Students in Potter Hall and those who park their cars in the parking structure may find themselves climbing more steps this semester.

Facilities Management is repairing elevators in both of the buildings. The process has caused headaches for students and facilities workers.

According to Construction Management director Ed West, the two elevators in the parking structure are more than 40 years old and have recently been unreliable. Facilities Management had planned to leave one of the elevators operational while performing repairs on the other, but often, the usable elevator has broken down.

“Both of them obviously are the same age and have the same problems,” West said. “They struggled to keep one open while we replaced the other.”

West said that although the elevator repairs have caused headaches for some, there have been only three days this semester when both elevators in the parking structure have been shut down.

Columbia junior Mary Martin said she doesn’t mind the fact that only one elevator is in use. She’s just happy they are being repaired.

“I’ve never really had a problem with the elevators,” Martin said. “But I think it’s great they’re fixing them.”

Both elevators will receive new cables, modems, controllers, floors and walls. Repairs on one of the elevators are complete. The second elevator will be completed around winter break.

“Elevator equipment is not readily available,” West said. “Generally it takes eight to 10 weeks when we buy equipment to get it in.”

Trenton sophomore Aaron Cox said he believes renovating the elevators will mean less breakdowns and time wasted.

“They could stand to be a little more efficient,” he said. “I’ve had to wait a long time for an elevator.”

Repairs to the elevator in Potter began last week and will be finished by year’s end.

West said the majority of the other elevators on campus have been replaced. Once the elevators in Potter and the parking structure are repaired, he does not expect any more repairs to take place for a while.

“They take a lot more wear and tear at a university,” West said. “. But they last a long time before you have to totally replace them.”

Reach Beth Sewell at [email protected].