Elevator World New York February Newsletter

Volume 60 | February 2024

ELEVATOR WORLD New York is EW's free monthly newsletter focusing on vertical-transportation news in the Greater New York Region. Contact the EW Editorial Department to submit news or the EW Advertising Department to advertise and reach more than 5,000 subscribers in the New York area.

February 2024

CHAMPION ELEVATOR SECURES US$6-MILLION MODERNIZATION CONTRACT AT CO-OP CITY

Champion Elevator Corp. announced it has been awarded a US$6-million, 22-week modernization job for the garage elevators at Co-Op City in the Bronx. Led by Robert Masterson, Frank Feniello and Don Gelestino, Champion Elevator is no stranger to Co-Op City, the world's single largest housing cooperative, built between 1966 and 1973, with 35 high rises and 200-plus townhomes. The company, along with partners that include United Vertical Group (UVG), has handled large-scale jobs there before. Set to begin in May, the contract involves full-service maintenance of 180 elevators and modernization of 16 passenger cars. The 2000-lb capacity, overheard gearless roped 1:1 elevators are "vital for the daily operations within Co-Op City, and will undergo a comprehensive transformation to enhance their safety, efficiency and reliability," Champion observed. Masterson will lead the engineering, and Feniello will supervise eight teams working to revamp eight cars simultaneously in two phases. Existing TK Elevator (Northern) overhead geared traction machines will be replaced with Hollister-Whitney gearless machines with emergency brakes and rope grippers. Upgrades will extend to the controllers, door equipment and fixtures to optimize functionality and the user experience. UVG will install new stainless-steel cabs and entrances. "This blend of form and function is a hallmark of Champion Elevator's approach to every project we undertake," Champion remarked.

(l-r) Frank Feniello, Don Gelestino and Rob Masterson; photo courtesy of Champion Elevator

KONE ELEVATORS FOR NEW LARGELY RESIDENTIAL TOWER IN QUEENS

KONE tells ELEVATOR WORLD it provided two MonoSpace® 500 elevators for an 11-story largely residential building at 39-26 30th Street in Dutch Kills, Queens. Housing an undetermined number of affordable residences and a new facility for the Brazilian Missionary Church, the structure topped out in December 2023 ahead of anticipated completion in winter 2025, New York YIMBY reported. Taking the place of a one-story commercial building, the tower will feature a gray and white façade and floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as landscaped upper setbacks. 39-26 Property LLC is listed as the owner and JLS Group Construction LLC is the general contractor.

39-26 30th Street in December 2023; photo by Michael Young for New York YIMBY

NAEC NEXGEN ANNOUNCES CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR

John Mezzo, president of NYC-based Dynasty Elevator, and Morgan Jones, general manager of Hyperion Solutions based in Memphis, Tennessee, have been named chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) NexGen — a group whose mission is to bridge the gap between the next and current generation of vertical-transportation (VT) industry leaders. Prior to launching Dynasty, Mezzo had a 15-year VT industry career that included branch and project manager positions at Schindler in the NYC area and at Otis in both Nevada and New York. Jones has served as Hyperion GM for more than seven years. Prior to that, she was director of management at consulting company Axia Management, LLC. "There will be a wave of current leaders rolling out in the coming years, leaving the next generation to stand in the gap," Jones observed, adding she is excited to help bring education and collaboration to these future leaders. Mezzo said NexGen will be focusing on motivating and developing new industry leaders, and that the NexGen group is "vital to the success of our industry." Elevator professionals under 40-ish, check out the NexGeN here!

John Mezzo and Morgan Jones

ISLAND ELEVATOR EDUCATES FIRST RESPONDERS ON ELEVATOR SAFETY, CODE COMPLIANCE

Chris Gutkes, president of Long Island-based Island Elevator, conducted the company's latest educational session for first responders at the Ronkonkoma Fire Department (FD) in Long Island earlier this month. Approximately 40 fire department members learned about elevator safety, code compliance, testing and inspection. In March, Island Elevator has been invited to speak at the Fire Marshals Association of Suffolk County, whose membership includes a variety of state, county and local organizations operating within Suffolk County, NY. The FD training is part of Island Elevator's Free Community Education Series and includes an interactive 90-min class followed by hands-on instruction with a GAL Door Trainer Kit. The class is designed to educate the first responder on the basics of elevator systems and make them aware of safety hazards when engaging with vertical-transportation equipment during a fire or passenger entrapment. "We want to support the people that support our community," Gutkes said. "The class is completely free, and we bring everything to deliver the class. All we need from you is an electrical outlet and the people!" For further information contact Gutkes at email.

