Elevator World New York | July 2026 Newsletter

Volume 88 | July 2026

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 3,500 subscribers in the New York area.

July 2026

ENTER THE 2026 PRODUCT OF THE YEAR AWARD CONTEST

ELEVATOR WORLD’S sixth annual Product of the Year Award recognizes outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers whose products are considered particularly noteworthy or innovative. The product(s) should represent any of the following qualities: a significant advancement in a technology or its application, an exceptionally innovative design, a substantial achievement in price/performance, improvements in design performance and a potential for new product designs/opportunities. To learn more about how your company can participate in the 2026 contest, download and complete the 2026 entry form. Submissions must be received by August 24.

SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT FOR THE EW PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Submissions are now being accepted for the ELEVATOR WORLD 29th Annual Project of the Year Awards. We are seeking submissions of projects featuring vertical, horizontal or inclined transportation systems with an innovative design, special application or approach that solved a major problem or overcame a unique challenge. Projects will be judged on innovation, originality and creativity, challenges overcome, installation methods and techniques and use of advanced technology, as well as overall quality of presentation. This year’s categories are Elevators, New Construction; Elevators, Modernization; Escalators, New Construction; Escalators, Modernization; Moving Walks; Inclined Elevators; Platform Lifts & Stairway Chairlifts; Private-Residence Elevators; and Special-Purpose Lifts. All entries will be judged and categorized as received by an impartial panel of experienced industry experts and professionals. Winning entries will be published in the January 2027 issue of ELEVATOR WORLD. Winners in each category will be acknowledged with an award of recognition. The submission deadline is September 2.

OTIS TO MOVE HQ FROM FARMINGTON TO WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT

Otis told ELEVATOR WORLD earlier this month it will relocate its headquarters (HQ) from 1 Carrier Place in Farmington, Connecticut, to a 31,790-ft² leased space approximately 5 mi. northeast at 29 South Main Street in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 2027. The OEM has approximately 1,000 Connecticut-based employees, and its presence and employment in the state will not be affected by the move. Colleagues based at Otis HQ include Chair, CEO and President Judy Marks and members of global departments spanning HR, Sales and Marketing, Communications, Investor Relations, Digital Technology, Finance, Accounting, Legal and more. Otis said it expects any sale of its property at 1 Carrier Place to respect the terms of its lease. "We continuously assess our business operations and explore opportunities that support our strategic initiatives, help us grow and better serve our colleagues and customers operate more efficiently," an Otis spokesperson said.

TROUTMAN, D&D, HELP CREATE CUSTOM ELEVATOR CAB FOR SPIKE LEE

Troutman Elevator Interiors, headquartered in Ridgewood, NY, and D&D Elevator Maintenance, Inc., based in Elmsford, NY, were key members of a team that recently completed a custom home elevator redesign for renowned American filmmaker Spike Lee at his Midtown Manhattan residence, Troutman President Aldair Cardoso tells ELEVATOR WORLD. “As a New York-based company and lifelong (New York) Knicks fan, having the opportunity to contribute to a project for Spike Lee made this one particularly meaningful for me and our team,” Cardoso said. Lee is perhaps the most famous superfan of the professional basketball team, having held courtside tickets for decades. Lee’s home elevator now delivers a “timeless New York aesthetic,” with Muntz bronze in a satin finish, Uptown Walnut laminate panels and premium vinyl flooring. “The combination of warm wood tones and satin bronze details create an understated yet distinctive finished space,” Cardoso observed. Look for more about this project soon in EW.

American filmmaker Spike Lee; image courtesy of Britannica

Lee’s home elevator now delivers a “timeless New York aesthetic,” with Muntz bronze in a satin finish, Uptown Walnut laminate panels and premium vinyl flooring; image courtesy of Aldair Cardoso

TEI GROUP NAMES SAPIO DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, NEW EQUIPMENT

TEI Group, headquartered in NYC with a growing presence in the Southeast, recently named Giancarlo Sapio as director of Business Development, New Equipment. Sapio joins the company, and the elevator industry, from premier nonprofit organization the New York Building Congress (NYBC), where he served as director of business development for nearly nine years. At NYBC, Sapio drove the organization's strategic growth by forming and nurturing strong bonds within the architecture, engineering and construction community. He said he believes his efforts "contributed to a more connected and engaged community in the greater NYC area." Sapio said he will do the same in his new role with TEI. "I am excited for the opportunity to be part of a company with an outstanding reputation, and I'm looking forward to contributing to its continued success while building lasting partnerships," he said.

