Elevator repair aims for safety

By Caryn Rosenberg

Elevator repairs in the residence halls are progressing on time and residents of Grant and Stevenson Towers are only weeks away from safe elevators.

Elevator Repair Foreman Rich Mayer said the purpose of the repairs is to update the equipment.

“We are installing new fire service controls on the elevators to bring them up to the National Elevator Code of 1992,” Mayer said. “There was a problem (with the controls) earlier this year, and we are updating to eliminate any problems that might happen in emergency situations.”

Mayer said updating the fire controls will make the elevators faster and more efficient for firemen.

It should take a total of eight weeks to complete the repairs on all 16 elevators, Mayer said.

“There are four men working on the elevators, and they are in the process of doing them now,” Mayer said.

The repair process is partially completed in Stevenson Towers and will be done soon in Grant Towers.

“They have got two of the towers done, but they had to hold on one because the generator is down,” Gardner said. “Maybe they will be done by the end of Spring Break.”

James Harder, vice president of Business and Operations, said he is pleased with the progress of the repairs.

“Like most things, we always want them done yesterday,” Harder said. “Things are being done very much along the original time line we projected, so there is really no reason for me to be unhappy.”