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From YouTube: Elevating History
Description
Modernization and preservation project of the 1926 elevators in Asheville City Hall.
A
A
A
City
Hall
is
one
of
our
49
local
historic
landmarks.
What
that
means
is
when
a
landmark
is
designated.
It
means
it
has
special
historic
significance,
kind
of
above
and
beyond
what
you
would
consider
for
just
an
average
building.
The
elevators
are
all
original
in
their
mechanical
features,
which
is
pretty
unique.
There's
one
other
manually
operated
elevator
in
the
city
that
I'm
aware
of
at
the
Flatiron
Building.
So
it's
pretty
unique
that
we
have
these
here
when.
C
Different
than
than
a
construction
project,
it's
even
more
different
than
a
regular
modernization
project.
Typical
modernization
elevator,
you
just
start
ripping
things
out
and
putting
new
things
in
as
best
as
possible,
and
this
one
obviously
with
historical
relevance
to
it.
The
goal
was
to
try
to
make
sure
we
keep
as
much
things
to
keep
the
look
to
keep
the
atmosphere.
If
you
will
of
what
this
elevator
represents,
probably
just
put
in
1926.
So
it's
way
past
its
use
date
and
then
the
fact
it's
operated
with
an
operator
is
way.
Past
Ada.
D
So
this
project
was
not
based
on
the
cost,
which
is
kind
of
a
new
thing
for
most
architectural
projects.
It
was
really
based
on
the
historic
significance
and
tried
to
maintain
all
we
could
changes
that
were
okay
by
the
historic
Resources
Commission
that
differed
from
the
historic
fabric
had
to
do
with
really
life
safety
items.
D
Historic
resources
commissioned
oversees
historic
properties
that
are
being
renovated,
which
is
a
valuable
thing,
because
once
they're
gone
they're
gone
in
this
project,
we
go
through
well
really,
most
projects,
we
have
schematic
design,
design
development
and
then
finally,
we
get
to
construction
documents,
the
historic
Resources
Commission
or
the
HRC
reviews
at
key
points
within
the
design
and
to
make
sure
it's
in
keeping
with
I
guess
their
thoughts.
They
are
not
particularly
concerned
about
cost
more
so
about
preserving
the
fabric
of
the
building.
So.
A
C
A
C
So
elevators
are
still
a
little
bit
unusual
in
the
20s
they
were
coming
out,
but
to
come
to
Asheville,
North,
Carolina
or
anywhere
that's
off
the
Eastern,
Seaboard
or
out
of
Chicago
I
won't
say
rare,
but
they
were
not
as
common
as
you
might
think.
What
you're
looking
at
as
far
as
history
goes
with
these,
these
elevators
were
designed
at
the
cusp
of
a
technology
change
AC
versus
DC,
Tesla
versus
Edison
they're,
gearless
elevators,
which
literally
means
what
it
is.
C
The
motor
directly
turns
a
gear,
as
opposed
to
a
geared
where
you've
got
a
worm
gear
and
a
that's
turning
a
ring
gear
to
make
the
elevator
going
down.
These
are
just
empowering
machine,
which
means
we
have
those
very
large
machines
that
you've
seen
up
there.
They're
roped
two
to
one
so
you've
got
a
rope
like
a
yoyo
coming
down
over
a
shiv
underneath
it
that's
the
most
common
thing
there
is
this
same
basic
elevator
system
is
what
you
found
in
the
Chrysler
Building
in
New
York.
It's
what
you
found
in
the
Empire
State
Building.
C
Let
me
give
you
an
example:
a
1926.
My
belief
is
because
those
machines
are
so
heavy,
they
were
put
up
there
before
the
roof
was
put
on,
which
means
they
had
had
to
be
hoisted
up
there.
In
that
time
period
you
were
probably
still
hoisting,
even
in
the
20s,
but
especially
in
this
part
of
the
country,
you
were
hoisting
with
mule
team
people
were
brilliant.
