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An elevator upgrade project at the Luzerne County Courthouse is set to begin Tuesday, which means only one of two elevators will be operational for the next several months.
County officials had been planning for years to replace both 1950 vintage Westinghouse courthouse elevators as part of the historic structure’s ongoing restoration, but the work became more urgent when both stopped working for several hours in May 2014.
During this malfunction, inmates had to be unshackled and escorted up steps so they could appear in courtrooms on the second and third floors. Court officials posted workers at both courthouse entrances in case jurors or others involved in court proceedings were unable to climb steps.
Some workers are uneasy about the temporary reduction to one elevator because both elevators are heavily used. The more than century-old courthouse has high ceilings, requiring more steps between floors.
Officials decided to tackle one elevator at a time to keep one in service. The project is expected to continue through mid-December.
County council agreed to allocated $550,000 in past-borrowed funds to renovate and update the elevators with new cab cars, interior finishes and mechanical equipment.
A $424,697 contract with Otis Elevator Company to complete this work was finalized in February.