Long-standing complaints about the elevators in Hamilton Village have only been getting worse recently, with students and staff especially frustrated with long waits and often non-functioning cars that have exceeded their estimated 25-year lifespan.
The most intense criticism comes from residents of Hamilton College House, who say that elevator cars are habitually out of order, waits sometimes exceed 30 minutes, and odd sounds occasionally emanate from the cars.
In an attempt to rectify these problems, the Otis Elevator Co., hired by the University to maintain its elevators, is currently conducting a major overhaul of the Hamilton College House elevators. According to University Engineer Juan Suarez, this process will replace all elevator components that are not fully operational.
But this overhaul is not parallel to the upgrades that were made to the elevators in the other two high rise dormitories -- Harrison and Harnwell -- six years ago.
In those high rises, the entire controlling mechanism was upgraded to more current technology. In Hamilton, however, only already-deficient parts will be replaced, but they will not be upgraded.
And, according to Suarez, the Hamilton elevators, built in 1971-1972, are not going to be upgraded any time soon.
I'm "not aware of any projects for the upgrade of technology," Suarez said.
Students say they are frustrated with elevator malfunctions and the University's current attempt to alleviate the problem.
"I think the key there is that they're not actually improving them," College sophomore Marissa Di Giovine said.
Other students emphasized the hassle of the whole matter.
"College life in general is pretty hectic, so you don't have time to leave 30 minutes early for class," Wharton sophomore Nicole Gonzalez said. "I've been 15, 20 minutes late for class because I had to wait for an elevator."
While Penn is responsible for maintaining its elevators, it is also required by Pennsylvania law to have all passenger elevators inspected four times a year, according to Michael Mellon, director of the Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Safety's Elevator Division.
As proof that the University is adhering to these guidelines, it is required by law to post a certificate of operation in each elevator car, complete with each date of inspection and an inspector's signature.
Despite this regulation, no certificates of operation are posted in any of the elevators in Hamilton Village. The certificates are instead stored at the Facilities Services headquarters at 3101 Walnut St., but contain no inspection dates nor any inspector signatures.
But Suarez claimed that the University is not in violation of any codes by keeping the certificates in a central location. He said the certificates are not posted in the elevators because they would "disappear the first day."
The documents cost $10 to replace, according to Mellon.
Hamilton's elevators still contain the original controlling technology, now almost 30 years old.
According to Jay Preston, a self-employed consulting safety engineer, this component, the brain of the elevator, in addition to other elevator parts "usually have a 25-year life-span."
"It's generally accepted that [at] about 25 years you should seriously consider a complete rebuild of the equipment," Preston said.
According to Preston, the constant breakdowns of the elevators in Hamilton Village are indicative that they are being maintained on a "fixed-on-failure" basis, meaning that elevator parts are being replaced once they break.
According to Suarez, the University has called Otis 64 times since August to check on faulty elevators in Hamilton Village. He added that roughly half of the time, the elevator car was running by the time Otis representatives arrived.
"If the elevator is often down," said Preston, "chances are the elevator controller is nearing the end of its life cycle, and it would be advantageous to replace [it]."
Preston further noted that with equipment as old as Penn's, safety can become an issue. With age, mislevelings, which occur when elevator doors open prematurely, can cause trips and falls, and doors are more likely to get stuck.
"But as far as an elevator fall, that doesn't happen," Preston said.
Current work on the Hamilton elevators should be complete in four to five weeks since each elevator will be worked on for roughly a week. While an elevator is being worked on, it will be out of service.
Administrators are aware that this may cause additional headache. As a result, Suarez said that cleaning crews are no longer allowed to "capture" elevators for maintenance or cleaning between 8 and 10:30 a.m., a decision he says is "hopefully permanent."
Hamilton faculty fellow Michael Gamer said that he is concerned with the way the elevators in his residence are being maintained.
"Last year I was surprised with how well [the elevators] worked," said Gamer. "I was pleased with how quickly when one of them went out it was fixed. What was a perfectly workable situation seems to be decaying."
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