, the Associated Press reports. Planned or underway are the 32-story Northwestern Mutual office building, a 33-story apartment tower and the 44-story mixed-use Couture Project designed by Matt Rinka. Expected to break ground soon, Couture would include a hub for the new streetcar.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/november-16-2015/

OTIS SUBSIDIARY LANDS 193-UNIT ORDER IN JORDAN

Otis subsidiary Jordan Elevator Overseas Ltd. has been awarded a contract to supply 193 elevators to Saraya Aqaba, a master-planned mixed-use development comprising 634 m2 in the coastal city Aqaba in Jordan. The order includes Otis' energy-efficient Gen2® elevator system. The development is on the northern shore of Aqaba overlooking the Red Sea, and includes a lagoon and hotels from Jumeirah International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Developers intend it to be a business and tourist destination.

NYC’S MTA PAVING WAY FOR LIRR CONCOURSE ESCALATORS

On November 10, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) kicked off work at Grand Central Station in New York City (NYC) that will pave the way for the first pair of escalators linking Grand Central to the new Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) concourse being built beneath it, CBS New York reports. Excavation is expected to take 12-18 months, at which point the space will be sealed off until the concourse is closer to opening in 2022. The escalators will carry passengers 180 ft. between the concourse and Grand Central in approximately 2 min. In mid to late 2016, escalators and an elevator are to be installed in Grand Central's historic Biltmore Room. The work is part of East Side Access, the largest transportation project underway in the U.S. intended to dramatically increase accessibility between Long Island and Manhattan.

APARTMENT SKYSCRAPER POISED TO RISE IN SEATTLE

With its foundation poured, a 41-story apartment tower with nearly 400 units, one of a number of new apartment projects in the city, is poised to start rising at 1812 Boren Avenue in Seattle, the Puget Sound Business Journal reports. Scheduled to be complete in mid 2017, the development will have an array of layouts and price points designed to appeal to Seattle's many technology employees. Clad in glass-and-metal panels, the building is being developed by AMLI Residential of Chicago and Mortensen Development Inc. of Minneapolis.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/november-13-2015

XIZI OTIS PROVIDING 30 UNITS TO CHINA’S OLYMPIC SPORTS CENTER

Xizi Otis Elevator Co., Ltd. has been hired to provide 30 energy-efficient Gen2® elevator systems to the 80,000-seat Olympic Sports Center in Hangzhou, China. With its main stadium scheduled for completion by the end of 2015, the facility is being built to host the 2022 Asian Games. Xizi Otis states Gen2 systems are up to 75% more energy efficient than conventional systems that lack regenerative drives such as Otis' ReGenTM.

TECHNIX 2016: ENVISION AUTOMATED TRANSIT

The Advanced Transit Association (ATRA), University of Maryland Center for Advanced Transportation and Technology, and Southern Illinois University invite interested parties to attend Technix 2016: Envision Automated Transit (EAT) on January 9 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the atrium of the Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. EAT will be a continuation of the Envisioning Automated Vehicles with the Built Environment workshops hosted by the Transportation Research Board and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International at past Automated Vehicle Symposiums. During those, participants were divided into groups and assigned scenarios and sites around which to design. EAT will be similar, with emphasis on automated transit. The annual ATRA business meeting will follow.

STYLISH MACKLOWE CONDO TOWER FOR MIDTOWN NYC

A 490-ft.-tall, 35-story condominium tower with ground-level retail, designed by CetraRuddy and developed by Macklowe Properties, is poised to start taking shape at 200 East 59th Street in Midtown, New York YIMBY reports. At the corner of Third Avenue, the building has a design that hearkens to 1960s-era Modernism with an exterior mixing glass and a "basket weave of metals." New York YIMBY called the plan "crowd pleasing," and observed it promises to enhance both skyline and neighborhood. The building is set to contain close to 70 spacious residences with terraces. No completion date been announced, but structures on the site have been demolished.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/november-12-2015

COMPES MANAGING SCHMERSAL’S MARKETING DEPARTMENT

Constanze Compes is now managing Schmersal Group's Marketing Department. She is responsible for strategy and management of the company's marketing activities worldwide. She previously owned and managed a technical planning office for event technology for industrial automation technology companies and automotive manufacturers. She said her primary role as head of Marketing for Schmersal is "to build on the company's position as a systems and solutions provider for functional machine safety in the international market." She also plans to establish Schmersal's newly expanded and restructured Services division.