C
How
they
set
up
blocking,
tackles
to
go
up
there
with
ropes
and
literally
hoist
these
things
up,
put
them
in
place
and
then
cover
them
up
with
tarps,
because
they
didn't
have
anything
else
until
they
had
the
time
to
build
the
roof
on.
So
your
elevator
guys
came
in
built
that
and
then
left
until
they
were
finished.
These
particular
elevators
Otis
still
manufactured
everything
up
in
Connecticut
and
they
didn't
have
a
lot
of
competition
at
this
time.
Also
in
the
1920s,
you
didn't
have
a
lot
of
bigger
buildings.
There
are
a
few
buildings
like
this.
C
You
still
had
buildings
or
four
and
five
stories
that
didn't
have
elevators
or
they
had
open
platforms
at
the
time
these
elbows
were
installed.
They
were
the
top
of
Technology.
When
you
first
push
the
button
to
move
an
elevator,
it's
got
to
say:
okay
I'm
going
somewhere,
so
it's
got
to
wake
up,
it's
going
to
start
applying
power.
So
one
of
your
contacts
goes
start.
C
The
generator
motor
is
going
to
start
another
contact's,
gonna,
say:
okay,
we're
doing
power,
generators
coming
on
and
then
another
contact
is
going
to
say:
okay,
I'm
now
transferring
power
or
the
ability
for
the
elevator
run
and
those
are
generally
going.
All
those
are
going
to
be
closed
contacts
to
make
it
happen
they
open
when
it
doesn't
even
happen.
It's
going
to
close
to
start
the
motor
once
the
motor
is
running.
It's
going
to
open
back
up
and
be
waiting
for
it
to
happen.
These
elevators
have
relatively
stayed
exactly
like
they
were
since
1926.
C
until
1936
8789.
They
added
the
switches
you
see
in
the
car
and
you
look
in
the
car
there's
a
panel
in
in
each
cab.
That's
got
Direction
arrows
and
then
they've
got
numbers
that
used
to
light
up.
If
you
want
to
call
the
elevator
to
the
seventh
floor,
where
we
are,
you
got
to
go
one
two,
three,
four:
five.
Six.
Seven,
your
operators,
if
you
had
all
three
operators
or
both
operators
down
there,
both
cars
are
making
that
noise,
and
so
they
first
go.
C
Oh,
is
that
a
bank,
okay,
who's,
gonna,
I'm
gonna,
go
get
this
one
so
they're
now
they're
gonna
go
chase
that
call
your
other
operators
kind
of
watching
the
arrows
in
the
hallway
trying
to
figure
out
when
another
call
comes
in
where
they're
going
that
worked,
and
that's
that
was
what
everybody
was
was
used
to
what
they
did
was
they
came
up
with
this
Light
Panel,
that's
added
in
the
car,
and
so
what
that
did
was
now.
You
change
your
haul
buttons
they
had
up
and
down.
C
You
know
the
first
thing:
everybody
notices
when
they
come
with
the
elevator
is
not
the
elevator
itself.
They
see
the
position.
Indicators
and
the
positioning
caters
in
this
building
are
unusual
because
they
are
full
circle.
Dials
and
most
ones,
you're
going
to
see
are
going
to
be
Half.
Moon
dolls
and
I'll
be
honest.
Looking
at
this
full
circle,
dial
saw
something
I'd
never
seen.
I've
seen
them
run
off.
Tapes
I've
seen
them
run
off
cables.
These
dials
actually
run
off
string.
There's.
C
A
project
like
this,
the
the
most
important
part,
is
trying
to
keep
the
historical
look
to
it,
which
is
a
battle
between
what
makes
us
safer
equipment
what
makes
a
more
adaag
accessible
equipment
and
and
just
a
better
ride
quality
of
equipment.
