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Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
Anonymous User
(---.hsd1.ca.comcast.net)
Date: November 16, 2011 12:34AM
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For anyone looking for jobs or who are interested in future job search, there are hundreds of Chicago job openings on this job board that is entirely dedicated to help people in Chicago find jobs.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jobs4me-Chicago...
You can 'like' the page if you want to get updated with more information.
Hope that this helps...!
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
Jinx
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: November 16, 2011 03:28AM
This post got me thinking about this building a friend of a friend used to live in. I was only there a couple times many years ago, but as I recall, the elevators had to be pretty old. They had the manual gates (which were incredibly hard to open/close) and kind of freaked us out a bit.
The building was a huge building full of loft apartments and I swear it was located somewhere on Morgan St, but the only other detail I remember was that there was a bridge of some sort (highway? train? not sure) that we drove under right before we parked and there was a bar nearby we went to once, but for the life of me I cannot find it on google maps.
The building was a huge building full of loft apartments and I swear it was located somewhere on Morgan St, but the only other detail I remember was that there was a bridge of some sort (highway? train? not sure) that we drove under right before we parked and there was a bar nearby we went to once, but for the life of me I cannot find it on google maps.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
neilarsenty
(206.18.124.---)
Date: June 08, 2012 05:24PM
If you're lucky enough to have a friend living there, check out the 540 Briar Apartments building... the elevators definitely have to be at least 60+ years old. Indeed, the whole building itself used to be a hotel back in the 1930s I believe and they have not changed it much since then. The hallways make you feel like you're in 'The Shining'...
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
AliciaTerrysson88
(38.78.192.---)
Date: July 12, 2012 07:16AM
I was scared by waching one movie where there was a 13'th floor....and it's about elevators...and as far as I know in many countries there is no 13-th floor in buildings.....but when i was in Belarus I lived in some [url=http://www.yourminskapartment.com/apartment-in-minsk.html]Minsk flat[/url] it was on the 13'th floor and I suppose people there are not so scare to such deyails))
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 21, 2012 06:45PM
[b]Many buildings in Chicago don't have a 13th floor. I ran TV service call in the Gold Coast area in the 60's and observed that on some Lake Shore Drive buildings.[/b]
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
nordsider
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: September 16, 2012 12:57PM
A photograph taken in 1936 of an "Elevator Garage, Chicago"; "movable freestanding elevator garage".
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/190016941?rpp=20&pg=4&ft=chicago&pos=65
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/190016941?rpp=20&pg=4&ft=chicago&pos=65
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
nordsider
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: November 05, 2012 01:23PM
According to the book --- Oldest Chicago by David Anthony Witter --- the oldest hotel, the Palmer House, rebuilt immediately after the Fire of 1871, featured a "vertical steam railroad", the first elevator.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
s justice
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 17, 2012 01:42AM
The Chicago Motor Club had old elevators.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
nordsider
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 19, 2012 09:35AM
Elevator grille from the Chicago Stock Exchange Building
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/10003627?rpp=20&pg=4&ft=chicago&pos=61
Elevator panel from the Manhattan Building
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/10003629?rpp=20&pg=2&ft=chicago+architecture&pos=39
The Manhattan Building is a 16-story building at 431 South Dearborn Street.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2012 07:31PM by nordsider.
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/10003627?rpp=20&pg=4&ft=chicago&pos=61
Elevator panel from the Manhattan Building
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/10003629?rpp=20&pg=2&ft=chicago+architecture&pos=39
The Manhattan Building is a 16-story building at 431 South Dearborn Street.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2012 07:31PM by nordsider.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
murphman
(---.evdo.leapwireless.net)
Date: January 01, 2013 03:15AM
Used to work @ 332 S Michigan. Mostly running the freight elevator by hand with a lever. This thing had no ceiling and I was splattered by water on occasion which was a mystery to me until I was told by the building engineer that it was hydro powered. Water held your fate! Discussed this with several Otis employees over the years and was informed this was one of about three left in the city. This was 1986 so I don't know if it still exists. Or if it is pertinent to this thread, just thought I would pass it on. Would like to know when this tech came into vogue and "thankfully" when it ceased.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
davey7
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: October 29, 2013 04:05PM
I'll be uploaded a blurry, dusty picture of the Brewster's elevator sometime this week...