REPORT EXAMINES U.S. ELEVATOR/ESCALATOR MARKET

Elevators and Escalators Market in the U.S. 2015-2019 is among reports now available from Fast Market Research. The report projects the market to grow at a rate of 0.71% over that timeframe. It looks at key players such as KONE, Otis, Mitsubishi Electric, Schindler and ThyssenKrupp; business drivers such as residential and commercial development; trends such as the growing popularity of machine-room-less elevators; and challenges such as expensive raw materials.

16 SCHOOLCHILDREN INJURED IN CHINA ESCALATOR MISHAP: Sixteen schoolchildren aged seven to eight were injured in an escalator mishap on November 9 at a museum in Nanjing, China, the Daily Mail reports. Five were hospitalized. Authorities are investigating the incident, which occurred when a door to a museum at the top of an escalator failed to open, leading to a bottleneck at the top and one child falling backward onto the others. An emergency-stop button also failed to work. The unit has been shut down, and authorities are investigating.

http://www.elevatorworld.com/industry-news/november-11-2015

EW PROJECT OF THE YEAR WINNERS

ELEVATOR WORLD is pleased to report it had a total of 27 entries spanning nine categories for its 2016 Project of the Year contest. Winning projects are: “One World Observatory Skypod Elevator,” New York City (NYC), submitted by The Hettema Group in Elevators, New Construction; “Great Eagle Centre,” Hong Kong, submitted by Jardine Schindler Hong Kong in Elevators, Modernization; “Rome Subway Line C,” Rome, submitted by ThyssenKrupp Southern Europe, Africa and Middle East (SEAME) in Escalators, New Construction; “New York State – OSG, Historic State Capital,” Albany, New York, submitted by KONE in Escalators, Modernization; “Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport,” Medina, Saudi Arabia, submitted by ThyssenKrupp SEAME in Moving Walks; “EBBW Vale Inclined Lift,” Wales, U.K., submitted by LECS (UK) Ltd. in Inclined Elevators; “The Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre Box Office, Lincoln Center Theater,” NYC, submitted by Handi-Lift in Platform Lifts & Stairway Chairlifts; “Mitered Glass Elevator,” Vancouver, Canada, submitted by UT Elevator Inc. in Private-Residence Elevators; and “La Muela II Hydroelectric Power Plant,” Valencia, Spain, submitted by ThyssenKrupp SEAME in Special Purpose Lifts.

MALDIVES CAPITAL MANDATES LIFTS FOR CERTAIN BUILDINGS

Authorities in Malé, capital of the Maldives, have amended city laws to require buildings taller than five stories to have elevators, Haveeru Media Group reports. The move comes after a woman and her infant grandchild fell six stories down an elevator shaft in October, resulting in the infant's death. Previously, buildings in Malé were not required to have elevators, but property owners and managers were required to cover empty shafts with a 2-m-tall wall. The shaft involved in the fatal accident was open.

MIXED-USE TOWER NEARLY COMPLETE IN NYC’S MIDTOWN SOUTH

The Durst Organization's 479-ft.-tall, 41-story EŌS building at 855 6th Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) in Midtown South New York City (NYC) is nearly complete, New York YIMBY reports. One of the Midtown South projects halted by the financial crisis of 2008, the plan was reborn in early 2014, thanks to the Durst family, with a new, sleek design by Cook+Fox. It has a five-story podium, retail on the lower two floors and offices with residences above them. There will be separate elevators for office workers and residential tenants.