What's
going
to
move
people
better
than
building,
and
we
have
to
be
very
careful
with
every
part
of
it,
whether
it's
putting
studs
on
the
back
of
fixtures
or
just
keeping
up
with
bolts,
because
every
one
of
them,
these
things
are
almost
100
years
old.
B
Yeah,
so
to
get
them
up
to
today's
standard,
we
have
to
have
safety
features,
we're
going
to
incorporate,
which
are
you
have
to
have
a
lighted
button
which
we
don't
have
now
when
you
press
the
button,
the
cars
themselves
are
actually
going
to
shrink
depth
wise
about
four
inches
when
they
take
them
out.
They
were
made
originally
like
we
used
to
do
things
and
they're
very
ornate,
metal
scroll
work,
so
it's
going
to
take
someone
knows
what
they're
doing
to
shrink
them
down.
Four
inches
you'll
have,
instead
of
the
buzzer
that
you
hit
seven
times.
B
If
you're
on
the
seventh
floor,
you'll
actually
be
able
to
use
it
without
having
an
operator
we're
going
to
do
away
with
that,
but
we're
going
to
keep
everything
as
historically
accurate,
we're
going
to
keep
all
the
dials
and
keep
all
the
buttons
but
make
them
bigger,
and
we
also
are
required
to
have
a
camera.
Now.
Today's
code
requires
a
camera
in
case
someone's
in
the
car
and
on
the
floor.
B
We
need
to
be
able
to
see
them
we're
actually
taking
the
old
cars
out
one
by
one
and
going
to
take
them
out
in
pieces,
bring
them
to
the
shop
they're
then
going
to
reconfigure
them,
put
them
back
together,
repaint
them.
So
you
have
the
old
car
reconfigured
new
controls
in
an
old
style
is
we're
going
to
replace
all
of
the
old
contactors
which
are
out
loaded.
Everything
now
is
electronic,
we're
putting
in
traction
elevators,
which
means
the
old
Motors,
the
old
generators.
B
E
I
think
entering
a
government
building
by
and
large
can
be
a
bit
impersonal
to
a
lot
of
people
or
intimidating
and
I.
Think
the
idea
of
coming
in
and
finding
several
people
sort
of
waiting
for
you
as
ambassadors.
Almost
they
would
have
a
smile
on
their
face.
Greet
you
ask
you,
where
you're
heading
or
what
you
needed
and
I
think
they
would
take
people
back.
They
would
immediately
change
the
energy.
The.
B
Sad
thing
is:
you
won't
have
that
that
human
operator
pulling
the
lever
anymore,
you
won't
be
able
you
can
talk
to
whoever's
in
there,
but
not
the
operator
anymore.
Without
that
interaction
of
the
same
person
every
day.
You
know
you
get
to
know
them.
You
have
a
conversation
every
time
you
come
in.
If
you
work
in
this
building
and
that
human
interaction,
you
know
when
their
kids
graduated,
you
know
when
they're
going
to
college,
you
know
who's
having
problems
and
it's
the
human
interaction
that
part's
going
to
be
gone.
Physical.
A
Presence
of
a
person
operating
the
elevator
I
think
will
be
something
that
will
be
greatly
missed.
I
feel
like
the
experience
of
the
elevators,
is
very
much
tied
to
that
experience
and
that
being
kind
of
a
lost
craft.
If
you
will,
you
know
getting
on
the
elevator
and
chatting
with
whoever
is
operating
them,
it's
a
nice
experience
and
I
think
it
will
definitely
be
something
that
I
will
miss.
D
E
I
would
intentionally
Lee
always
come
up
the
steps
from
the
parking
lot,
which
there's
no
few
and
come
through
the
front
doors
because
I
just
love
the
experience,
even
after
30,
something
years
of
coming
to
this
front
doors
and
meeting
the
elevator
operators
and
just
having
that
entire
experience
of
feeling
really
special.
Coming
through
that
door
and
meeting
some
good
people
and
coming
to
work.