Shafted! New York City’s Worst Elevators

NY Post – February 16, 2015

by Andrea Hay and Gary Buiso

It’s not just residents in public housing who are left high and dry by defective elevators.

The FDNY responded to 30,290 calls last year for stalled elevators and people trapped inside lifts.

The worst elevators in the city, outside of NYCHA, are in the apartment building at 561 W. 147th St., with 91 unresolved violations from the city Department of Buildings.

The six-story building’s wonky elevator has been cited for hazardous violations such as running with its doors open.

Building owner 147th Street Corporation did not return a call for comment, but super Jose Gonzalez admitted the elevator could be broken for “two or three weeks at a time.”

Meanwhile, a six-story building at 129 Ridge St. in Manhattan has an elevator that has been out of service for 14 years. The building, whose owner could not be reached, has 47 unresolved elevator violations.

“People say, ‘I haven’t seen you!’ ” said resident Benita Rivera, 67. “I say, ‘Listen, I don’t have an elevator, OK?’ ”

Last year, the city handed out 35,337 elevator summonses, which start at around $50.

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