Elevators to get a face lift
■ Construction on the two
elevators in PLC is scheduled
to be completed by fall term
By Hank Hager
Oregon Daily Emerald
For Julie Novkov, a professor in
the political science department,
the elevators in Prince Lucien
Campbell Hall are just too danger
ous.
Novkov, who is six months preg
nant, said she does not want to
take an unnecessary risk by riding
the elevators that have sent tWo
custodial workers to the hospital
in the last month.
“I’ve used them less frequently
since the accident,” she said.
But come next fall, those who
ride the elevators in PLC may be
reducing their risk of injury or in
convenience.
Starting June 18, both elevators
are scheduled to become modern
ized, said Mark Henry, project
manager for Facilities Services,
and manager for the elevator reno
vation.
A consultant company, Lerch
Bates North America, Inc. was
brought in to study the efficiency
of the elevators. From their results,
Henry said, Facilities Services for
mulated a plan to replace all exist
ing operating components of the
elevators.
The controlling system of the el
evators is also scheduled to be re
placed, Henry said,- and by doing
so, the elevators will now be able
to “think,” relying more on com
puter-based technology, which
will enable them to run smoother
and faster.
By starting during the summer,
Henry said, inconveniences to fac
r
ulty, students and PLC staff will be
minimal. Project workers will be
expected to work double shifts to
ensure the. elevators will be done
before the fall 2001 term begins.
The two elevator shafts will be
worked on separately, Henry said,
so that there will be one working
elevator at all times.
Henry said one of the major con
siderations when planning the
project was when to do the repairs.
Because there is a large amount of
traffic in PLC during the academic
year, Henry said, summer was
their only choice.
If it had been started any earlier
“the inconvenience would have
been so great to the building,” he
said. “Imagine what would hap
pen if we were to do it in the
spring or fall.”
Bidding on the project from out
side companies started last Octo
ber, and Thyssen Elevators, based
in Portland, won the rights.
Thyssen was the low bidder at
$370,000, Henry said. The overall
budget for the project is estimated
at $475,000.
Greta Pressman, campus rela
tions manager for Facilities Ser
vices, said the elevators are the
original ones that were installed
with the building in 1967, which
makes the project even more im
portant.
The elevators “are very much
due for a replacement in terms of
problems,” she said.
Pressman said two custodial
workers were injured recently
when one of the elevators came to
a sudden stop. Pressman could not
provide specifics of the accident
and the neither of the workers
could be reached for comment.
But while the injuries to the
workers did not prompt the proj
ect, she said, they emphasized the
need for it to be done.
Linda Steller, department man
ager for economics, said the eleva
tors are outdated.
“They’re not well-functioning
elevators,” she said. “They never
have been.”
Because the PLC elevators are so
old, some faculty members with
offices in the building say they
will not ride them.
Zachary Biles, professor of clas
sics, said he is aware of the recent
injuries caused by the elevator’s
accident.
Biles, who said he does not nor
mally ride the elevators, said he
has heard ghost stories about them.
“I’ve heard several people in my
department say that they’re pos
sessed,” he said.
Stephanie Litton, a student as
sistant for the philosophy depart
ment, said she was in the building
when the accident occurred and
watched as the injured custodians
were helped out of the elevators.
Although she does not normally
ride the elevators, Litton said she
is less inclined to because of the
accident.
“When I think of elevators I
think of freight and lazy people,”
she said. “I might as well use the
stairs.”
When told that work is sched
uled to begin soon on the eleva
tors, Litton was skeptical, saying
she thought work was supposed to
be done last year.
Novkov, who is aware of the
scheduled work, said she is glad
the elevators will finally be fixed.
“It’s a big relief,” she said.
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