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. | | | | VANTAGE ACQUIRES BSIS — A CHRIS PEELLE COMPANY | | | Bronx-headquartered Vantage Elevator Solutions announced on October 13 it completed the acquisition of Building Supply & Installation Services (BSIS), a Chris Peelle company, with locations in Manhattan and Long Island City. BSIS specializes in the installation of passenger and freight elevator door systems, cabs, cab remodeling, platforms and emergency repairs. The acquisition will enable Vantage to integrate BSIS' services into its core offering portfolio, providing customers with an enhanced suite of field support and manufacturing services. Chris Peelle, president of BSIS will lead the integration of BSIS into Freight Tech, Vantage's freight door installation services provider. The move aligns with Vantage's strategic goal of expanding its capabilities and delivering more comprehensive customer support to the market. Vantage CEO Jay Dietz said the acquisition brings together two companies "with a shared vision of providing outstanding services" to their customers. BSIS founder Chris Peelle said he is "incredibly proud" of what his team has built, and that he is confident employees will find new opportunities for growth and success as part of a larger, more resourceful organization. "We look forward to realizing our combined potential together," Peelle said. | | | | 33RD ANNUAL ED BONARDI MEMORIAL GOLF OUTING CELEBRATES A LEGEND | | | Organized by Greg DeCola Jr. of VDA, the 33rd Annual Ed Bonardi Memorial Golf Outing at the Blue Hill Golf Club in Pearl River, NY, with Sons of Italy Rockland Lodge #2176 on October 2 was a "very special tribute to the late Edward L. Bonardi," according to TEI Group. TEI employees were among the more than 150 who gathered to celebrate the life of a great man and the legacy he built in the elevator industry and beyond. Bonardi was a U.S. Army veteran, founder and owner of Archer Elevator Co. and a longtime member and vice president of Sons of Italy Lodge #2176. "Ed was an inspiring pioneer in the fast-paced world of independent elevator companies," TEI President Mark Gregorio said. "I am proud to have known and been inspired by him." Don Gelestino, founder and chairman of the board of NYC's Champion Elevator, said the elevator industry was, as usual, out in full force for the event, with countless foursomes made up of friends and colleagues. | | | DeCola, left, takes the mic; image courtesy of Don Gelestino. | | Out on the course under sunny skies; image courtesy of Don Gelestino | | | | EW ANNOUNCES 2025 ELLIES AWARD WINNERS | | | ELEVATOR WORLD formally announces the winners and runners-up of the 2025 Ellies Awards, which, for the past eight years, has recognized North American vertical-transportation businesses that have gone above and beyond for their customers, employees and communities. Winners and runners-up were presented trophies and certificates, respectively, live on the tradeshow floor during the National Association of Elevator Contractors 2025 Convention and Exposition in Houston, Texas, on September 17. This year's honorees are: for Best Consultancy/Inspection Company: Rise Inspection Services, winner; ATIS, runner up; Best Contractor, Canada: Richmond Elevator Maintenance Ltd., winner; ATTA, runner up; Best Contractor, East: Dynasty Elevator, winner; Champion Elevator, runner up; Best Contractor, North: Colley Elevator Co., winner; Midwest Elevator, runner up; Best Contractor, South: Acadia Elevator, winner; Southern Elevator Co. Ltd., runner up; Best Contractor, West: Star Elevator, winner; Centric Elevator, runner up; Best Family-Owned Business: The Peelle Co., winner; Liberty Elevator, runner up; Best Minority/Woman/Veteran-Owned Business: Oracle Elevator Puerto Rico, winner; Kohtler Elevator Industries, runner up; Best Supplier-Accessibility: Saveria, winner; Fox Valley Elevator, runner up; Best Supplier-Cabs/Interiors/Finishes: Cabworks, winner; Vasile Elevators, runner up; Best Supplier-Communication Systems: Ooma, winner; CEDES Corp. America, runner up; Best Supplier-Complete Systems: MEI-Total Elevator Solutions, winner; Canton Elevator/Nidec, runner up; Best Supplier-Controllers: Claddagh Electronics, winner; Motion Control Engineering, runner up; Best Supplier-Doors/Door Operators: Vantage Elevation/GAL Manufacturing, winner; Wittur USA, runner up; Best Supplier, Fixtures: A&A Elevators, winner; MAD Elevator, runner