Gutkes addresses FD members

The Ronkonkma FD

MODERN ELEVATOR DELIVERS ADA-ACCESSIBLE UNIT TO MTA FOR ROCKAWAY RESIDENTS

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) tells ELEVATOR WORLD Modern Elevator installed and will maintain an American with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant elevator at the Beach 67th Street subway station on the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. Outlets including The Rockaway Times reported on a January 19 press conference during which MTA Chair Janno Lieber joined elected officials, community members and disabled advocates to celebrate the project's completion — representing the first newly accessible train station of 2024. Plans to bring an ADA-accessible elevator to the station have been in the works since 2019, and Senator James Sanders finally secured funding for it. Sanders told the crowd to "not forget the long wait and the countless hurdles" involved, and urged people to stay vigilant to ensure timely delivery of future projects. As part of its 2020-2024 Capital Plan, MTA awarded contracts for 13 stations in 2020, 10 in 2021 and 17 in 2023.

MTA Chair Janno Lieber addresses the crowd at the Beach 67th Street subway station; image courtesy of MTA.

CHAMPION ELEVATOR NAMES RUDDY PRESIDENT OF MODERNIZATION & CONSTRUCTION

Champion Elevator has named Alexandra Ruddy president of its Modernization & Construction division. Joining Champion in 2022, Ruddy has held leadership positions in the company's Operations, Modernization and Construction departments. Prior to joining Champion, Ruddy held major roles at Liberty Elevator Corp. of Paterson, New Jersey, where she managed complex, multimillion-dollar projects, ensuring code compliance and promoting safety standards to realize successful project outcomes and customer satisfaction. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ruddy demonstrates leadership outside the workplace as assistant women's soccer coach at William Paterson University. "Her ability to mentor, develop team strategies and foster a collaborative environment translates seamlessly into her professional role, where she leads by example and inspires her team to deliver the best," Champion observed.

IT'S HAPPENING: ICONIC FLATIRON BUILDING CONVERTING TO RESIDENTIAL

Outlets including Curbed reported on the iconic Flatiron Building converting to either condos or rentals following The Real Deal breaking the news in late October 2023, and EW is among those interested in discovering how the conversion — which will certainly include elevators — unfolds. "The elevators are pokey by modern office-building standards, but more than enough for the lighter demands of a residence," Curbed observed. "Presumably, they will get upgraded anyway." Involving many millions of dollars' worth of work to systems such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning, the conversion is being undertaken by developer The Brodsky Organization and the Sorgente Group — owners that are finally in control of the property after considerable auction drama earlier in 2023 (NY Newsletter, June 2023). Completed in 1902 and one of the first to be landmarked by the city in 1966, the Flatiron Building promises to be "an insanely desirable place to live," surrounded by a park, great restaurants and bustling streets. "Windows are big, the ceilings are high and the narrow floors receive natural light all the way across," the sourced noted, adding that kitchens situated at the building's "point" will be among the most desirable places to have breakfast, as they will face another NYC icon: the Empire State Building.

The Flatiron Building; photo by twalmedia for Pixabay

ELEVATOR SECURITY CAMERAS AT HOBOKEN UNIVERSITY PROMPT DEBATE

Security cameras — including in dormitory elevators — throughout the campus of Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, are prompting debate with some students expressing privacy concerns, student newspaper The Stute reports. The university's Office of Residential and Dining Services said the reason for installing the cameras in dormitory elevators is to deter vandalism or other criminal activities, citing recent incidents such as one involving a passenger removing overhead lighting from an elevator. Allowing live monitoring or recording, the cameras are the responsibility of campus police or an approved vendor. University policy states the cameras may only be in outside areas or elevator cars, and that they must be positioned so they do not have a view into windows or private areas such as "private offices, spaces dedicated to health and counseling services, residence hall rooms, hallways, locker rooms and bathrooms."

MAYOR'S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS BULLISH ON CONSTRUCTION

Mayor Eric Adams' third State of the City address on January 24 laid out a vision focused on safety, education, jobs, sustainability and more, and the creation of new housing was a prevalent theme, the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection reported. Under the leadership of Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. and the Housing Development Corp., city agencies financed more than 27,000 affordable homes in 2023. Through partnerships across multiple city agencies, the Adams administration advanced historic projects like the transformation of Willets Point — NYC's largest 100% affordable housing development in 40 years (NY Newsletter, November 2023). As the administration continues to urge state lawmakers to create a tax incentive to convert unused offices into affordable homes and lift the density cap for new construction, Adams announced his new "24 in 24" plan to advance 24 affordable housing projects on public land in 2024 that promise to create or preserve more than 12,000 affordable-housing units.

DYNASTY ELEVATOR WELCOMES VIETRI AS ACCOUNT MANAGER, SERVICE

NYC-headquartered Dynasty Elevator recently welcomed Rachel Vietri as account manager, service. Vietri comes from an elevator family and brings years of customer service and managerial experience to her new role. Based in NYC, she will focus on "spreading the Dynasty Elevator experience throughout the company's ever-growing service base while bringing it to new heights," Dynasty Elevator President John Mezzo said.

