Elevator World

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

SKINNIEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD CLOSE TO COMPLETION IN NYC

111 West 57th Street, a 1,428-ft-tall residential building on Billionaires' Row in Midtown NYC, is on pace for completion in 2020, New York YIMBY reports. Designed by SHoP Architects and developed by JDS Development, Property Markets Group and Spruce Capital Partners, the supertall is the skinniest building in the world, with a height-to-width ratio of 24:1. Its terracotta and steel façade has reached the bottom of its steel crown. Interiors of its 46 condominiums will be designed by Studio Sofield and marketed by Douglas Elliman. The source observes that, in addition to its slenderness and height, 111 West 57th Street is "the most prominent example of new skyscrapers incorporating classic architectural stylings, with its Art Deco curtain walls on the eastern and western elevations."

Image credit: by Michael Young for New York YIMBY

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

KONE VT EQUIPMENT FOR NEW TORONTO TRANSIT ACCESS ROUTE

Metrolinx tells ELEVATOR WORLD that eight elevators and seven escalators manufactured by KONE are part of a new underground access route at Toronto’s historic Union Station. Toronto Urbanized reported on December 24, 2019, that the access route had opened to the public with one end below the Great Hall and the other in front of Union Station on Front Street. Including stairs and a glass-covered walkway, the revitalization project will make the route fully accessible when the elevators and escalators go into operation early this year. In the meantime, Metrolinx has posted signage directing those with mobility issues to available vertical-transportation (VT) equipment.

Image credit: courtesy of Metrolinx

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

VESSEL AGREES TO INSTALL PLATFORM LIFT FOR ADA COMPLIANCE

Access to Vessel, including 360˚ views from its upper levels, will be available to individuals with disabilities thanks to an agreement between the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Related Cos. and ERY Vessel LLC to install a "one-of-a-kind" platform lift at the interactive art centerpiece of the Hudson Yards megadevelopment in NYC, various news outlets, including Hyperallergic, report. It is served by a single, custom-made elevator that stops at three of its 80 platforms. Visitors must otherwise use stairs. On December 23, 2019, the government announced Vessel violates the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) since its most-visited areas cannot be accessed by those with disabilities. Prosecutors further pointed out Related has directed operators to skip platforms at levels five and seven, stopping at only the highest level, eight. The agreement requires the existing elevator stop at all levels upon request, and allow disabled visitors to reserve tickets in advance. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman says Related "has agreed to commit substantial resources to install a platform lift." The move was applauded by disabled-rights activists.

Image credit: courtesy of Shannon Finnegan

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

HITACHI (CHINA) PRODUCTION PASSES 100,000 UNITS FOR 2019

Hitachi Elevator (China) Co., Ltd. of Guangzhou signed a 110-unit contract with Evergrande Group on December 24, 2019, pushing the company's sales of vertical conveyances past the 100,000-unit milestone for the year, Yahoo Finance reports. The new contract calls for Hitachi to provide elevators and escalators to Evergrande's Hongqiao International Airport project in Shanghai. Hitachi’s other 2019 milestones included contracts to provide vertical transportation for Guangzhou Poly Zeng Cheng Finance Headquarters, Changsha Ping An Wealth Center, Chow Tai Fook Finance Tower in Qianhai, Shenzhen, Guiyang Zhongtian Future Ark, ArtPark9 in Beijing and other high-rise landmarks. The company also won Guiness Book of World Records recognition for the fastest elevator in the world, a 1,260 m/min unit at the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre. In another December 2019 milestone, Guangzhou Metro Line 21 entered into full operation, the source reports. The 61.5-km, 21-station line uses 273 Hitachi VT units — 255 escalators and 48 elevators.

Image credit: courtesy of Hitachi

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

1,000-UNIT MODERNIST COMPLEX COMPLETES IN WESTERN MOSCOW

Vander Park, a residential complex clad in colorful brick and aluminum panels, is now complete in western Moscow, an area on the Moskva River known for its modernist architecture and woodlands, World Architecture Community reports. Containing approximately 1,000 apartments, the development was designed by Amsterdam-based de Architekten Cie and developed by Russia’s PIK Group. Situated on 2.4 ha and designed as a “vertical city within a city,” Vander Park buildings range from 18-26 stories tall. Interspersed with walkways, the development includes amenities such as a courtyard, sports facilities and a children’s daycare. The main contractor was BOES Construction of Moscow.

