There’s barely room to squeeze between the delivery vans and minibuses lining Fa Yuen Street, round the corner from the Ladies Market, a popular tourist attraction in the center of Mongkok. One of these buildings is Yan Hong Mansion, an eight-floor building constructed in 1970. For over 50 years, Yan Hong Mansion had the same elevator. So, it came as no surprise when the building committee decided to modernize it. But it was still no easy task.
With only one elevator for the entire building, it’s an incredibly important means of transportation, especially for some of the elderly tenants living on the higher floors. “We initially tried to contact the original supplier, but they didn’t reply to us,” says Jimmy Wong, the Committee Chairman. “We chose Schindler because of their global reputation, and trusted that they would look after us.”
The modernization project benefited from the Lift Modernization Subsidy Scheme (LIMSS), a government subsidy program designed to help upgrade aging elevators in private residential and mixed commercial and residential buildings.
Given the age of the original elevator, our team decided to remove all the old machinery and install a brand-new advanced, compact gearless machine, along with a new controller, ropes, doors, and interiors.
With the new elevator now up and running, the building’s owners and tenants have all seen real improvements – across safety, energy efficiency, and functionality.
“We had to limit the number of people using our old elevator,” explains Jimmy. Only three people could ride it at a time, so it was common for people to have to wait their turn. “It can take up to seven people now. Every aspect of the new elevator is safer than before, and it’s also a smoother and quieter ride.”
Electricity bills have also been noticeably lower. The elevator is more efficient, and as it can carry more people, it doesn’t have to make as many trips when things get busy.