up; Best Supplier, Motors: Imperial Electric, a Nidec Company, winner; Alamex Elevator, runner up; Best Supplier, Other: KONE Spares, winner; Unitec Parts Co., runner up; Best Supplier, Ropes/Traveling Cables: Draka/EHC a Prysmian Brand, winner; Wurtec, runner up; Best Supplier, Safety Products: Adams Elevator, winner; Draka/EHC a Prysmian Brand, runner up; Best Supplier, Software: Cloud Monitoring/REMS, winner; CEDES Corp. America, runner up; and Best Supplier, Special Application Lifts: Matot, winner; Harris Cos., runner up. | | | (l-r) Mike Fairclough, John Mezzo and Kathleen Jordan of Dynasty Elevator celebrate the company's win | | | | KONE PROVIDES FOUR ELEVATORS FOR NEW BROOKLYN RESIDENTIAL TOWER | | | KONE tells ELEVATOR WORLD it provided four MonoSpace® 500 passenger elevators making 10 stops for 1601 DeKalb Avenue, a new nine-story, two-building residential tower in Bushwick, Brooklyn, ahead of anticipated completion in January 2026. Designed by Aufgang Architects and developed by Camber Property Group and Riseboro Community Partnership, the structure is the first project to take shape under a recent rezoning initiative led by local officials, New York YIMBY previously reported. The affordable housing lottery launched for 1601 DeKalb in September. Enclosed in a gray brick façade on its eastern and western faces, the tower's building on DeKalb boasts a stepped massing that mirrors that of the opposite, western building. | 1601 DeKalb Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn; image courtesy of NYC Housing Connect via New York YIMBY | | | | WEISS JOINS PATRIOT ELEAVTOR SERVICES AS SENIOR CONSULTANT | | | | | Michael Weiss, a vertical-transportation industry veteran with more than 30 years' experience, recently joined Patriot Elevator Services as a senior consultant. Weiss has a proven track record in sales, operations, client advocacy and business development. He founded World Elevator Co. and grew it to US$8 million in annual revenue; served as vice president of sales at Flynn Hill Elevator Co., overseeing more than 900 accounts; and led both sales and operations at Bronx-based Start Elevator, a role in which he managed a 2,500-unit maintenance portfolio and a team of more than 50. With offices in Staten Island and St. Petersburg, Florida, Patriot handles inspections, engineering, project management and specialty logistics to deliver tailored solutions. | | | LIBERTY ELEVATOR WELCOMES NYC AND LONG ISLAND BRANCH MANAGER | | | | | Liberty Elevator Corp. announced it recently welcomed Enzo Perri as branch manager for NYC and Long Island. Perri "brings a wealth of experience, a sharp operational mindset and a deep respect for the elevator industry," Liberty Marketing Chief Dru Brooks said. "His leadership style and commitment to excellence make him the perfect fit to guide our NYC and Long Island teams into their next chapter." Perri spent the past 15 years in leadership roles within the industry in the NYC area, including vice president (VP) at American Elevator Group, VP of sales at Champion Elevator and sales manager at TK Elevator. Brooks said Perri's vision and drive promise to "elevate Liberty's presence across the boroughs and beyond." | | | | G-TECH ELEVATOR SYSTEM FOR NEW EAST VILLAGE BUILDING | | | St. Marks Place; photo by Michael Young for New York YIMBY | | G-Tech Elevators provided a two-elevator system for 3 St. Marks Place, a handsome eight-story brick commercial building designed by Morris Adjmi Architects and developed by Real Estate Equities Corp. at 23-25 Third Avenue in Manhattan's East Village. With Sephora occupying the ground level, the 53,000-ft2 building will be served by overhead traction units traveling 500 ft/min and making 11 stops. One has 3500-lb capacity and the other, 4000-lb capacity. The elevators have BTS Elevator Package packages, along with GAL door equipment, ELSCO roller guides, Elevator Controls controllers, Hollister-Whitney governors and safeties and Imperial Electric machines. New York YIMBY reported in September that construction had completed. | | | | NEW YORKERS AMONG NEW NAEC BOARD MEMBERS | | | Long Island City-based TEI Group recently congratulated the new board members of the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC), who were sworn in during the NAEC 76th Annual Convention & Exposition in Houston, Texas, on September 15-18. The new board members include, from NYC, TEI Group Executive Vice President (VP) of Operations Michael J. Staub and Dynasty Elevator President John Mezzo; Delaware Elevator Marketing Director and Residential Manufacturing Development Director Charley Meeks-Crystle; and Schumacher VP of National Sales Steve Rosnack. | (l-r) John Mezzo, Michael J. Staub, Steve Rosnack and Charley Meeks-Crystle are sworn in; image courtesy of TEI Group. | | | | MTA UNVEILS TWO NEW ELEVATORS AT QUEENS SUBWAY STATION | | | The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) unveiled two new elevators manufactured and installed by Modern Elevator at the Northern Boulevard subway station in Woodside, Queens, in September. Bringing the busy station into full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, work included two street-to-platform elevators, the rehabilitation of two street-to-platform stairs, new lighting, updated fire and communications systems and more. The main contractor was a joint venture of J-Track and TC Electric. Part of MTA's fully funded Capital Plan, the project was made possible by support from the Federal Transit Administration. Senate Deputy Leader Michal Gianaris described the new elevators as "an encouraging sign of the MTA's commitment to creating a fully modern and accessible transit system that serves all New Yorkers." | Improvements included three mosaic murals by artist Oscar Oiwa; photo by Marc A. Hermann for MTA. | | | | IN MEMORIAM: THERESA "TERRI" VALENTI | | | Theresa "Terri" Valenti, a beloved employee of National Elevator Cab and Door (NECD) for the past 16 years, passed away on October 6 as a result of being struck by an illegal e-bike on her way to work at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She was 60 years old. NECD CEO Jeff Friedman told Gothamist that company colleagues were "simultaneously mourning and trying to figure out how to do what she did, because it was such a necessity." Friedman described Valenti as a wonderful person. She handled construction project management prior to joining NECD, where she was production control manager and field operations coordinator. Valenti had stepped off a Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus at a bus stop next to a busy bike lane on Flushing Avenue when the incident occurred at approximately 7:20 a.m. A 41-year-old man was driving the e-bike — a model capable of reaching approximately 30 mph — with a 39-year-old female passenger on the back when the collision occurred. Valenti passed away at a hospital later that morning. E-bikes capable of traveling 30 mph must have a license plate and be registered with the state Department of Motor Vehicles, which wasn't the case for the bike that struck Valenti. Survivors include daughter, Jessica; siblings Nicholas and Natale; ex-husband Peter; and many other relatives, friends and colleagues. "She was a dear friend and angel to many," her obituary said. | | | Terri Valenti and her daughter, Jessica, when she was small | | | | NEW YORK BUILD 2026 EXPO PLANNED IN MARCH 2026 | | | The New York Build 2026 Expo is planned at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Hell's Kitchen on March 18-19, 2026. There were more than 500 exhibitors at this year's New York Build, held on March 12-13, including Champion Elevator, Liberty Elevator Corp., Major Elevator, Schindler and Start Elevator. In 2026, the ninth edition of the largest construction and design show in NYC will again offer hundreds of exhibitors and the opportunity to do business with more than 40,000 general contractors, developers, architects, government entities, engineers and more. On tap will be AIA-accredited workshop sessions, more than 550 speakers across 14 conference tracks, an Architect's Hub with 3D models of upcoming projects, local and global government hubs and more than 20 networking parties with DJs, musicians and celebrity guests. To register for tickets, book a booth or learn more, visit the event website. | | | | ELEVATOR OEO CODE BORNE OF TRAGEDY OF 9/11 | | | One of the most haunting lessons of 9/11 was how slowly stairs moved people down and out of World Trade Center's twin towers, with elevators at the time "locked out by decades of safety codes and public messaging" stressing that no one should ever use an elevator in a fire, Propmodo reported in September. Many believed that, had elevators been an option, more lives could have been saved. The tragedy forced a "reckoning" in the building industry, with the long process of