CORRECTION: TEI GROUP NEWS HAD INCORRECT HEADLINE AND IMAGE

The June 2026 issue of the NY Newsletter included news from TEI Group about the opening of its new office in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which is now fully operational and being led by office Vice President Pedro L. Espinosa, an elevator industry professional with nearly 30 years’ experience across sales and operations. The news had an incorrect headline and image. EW regrets the error.

IN MEMORIAM: HECTOR COLUMBANI

Hector Columbani, an engineer who lived in the Hackensack/New Jersey area and collaborated with countless OEMs and independents over the decades on complex elevator design surveys and drawings, passed away unexpectedly earlier this month. He was in his mid-60s. Tommy Curran, owner of North American Elevator, a new installation, modernization and service provider in the NYC metropolitan area, described Columbani as "an absolute giant in our trade," with a "level of experience and knowledge that was truly second to none." North American Elevator worked with Columbani on ground-up new construction and building conversions. North American Sales and Contracts Manager Lisa Nikki-Perry said Columbani was "brilliant" — a master engineer who always knew what to do to make a project work. Curren said Columbani never looked for the spotlight or personal praise. “He cared about the work, the team and solving the toughest engineering challenges right alongside us at the table. Another NYC area colleague, Diversified Elevator Products’ Matt Jackson, described Columbani as “an engineer’s engineer” who knew there was always an engineering solution for a vertical-transportation problem. “I will never forget working with him and Otis NY on the Apple store project,” Jackson said. “He was the kindest soul; always willing to listen and offer his help. RIP my friend.”

Columbani, second from left, brainstorms with the North American Elevator team; photo courtesy of Tommy Curran.

MID-AMERICAN MODERNIZES TWO MTA ELEVATORS IN QUEENS

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) tells ELEVATOR WORLD Chicago-based Mid-American Elevator was the subcontractor that modernized two elevators that opened in June at the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue subway station in Queens. Part of larger accessibility and safety upgrades, the elevators provide access from the Manhattan-bound platform to the mezzanines and from the mezzanine to the Queens-bound platform. The station serves nearly 40,000 riders each weekday. Work included full replacement of cabs and associated equipment; replacement and modernization of all machine room, electrical and mechanical equipment; and upgrades to remote-monitoring equipment, intercom systems and cameras to enhance safety. "We are committed to improving accessibility and modernizing elevators for all our riders," MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo said. "New elevators mean fewer unexpected outages and a more reliable commute.

One of the modernized elevators at the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue subway station; image courtesy of MTA

DEMOLITION UNDERWAY FOR FOSTER + PARTNERS SUPERTALL IN MIDTOWN EAST

Demolition is underway at 350 Park Avenue in Manhattan’s Midtown East to make way for a 1,413-ft, 64-story supertall office tower designed by Foster + Partners and developed by Vornado Realty Trust, Rudin and Ken Griffin, New York YIMBY reports. Anchor tenants will be Griffin’s Citadel and Citadel Securities, which will occupy at least 850,000 ft² of a total 1.8 million ft². The structure has an approximately 6,000-employee capacity. A 30-story midcentury tower at the site is currently shrouded in blue netting, with interior gutting likely in progress. Upon completion, which is anticipated in 2032, the supertall will cut a striking figure with seven rectangular, glass-clad volumes with rounded corners stepping back progressively as it rises. Lower setbacks will be topped by landscaped terraces offering sweeping view of Midtown East. Developers bought US$150 million of air rights from St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Saint Bart’s Church, and will contribute more than US$35 million to public improvements.

The Foster + Partners-designed supertall will cut a striking figure; rendering courtesy of DBOX via New York YIMBY.

Landscaped terraces will offer sweeping view of Midtown East; image courtesy of Foster + Partners via New York YIMBY.

ZFA PROJECT INCLUDES NEW ELEVATORS AT MIDTOWN SUBWAY STATION

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in June announced accessibility upgrades, including two new sidewalk-to-platform elevators, at the 50th Street 1 Train subway station in Midtown Manhattan. Extell, developer of a supertall at 871 Seventh Avenue, is funding improvements through the Zoning for Accessibility (ZFA) program, which was adopted by the City Council in 2021. ZFA allows developers to build bigger and taller in exchange for making improvements to nearby public-transit facilities. In addition to the elevators serving the northbound and southbound train platforms, there will be a new sidewalk stair entrance and fare control area for the northbound platform on Broadway and 50th Street and structural upgrades to the station. The 50th Street 1 Train station is the fifth ZFA project announced by MTA. Work is set to start in April 2027 and complete in October 2028.