LOAD WEIGH SWITCHES FROM MAXTON HELP ENSURE NYC DOB CODE COMPLIANCE

Minden, Nevada-based Maxton Manufacturing Co. on February 1 released two new adjustable load weigh switches — HPAS-1 and HPAS-2 — for passenger and freight elevators requiring overload detection sensing. These high-pressure switches are designed to provide compliance to the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) Section 2.16.10 code revision, as well as to similar hydraulic elevator overload detection safety codes in other jurisdictions. Maxton's new switches easily adjust over a broad range of pressures to suit most installations in the hydraulic elevator market. HPAS-1 covers 150-600 psi and HPAS-2 covers 500-1200 psi. Over more than 55 years, Maxton has evolved into a leader that holds the distinction of being the largest single producer of hydraulic elevator control valves in North America.

46 OFFICE BUILDINGS COULD CONVERT TO RESIDENTIAL UNDER NEW CITY PROGRAM

Launched by NYC Mayor Eric Adams in August 2023, the city's Office Conversion Accelerator program could see 46 office buildings converted to residential, Axios reported in January. Described as a "first-of-its-kind support system" to help property owners navigate the complex and expensive conversion process, the program aims to address the hybrid work trend that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic and soaring rents. Four buildings have already begun the process and are expected to yield 2,100 new housing units. The program brings in representatives from the Department of City Planning, the Department of Buildings and the Landmarks Preservation Commission, among others, to assist developers with specifics such as zoning feasibility and permitting. The Mayor's Office is proposing updates to the program including expanding conversion eligibility in terms of building vintage and location and enabling a wider variety of conversions such as into shared or student housing. The proposed legislation, which could be voted on this year, also includes eliminating parking mandates for any new housing, including conversions.

ARCHITECT PROPOSES ALTERNATIVE TO ADDRESS HOUSING SHORTAGE

Vishaan Chakrabarti, founder of NYC-based Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) said in a New York Times opinion piece in December 2023 that PAU has prepared an analysis showing that roughly 520,245 new homes housing up to 1.3 million residents could be created on approximately 1,700 acres of unused city land in NYC, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat reported in January. Described by Chakrabarti as "a feasible alternative to the costly and often impractical conversion of office buildings constructed before 1980," the proposal involves building low- to high-rise structures above existing single-story commercial spaces. Current NYC housing demand exceeds 500,000 units, and Mayor Eric Adams is encouraging office-to-residential conversions through his Office Conversion Accelerator program. Chakrabarti acknowledges roadblocks to his proposal — including zoning issues and opposition to development — but "urges against the misconception that the city has run of space or that construction would compromise its character."

CHAMPION ELEVATOR PROMOTES HOLTZMAN TO VP OF SAFETY & RISK MANAGEMENT

Champion Elevator has promoted Gary Holtzman from safety director to vice president (VP) of Safety & Risk Management. During his tenure as safety director at Katerra construction company from 2018-2021, Holtzman was instrumental in developing, implementing and evaluating comprehensive organizational programs blending historical industry knowledge with new technologies in Jersey City, New Jersey. Before joining Katerra, Holtzman served as risk control consultant at Majestic Service Co. from 2011-2018. In this role, he conducted more than 14,000 building and site inspections in the greater NYC area, assessing risk for insurance underwriters. His extensive experience and OSHA 510 construction certification underscore his expertise in this field. As Champion safety director, Holtzman set high standards for safety and risk management, contributing to the company's reputation for safety and reliability in the elevator industry. "In his elevated role, Holtzman is poised to lead Champion Elevator in enhancing and expanding our existing safety program," the company stated. "His vision includes the creation of an industry-leading health, safety and environmental program that not only adheres to the highest standards, but sets new benchmarks for the industry."

THIRD-ANNUAL LOUIS J. MEZZO GOLF OUTING PLANNED AT NEW VENUE

Dynasty Elevator President John Mezzo has announced the third-annual Louis J. Mezzo Golf Outing will be taking place on June 13 at a new venue: Harrison Meadows Country Club (formerly the Willow Ridge Country Club) in southern Westchester County, NY. Founded by John Mezzo in memory of his late father, the event includes lunch, a cocktail reception, dinner and a show. Event proceeds will go toward the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Joseph Mileto of AJM Property Consulting said he is looking forward to a wonderful outing. "It's a good cause with good people and great golf," Mileto said. "Let's ask your dad to put in a word about great weather this year!" To RSVP, contact John Mezzo at email

UPCOMING EVENTS

ECNY Supplier Showcase

Villa Barone Manor, Bronx

April 10, 2024

For more information, visit website.

NAEC Spring Educational Conference

Miramar, Florida

April 14-17, 2024

For more information, visit website.

International Elevator & Escalator Symposium

Paradise Island
Bahamas

November 12-13, 2024

For more information, visit website.

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