Image credit: courtesy of World Architecture Community

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

KONE WINS ORDER FOR NEW OFFICE TOWER IN LONDON

KONE recently announced it has won an order to supply vertical transportation for 8 Bishopsgate, a new, 50-story office building in the City of London. Rising 200 m, 8 Bishopsgate will include a public viewing gallery with two dedicated elevators to level 50. Altogether, KONE will deliver 19 MiniSpace™ elevators, 15 of which will be double-deck units using its UltraRope® carbon fiber-based hoisting technology. One group of four will travel at speeds up to 8 m/s. During construction, JumpLift™ solutions will speed construction time. In the podium, KONE will install two MonoSpace® 700 elevators and two TransitMaster™ 110 escalators, and the building will be equipped with the E-Link™ facility-management system. KONE will also install its destination-control system, and InfoScreens will provide multimedia information inside the elevators and improve guidance inside the building. 8 Bishopsgate will be certified with the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method's Excellent Standard, a green building certification system. The developer is Stanhope Plc, in partnership with Mitsubishi Estates, and the project is being constructed by Lendlease. Other project partners include architect WilkinsonEyre, technical consultant Arup and construction cost consultants Alinea Consulting. Construction began in March 2019 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

Image credit: courtesy of KONE

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

SLOVAKIA’S FIRST SKYSCRAPER SET TO RISE

The first skyscraper in Slovakia is set to start rising in 2020 on the banks of the Danube in Bratislava, EuropaProperty.com reports. Standing 168 m tall with 46 stories above ground, Eurovea Tower is part of developer JTRE's mixed-use Eurovea 2 development that includes a retail component and a 25,000-m2 waterpark. Sales of the nearly 300 apartments in the Eurovea Tower and Riverside buildings began in summer 2019, and approximately 60% had been sold by December 2019. Site prep to make way for the tower was scheduled for completion in February 2020, with residents moving in in mid-2023.

Image credit: courtesy of JTRE

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

CIEL TOWER FOR DUBAI TO BREAK HOTEL RECORD

Ciel Tower, planned to open in early 2023 in Dubai Marina, is to replace the nearby Gevora Hotel (on Sheikh Zayed Road) as the tallest hotel in the world. DestinAsian Indoneasia recently announced it would be developed by The First Group and designed by Norr Group, which also designed Dubai landmarks Atlantis, The Palm and Ciel Tower. Located directly in front of Cayan Tower, the property is near Marina Walk and Marina Mall. Its height is to surpass Gevora's by 4 m to reach 364 m or more with at least 77 stories. It has already won the Best International Hotel Architecture, Best Hotel Architecture Arabia and Best Residential High-Rise Architecture Arabia awards.

Image credit: courtesy of The First Group

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

CTBUH TALL BUILDINGS 2019: RECORD YEAR FOR SUPERTALLS

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has released its 2019 year-in-review, “Tall Buildings in 2019: Another Record Year for Supertall Completions.” With 26 buildings at least 300 m tall completed, 2019 topped the 2018 record of 18. For the fifth year in a row, China had the tallest completion, the 530-m-tall Tianjin CTF Finance Centre. Worldwide, there were 126 buildings at least 200 m tall completed in 2019, compared with 146 in 2018, representing a 13.7% decline. The document explores the reasons for this, reveals 2020 predictions and examines tall-building trends, including transit-oriented development and skybridges. It also provides insight about particular markets like the Middle East and North America, and includes interactive graphics such as one showing the 20 tallest buildings completed worldwide in 2019.

Image credit: courtesy of SOM

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. Today’s podcast news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: www.elevatorbooks.com

NYC WATERFRONT PLAN INCLUDES BIG-DESIGNED TOWERS, BEACH

Two Trees Management, the team behind redevelopment of the Domino Sugar factory site, hopes to redevelop a 3.5-acre piece of land on the Williamsburg waterfront in NYC with two, up to 650-ft-tall, mixed-use towers designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and a six-acre public park with a beach, Curbed New York is among outlets to report. The towers would include 1,000 residential units, a 47,000-ft2 YMCA, 30,000 ft2 of retail and 75,000 ft2 of office space. Designed by James Corner Field Operations, the firm behind the High Line, the park would provide public access to the East River with an esplanade, a sand beach, tidal pools, a fishing pier and a boating cove. Also on the drawing board is 5,000 ft2 of "community kiosks" and kayak rentals. Two Trees Principal Jed Walentas said he hopes to get approval (including rezoning) within two years, and the project would then take roughly five years to complete.

Image credit: courtesy of Two Trees Management, BIG and James Corner Field Operations

To read the full transcript of today's podcast, visit: elevatorworld.com/news

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