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
trainutlen
(---.lais.com)
Date: November 07, 2013 02:22PM
Maybe a touch off topic but I remember when I began working as an office boy at a law firm in the Woods Theater Building (54 West Randolph) it still had the iron grate elevators with operators.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
gman
(---.sfltd.com)
Date: December 20, 2013 11:59AM
The Old Colony Building on Van Buren and Dearborn dates back to 1895 and their elevators occasionally stop at floor level.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
roosterdavis
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 03, 2014 02:22AM
The freight elevators at the Mart are original. Their motors have been serviced and parts replaced, but they are manually operated still. I can get some pictures of the control boards, and they are something to see (and hear), All the passenger cars have been modernized in the building save the two elevators at the very west end of the building known as the combo cars. Still in thier original, manual operated, high gloss faux wood panel, satin brass rail glory.
The oldest freight I have personally been in has been at 618 S. Michigan (1916). To cal it dicy would be forgiving. Twice it decided to take a trip to the very bottom and rest on the spring in the pit. We got out all right, but man, it was hardly worth it.
Interestingly the builing at 618 was designed to be heightened. The basement floor indicators were the only original ones left (behind drywall) and they read up to 16 floors though the building was only 10 high. All the steel columns continued through the roof line, so it was very possible to complete the raising.
The oldest freight I have personally been in has been at 618 S. Michigan (1916). To cal it dicy would be forgiving. Twice it decided to take a trip to the very bottom and rest on the spring in the pit. We got out all right, but man, it was hardly worth it.
Interestingly the builing at 618 was designed to be heightened. The basement floor indicators were the only original ones left (behind drywall) and they read up to 16 floors though the building was only 10 high. All the steel columns continued through the roof line, so it was very possible to complete the raising.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
davey7
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: January 30, 2014 08:17PM
Hmm, looks like I forgot to upload that picture of the Brewsters elevator.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 30, 2014 09:20PM
davey7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hmm, looks like I forgot to upload that picture of
> the Brewsters elevator.
[b]How can I upload a pictre on this site? I like to share some things but don't know how. Help?[/b]
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hmm, looks like I forgot to upload that picture of
> the Brewsters elevator.
[b]How can I upload a pictre on this site? I like to share some things but don't know how. Help?[/b]
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
trainutlen
(---.lais.com)
Date: February 11, 2014 07:32PM
Sort of on point. My first law job was at 54 West Randolph St across from the Daley Center, actually called the Woods Theater Building. Up until the very late 60's, it still had the iron grate open elevators and operators. In fact, the lobby was used in the Warren Beaty movie, Mickey One.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
randoymwalks
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: April 29, 2014 08:33PM
I live in the Shoreview in east Rogers Park. Our building was built in 1927, and our elevators are currently being torn out for new ones. They were automated at some point, but still have manual cage barriers. Here's a shot of the passenger elevator.
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/randoymwords/14070072474/player/" width="75" height="75" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
and here's a 1915 catalog for local manufacturer Kaestner & Hecht, who built the one in my building. There are illustrations of Chicago skyscrapers that have them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2014 09:27PM by randoymwalks.
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/randoymwords/14070072474/player/" width="75" height="75" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
and here's a 1915 catalog for local manufacturer Kaestner & Hecht, who built the one in my building. There are illustrations of Chicago skyscrapers that have them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2014 09:27PM by randoymwalks.
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
Susan
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 16, 2014 01:42AM
The Reliance Building?
Re: Oldest elevators
Posted by:
Cragin Spring
(---.dhcp.ftbg.wi.charter.com)
Date: November 19, 2014 01:09AM
310 S. Michigan in the alley off of Jackson. Inside the door is a freight elevator with a operator. No walls in the elevator just grates.
