Legislative Office Building seeks $8 million to modernize elevators after repeated failures and vendor problems

Officials from the Office of Legislative Management told the bonding panel they are seeking $8 million in bond authorization to modernize elevators, escalators and the concourse travelator in the Legislative Office Building and the State Capitol. They said many devices are at the end of their useful life, parts are increasingly hard to source, and response times under the current vendor contract (Schindler) have been unsatisfactory.

Jim (Legislative Management) said the agency has contracted consultants to assess needs and expects to complete 100% contract documents and go to bid later this year. Committee members recounted safety incidents and repeated entrapments; Senator Moore and Senator Wong urged expedited repairs and raised concerns about accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities. Legislative staff said Otis is the original equipment manufacturer for much of the complex but did not bid in prior procurement rounds; the current vendor, Schindler, has faced supply-chain and staffing challenges. Legislative Management said the Schindler contract is approaching renewal and it is pursuing the possibility of returning service to Otis when practicable.

Committee members requested regular updates and emphasized that modernizing these systems is an accessibility and public-safety priority. Officials noted some immediate repairs are underway (door indicators, gong/position indicators) and said larger modernizations will require a bond authorization and a future procurement process.

Next steps: Legislative Management will provide details on the 100% contract documents, an updated timeline for procurement, and more granular cost breakdowns as requested by members.