Location: 11850 Edgewater Drive, Lakewood Ohio – 44107

Completed: June 2024

Type: Private Elevator Modernization

This was a private competitive GC bid process to modernize three (3) eleven (11)-stop elevators at a high-rise condominium complex on the Lake in Lakewood. The project was phased due to the necessity to maintain elevator traffic for the building. Two of the elevators were passenger elevators and the third was a freight elevator, all with basement access. This forced the project along a phased path where one elevator and hoist way was demolished and modernized at one time, while we attempted to take advantage of work crews and equipment availability to prepare for subsequent phases of work ahead of time. For instance, we performed hoist way steel cleaning and masonry repairs for all three elevators at one time and merely targeted low traffic times to perform the work, shutting down one hoist way at a time to ride all eleven stops. While the phased nature of the work allowed for procurement float in the schedule, the first modernization schedule was on the critical path and there were challenges with obtaining the penthouse elevator equipment.

The project began with the replacement of one of the passenger elevators in May 2023. We anticipated 4-6 months per elevator, and the first elevator required 7-months before it was operational and fully inspected. After completion of the first elevator, we were able to complete the 2nd passenger elevator and the freight elevator in a shorter span, due to completing the penthouse and hoist way work scopes in the first phase. We completed the modernization of the final two elevators in just 8 months total, for an overall project duration of 13 months. Work scope included selective interior demolition, complete demolition of the penthouse, concrete repairs in the pit and penthouse, masonry repairs in the penthouse and hoist ways, steel cleaning and miscellaneous metals (stainless steel finishes), a custom Unistrut and steel partition in the penthouse for the existing boilers, rough carpentry blocking, new fire-closet doors and hardware, a new penthouse door and frame, framing, drywall, plaster work at the new telecom/fire closet, new interior cab floor finishes, removed wall coverings at each elevator lobby entry and subsequent plaster refinishing and paint, new elevators and related equipment, new mini-split systems to supply the multi-level penthouse, electrical power for modernized equipment and HVAC, updated lighting, and a new FA annunciator panel and devices.

The original project schedule was 18-months, allowing 6-months per elevator, but only required 13-months on site plus 5-months procurement, so the project was finished within the schedule allowance and the work on site finished well before the allowed timeframe. The original project scope was completed under budget and for this reason, the owner elected to add some small scopes on via change order and all of the miscellaneous change order scope was completed within the original project time frame and under 10% of the cost of the original budget. The project was very successful, kept a carpenter employed for over a year on this dedicated work, and proved to be a collaborative effort between the client’s facilities team, the elevator contractor, the designers, and Lawler Construction.

Our work was so fluid, and we seamlessly blended into the owner’s normal operations that the owner was even able to complete adjacent projects related to their underground parking garage, pool deck improvements, and improvements to their generator systems, all while one elevator was constantly unavailable to be modernized.