GoKawiilStar Elevator wins Elevator World's Project of the Year for 625 Market St modernization
Star Elevator earned Elevator World's Project of the Year award for modernizing the century-old vertical transportation system at San Francisco's Metropolis Trust Building, a Category 1 Historic Landmark at 625 Market Street. The project involved upgrading rail systems to meet modern seismic codes, replacing pushbutton and signal fixtures, and renovating cab interiors, all while addressing unreliable machinery including a car that had been taken out of service due to safety concerns.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Retrofitting century-old elevators in historic landmark buildings requires balancing preservation requirements with modern seismic and safety codes, a challenge many aging urban structures face as they approach their second century of use. This award highlights how specialized contractors are solving engineering puzzles left by early 1900s tradesmen while keeping buildings operational and tenants safe.
- Star Elevator won Elevator World's Project of the Year for modernizing 625 Market Street's elevator system.
- The 15-story historic building required seismic code upgrades, new fixtures, and interior renovations to century-old machinery.
- One elevator car had been disabled entirely due to reliability and safety concerns before the retrofit.
Elevator World magazine subscription — If this modernization story piqued your interest, a solid elevator mechanic reference book is a great way to understand how hoistways, rails and controllers actually come together. It's the kind of practical resource that explains the century-old machinery being retrofitted at 625 Market Street.
See Elevator World magazine subscription on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: starelevator.com — Rick Nieva, 2026-09-01
Published there as: “Elevator of the Year Winner Modernization of the Metropolis Trust Building”
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