TEI GROUP’S GREGORIO TO DELIVER OPENING BREAKFAST KEYNOTE AT NAEC

Mark Gregorio, president of Long Island City-based TEI Group, is set to deliver the Opening Breakfast keynote on September 29 at the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) Convention & Expo in Chicago. Gregorio began his elevator industry career when he was 22 years old, apprenticing under some of NYC’s most respected elevator technicians. Through a dedication to craftsmanship, customer service and safety, he built a vision centered on excellence that is embodied by TEI Group. Today, the company is the largest, full service vertical-transportation company in the NYC metropolitan area, with continued growth throughout the U.S. land, most recently, Puerto Rico. Gregorio was recently appointed to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Elevator Safety and Standards Advisory Board, is actively involved in industry organizations including NAEC and serves his community through philanthropic efforts. “Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from an industry leader whose journey reflects innovation, growth and a commitment to elevating standards across our profession!” NAEC stated.

GOV. HOCHUL TAPS TEAM TO DEVELOP US$1-BILLION HELL’S KITCHEN TOWERS

Gov. Kathy Hochul has selected a team consisting of The Gotham Organization, Fisher Brothers and Mural Real Estate to build the US$1-billion Hudson Landing, a pair of connected towers of unspecified height at 621 West 45th Street in Hell’s Kitchen that include 1,127 residential units — a mix of condos and apartments, The Real Deal New York reports. Pending approval, the towers will rise on a state-owned parking lot across from the USS Intrepid Museum. Plans include a pedestrian bridge that connects to the museum, a nearly 10,000-ft² park and retail space. Zoned for light-industrial manufacturing, the 1.2-acre site is part of Hochul’s Redeveloping Underused Sites as Housing program, launched in 2024, that overrides local zoning rules. A construction timeline has not been provided.

DEVELOPERS CLOSE ON US$220-MILLION CONSTRUCTION LOAN FOR JERSEY CITY TOWER

Imperial Tower; image courtesy of MVMK Architecture

Developers Kuldeep “Sunny” Kumar and Mohan Myneni have secured a US$220-million construction loan to build Imperial Tower, a 56-story mixed use structure at 2966 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City, New Jersey, New York YIMBY reports. Designed by MVMK Architecture, the building will include 542 residential rental units, 34,105-ft² of ground-level retail, a Fairfield by Marriott hotel with 154 rooms and an enclosed parking garage with space for 202 vehicles. Construction initially broke ground in 2023 but stopped in 2024 as the developers pursued a redesign that nearly doubled the original scope of 35 stories. The additional height was achieved under the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan that calls for affordable housing provisions. Fifty-seven of Imperial Tower’s residential units will be designated as affordable housing.

HPD NAMES DEVELOPMENT TEAM FOR EAST VILLAGE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) has named a development team for The Aurea, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and HPD Commissioner Dina Levy announcing on July 13 the plan for an underutilized Police Department parking lot at 324 East 5th Street in the East Village. The “deeply affordable” development of unspecified height will include 131 affordable homes, a senior center and community space. The development team is Spatial Equity, Housing Works, the nonprofit Cooper Square Committee and the This Land is Ours Community Land Trust. The architect is SLCE Architects. Thirty percent of the units will be set aside for formerly homeless New Yorkers. “Together, we bring a strong connection to the Lower East Side and East Village, and a commitment to deeply affordable housing, quality services for seniors and exceptional design and construction experience that will transform this site into a safe and supportive haven for seniors,” said CSC Executive Director Steve Herrick.

LPC REVIEWING PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL CONVERSION OF HISTORIC HOTEL

The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is reviewing developer SomeraRoad’s proposal for a residential conversion at the historic Bossert Hotel, designed by SLC Architects, at 98 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York YIMBY reported earlier this month. One of Brooklyn Height’s most recognizable historic structures, the Bossert Hotel was originally completed in 1909, designed by Frank Helmle. The proposal, presented to the LPC on June 23, includes rooftop additions, a courtyard, new window openings and modifications to rooftop mechanical equipment. Proposal presentations showed how the modifications would have limited visual impact. No count was given for the residential units, and the proposal remains under review.

The historic Bossert Hotel; image courtesy of LPC proposal via New York YIMBY

UPCOMING EVENTS

POP/JOE Memorial Invitational Outing

Glen Head, New York

September 8, 2026 For more information

click here.

NAEC 77th Fall Convention & Exposition

Chicago, Illinois

September 28-October 1, 2026 For more information

visit naec.org

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 2026 © Elevator World, Inc.