Elevator Replacement Project Begins

In March 2006,

UMass Medical School will begin a three-year project to modernize all service and passenger elevators in the school and hospital buildings.  The $5 million project, paid for through the Shared Infrastructure Fund of the Medical School and UMass Memorial Medical Center, is to make all of the elevators in use on campus more efficient, functional and aesthetically compatible with our academic health science center.  No such elevator project has taken place since the school and hospital were built more than 30 years ago.  

This project has been scheduled into eight phases averaging 12 to14 weeks.  Three elevators will be taken out of service in each phase, but this will only equate to one in each of the three main elevator lobbies – Hospital, Clinical Science and Basic Science Wings.  Phase 1 will begin on March 13 and continue through the beginning of June.  Three teams of elevator installers from Delta/Beckwith Elevator will begin work simultaneously on Hospital – E1, Basic Science – PE5 and Clinical Science – SE2.  Work will include an upgrade of track, cabling, and motors, as well as the replacement of the cars, buttons, doors, frames, and elevator surrounds in the lobby.  The new system will also be electronically driven, reducing the maintenance required to clean and repair the existing antiquated system. An infrastructure for card readers and cameras will also be included.

Work will be restricted inside the elevator shafts so that the majority of construction will have no impact on surrounding lobbies. Only on A-level, where equipment will be loaded, will some impact be evident and employees in these areas will be apprised periodically. Signage will be visible to inform visitors, staff and faculty to use adjacent elevators.  Phase 2 is scheduled to start in the beginning of June. 

For more information please contact the Facilities Engineering Department at x6-6376.

Comments or questions about Campus Modernization?
Send them to  campus.mod@umassmed.edu .