Richland County Courthouse elevators undergoing repairs for long-standing issues

People who are tired of trudging up and down the steps at the Richland County Courthouse should soon get some relief.

Working elevators have been an off-and-on issue since December 2022.

Commissioner Darrell Banks said the west elevator should be operable by mid-May. A state inspector is scheduled to be at the courthouse May 9.

If the elevator passes inspection, it will be ready for passengers.

"To say it's going to happen by the middle of May, I'm very positive that's going to happen," Banks said.

The east elevator should be ready for use 12 weeks afterward.

The courthouse has three stories. By the time some people reach the third floor, they are gassed.

"It was disturbing to tell people that there were no elevators," Banks said. "We felt bad for them, but we tried to make every accommodation."

Banks, who is the liaison between commissioners and the maintenance department, provided a timeline put together by maintenance director Josh Hicks.

In December 2022, Davis & Newcomer Elevator began repairs to existing controls on the east and west elevators.

Company deemed elevators 'large-scale renovation project'

By the next month, the elevator company determined a large-scale renovation project was needed.

In February 2023, the county began discussions with Thyssen Krupp Elevator.

"They have a state contract to design, build and service, which made it a lot easier for us than to go out and hire an engineer," Banks said. "We don't have to put it out to bid, and they can do the whole thing."

Commissioners finalized a contract with TKE in May 2023. The company estimated the job would take nine months, with most of the delay because of supply chain issues.

By June, both elevators were down. Commissioners approved the expedition of parts with a six-week lead time. The scheduled ship date for equipment was Dec. 8, but the date got pushed back to January.

"We thought were were going to get started in January, but it didn't work out," Banks said. "There were some things we could do ahead of time."

As the shipment date was bumped back to the end of February, Standard Plumbing & Heating installed split units for temperature control.

TKE began on-site work in February. The east elevator, which had been working, went down, but TKE was able to reset it.

The east elevator went down again in mid-March.

People have been taking the stairs for several weeks. Banks said if people need assistance, they should tell the security officers at the entrance to the courthouse and arrangements can be made to take the jail elevator.

They still will have to walk down one floor to access the jail elevator.

County offices have accommodated residents

In the meantime, many employees who are on the second and third floors have come to the first floor, where commissioners have their office, to conduct business with residents.

"This whole building, they've all pitched in when they could," Banks said of employees from the clerk of courts, probate and domestic relations offices.

Probate Judge Kelly Badnell even came down from her second-floor office to hold a wedding on the first floor.

Banks said residents will be impressed when the refurbished elevators are ready to go.

"You'll think you're in a new elevator," he said.

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

X: @MarkCau32059251

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Elevators at Richland County Courthouse have been long-term issue