Elevator Problems Rankle UWM Students in Dorms

Residents of Sandburg North continue to get their exercise as the elevators keep on experiencing maintenance issues.

The most recent plague has struck the all-floors elevator, one that students value extremely, as it does not require them to walk down any extra flights of stairs.

“The all-stop needs a new main bearing,” said Kelly Haag, Director of UWM University Housing, in early December. “We have the parts, and it should be installed by this Friday.”

Haag also informed that there is not a safety issue, and that it has more to do with the smoothness of the ride.

However, the all-floor elevator has not been the lone elevator to experience issues this semester. The far right elevator needed a new velocity encoder. After two weeks of troubleshooting, the problem was resolved. Since it was an intermittent predicament, it took a little longer to develop a situation.

Dwellers of Sandburg North have expressed dissatisfaction at the constant breaking down of the elevators.

“Being 24 floors up, it’s upsetting. It especially becomes annoying when I have to get to class,” says Jordan Kellogg, a freshman resident of Sandburg North. “It’s something that they should fix soon.”

Brock Daul, another freshman of Sandburg North, conveyed similar viewpoints.

“It sucks because we are paying all this money, and they don’t even work,” says Daul. “It makes me feel as if my money is being wasted.”

Haag also hinted at a development of a comprehensive, long-term capital project for the department.

“A committee has been making note of the facilities that are in need of updates within the next five years or so,” Haag says. “The elevators are a part of that long term plan.”

If the university were to decide that new elevators would be the way to go, it would be an expensive project.  The cost to replace the three elevators in North Tower would be around $1,050,000.

The budgeting process would take between one to two years, while the installation would take about three months.

North Tower has not been the only tower to be experiencing maintenance issues. Elevators in Sandburg West recently experienced a short breakdown a couple weeks ago, lasting about 30 minutes.

Although there was a recent breakdown, resident Tamara Woods of the 17^th  floor does not feel as if any animosity should be directed at the elevators.

“We usually have pretty well working elevators,” the freshman said.

Fellow residents of Sandburg West also dished out similar comments towards the elevators located within their tower.

“Sometimes the buttons don’t work, and the doors sometimes sense movement,” said 13th floor resident and freshman Tiana Shanai. “Overall, I am satisfied with how the elevators have been running all year so far.”

South Tower has also experienced some issues with its right elevator, but university officials say that there are plans for re-roping it over break.

As of now, Sandburg North remains the most troublesome and vulnerable when it comes down to consistent elevator reliability. Students and residents of the tower are hoping the problems will be resolved by the time they return from Winter Break.

With the three elevators of Sandburg North having issues on a consistent basis, one thing is certain. Students are being given the chance to fend off the Freshmen 15 by taking the stairs.