creating a new framework — namely Occupant Evacuation Operation (OEO) codes — undertaken by regulators, fire safety officials and elevator companies. The process was expensive and technically demanding, requiring elevator shafts to be reinforced to withstand fire and water, electrical systems to be strengthened and lobbies outfitted with fire-resistant walls and smoke-control systems. "It was a wholesale rethink of how vertical transportation could serve during a crisis," the source observed. Schindler Director of Digital Projects Christopher Mason was among experts who helped write the new codes. He said part of the shift involved a psychological — rather than a structural — change, with the blaring fire alarms of yesteryear transitioning to voice messages with clear instructions on which elevators to use and when the units would arrive on a given floor. Thanks to OEO, "elevators are no longer forbidden in emergencies," the source observed. "They are being reimagined as vital arteries for evacuation." | | | | ECNY EVENTS TO BE HELD ON SAME DAY IN SAME LOCATION | | | The Elevator Conference of New York (ECNY) announces two upcoming events — the New York State (NYS) Mechanic Licensing & QEI Course and the ECNY Controller Manufacturer Roundtable — will be held on the same date in the same location, making it convenient for members to participate in both. A 2025 Code update seminar, the NYS course will review the latest industry standards from key codebooks and provide required continuing-education credit for both NYS-licensed mechanics and QEI-certified inspectors. The roundtable will feature presenters from Claddagh Electronics, Elevator Controls, GAL, Motion Control Engineering, Smartrise, Virginia Controls and Elevator Systems, LLC, hosting their own stations to talk about their products' current features, options and updates. Both events are planned on November 20 at Maestro's Caterers in the Bronx, and further specifics — times, costs, requirements and more — can be found at the links above. | | | KONE PROVIDES ELEVATORS FOR NEW SENIOR HOUSING IN BROOKLYN | | | KONE tells ELEVATOR WORLD it provided two MonoSpace® 500 passenger elevators making eight stops for Nehemiah Gateway Site 26A, a new eight story residential building for seniors at 890 Erskin Street in East New York, Brooklyn. New York YIMBY reported in September the affordable housing lottery had launched for the property, which has 64 apartments, an outdoor recreation area, a gym, a library, a community room and a card-operated laundry room. Designed by Bernheimer Architecture PLLC, the building's façade features "two tones of gray brick with relief patterns providing subtle variation in texture, shading and tonality," and interiors with luxury vinyl tile floors, quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances. | Nehemiah Gateway Site 26A at 890 Erskine Street in East New York, Brooklyn; image courtesy of NYC Housing Connect | | | CHAMPION ELEVATOR'S GELESTINO RECOGNIZED BY CRAIN'S FOR PHILANTHROPY | | | | | Don Gelestino, founder and chairman of the board of NYC's Champion Elevator, was recently recognized by Crain's New York Business as a Notable Leader in Philanthropy 2025. Through networking and advocacy, Gelestino raised awareness of the nonprofit Maurer Foundation, which promotes breast health education, early detection, risk reduction and informed choices. Gelestino helped guide the Foundation's strategic initiatives and collaborated with board members to expand outreach, develop partnerships and support fundraising efforts. "Philanthropy has always been at the core of who I am, whether through supporting education, healthcare or community initiatives," Gelestino said. "Over the years, I've had the privilege of working alongside incredible organizations, friends and colleagues whose passion and dedication continue to inspire me daily." | | | | Global Elevator Exhibition | | | | Editorial submissions, reprint permission requests and subscription/removal requests should be sent to the ELEVATOR WORLD Editorial Department. EW New York editorial staff: Angela C. Baldwin, Kaija Wilkinson, Kathleen Farrell and Lindsay Fletcher. The EW Editorial Calendar can be downloaded here. ELEVATOR WORLD New York is a registered trademark, and all rights are reserved. Copyright 2025 © Elevator World, Inc. | | | Copyright © 2025 Elevator World, Inc., All rights reserved.
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