Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com
TAXPAYER-FUNDED ELEVATOR PROJECT SCRUTINIZED IN BOSTON
WCVB Channel 5 in Boston is questioning more than US$483,000 in change orders on a taxpayer-funded US$10.3-million elevator modernization underway at the historic Massachusetts State House in downtown Boston. The 16 new elevators feature bronze fixtures, cherry laminate and marble-tiled floors. The change orders involved changing the state seals mounted in each elevator from flat to textured, adding a color inside the freight elevator, installing marble tile on the floors, hiring a technician for an after-hours event and creating custom bronze plates to cover holes created when old fixtures were removed. The state government says an extra US$1 million was budgeted for change orders, and that the project is on budget.
DENMARK’S TALLEST RESIDENTIAL BUILDING TO TAKE SHAPE
Danish engineering firm Ramboll has announced the team that will deliver Denmark's tallest residential building, a 44-story tower on the harbor in Aarhus that will form the second phase of Lighthouse, an existing low-rise residential development. Architects 3XN, which designed Lighthouse, drew inspiration for the façade from the light reflected on the surrounding water. The team will use a foundation that addresses ground-condition challenges and enables an additional four floors. In a departure from traditional Danish precast concrete, traditional reinforced concrete will be used, allowing for a "shorter build time and lighter superstructure." Norcap is the developer and Aarsleff is the general contractor. Construction is expected to start this year and be complete by 2021.
JAPANESE CASTLE RESTORATION SANS ELEVATORS RAISES IRE
Restoring the 17th-century Nagoya Castle in central Japan without elevators has raised the ire of disability-rights activists, who call it a violation of human rights, Japan Today reports. Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura wants to rebuild the castle’s concrete main tower in 2022 using wood and following original 17th-century methods that did not include elevators. An archeologist pointed out there are many other features, such as a concrete foundation and electrical wiring, the original structure did not have. The city says it plans to introduce an elevator alternative using “new technologies” but did not elaborate.
SHARIF AL-GAMAL’S 45 PARK PLACE RISING IN LOWER MANHATTAN
45 Park Place, a 43-story, 667-ft.-tall luxury residential tower, is on track for a 2019 completion in Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York YIMBY reports. Developed by Sharif El-Gamal’s Soho Properties, the building was designed by SOMA Architects with Ismael Leyva as the architect of record with a glassy exterior, mullioned setbacks and reinforced concrete core. Prices start at US$1.92 million and top out at US$41 million for a duplex penthouse with a private terrace. Expected to soon be visible from the 9/11 Memorial, 45 Park Place will also have an outdoor courtyard leading to an Islamic cultural center designed by Jean Nouvel.
OUTDOOR ESCALATORS AT TEXAS AIRPORT TO BE REPAIRED
The City of Abilene in central Texas has approved a US$276,000 project to repair the outdoor escalators at Abilene Regional Airport, and expects to have them up and running by the end of July, KTXS Channel 12 reports. The units were installed 10 years ago and have been out of service for more than a year. The city looked at installing elevators but found that option cost prohibitive, opting instead for repairing the escalators to “like-new” condition with a one-year warranty and three-year maintenance agreement. One city lawmaker said installing outdoor escalators at the airport was “one of the biggest mistakes the city ever made.”
Image courtesy en.wikipedia.org:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagoya_Castle
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