The Anthem Modernization Contract
New York
All case studies
Residential properties are not rare in New York. Walk a block in any direction and you’ll see some form of residential housing mixed in with restaurants, retail and other commercial buildings. While the properties themselves are in abundance, finding ample living space in New York apartments can be hard to come by. According to Platinum Properties, a luxury New York real estate agency, a 2016 study from RCLCO, a real estate analytics firm, found that the average size of an apartment in the Big Apple built since 2000 is 866 sq. ft. Additionally, more than half of the apartments in markets like New York are 700 sq. ft. or less. That’s just the average. New York also has many micro-apartments, such as those at Carmel Place, that measure less than 360 sq. ft. That’s not the case at The Anthem, though, which contains a variety of apartments with spacious rooms, ceilings as high as 11 feet and walk-in closets. Having these features provide tenants with a slice of luxury without the million-dollar (or higher) price tag. But this luxurious façade couldn’t just be exclusive to the units. It had to include everything from the shared spaces to the elevators. That’s why The Anthem sought the assistance of Dunwell Elevator to inject that same luxurious sheen – and enhanced performance – into six of its seven elevators.
7
No. of Elevators
3
Years with Customer
2 Years
Project Duration
The Challenge
The Anthem isn’t a basic apartment complex with basic features. The property ownership group takes immense pride in offering a full-service, white-glove experience for its tenants, who have an array of amenities. Those perks include a tenant’s lounge, spacious conference room, children’s playroom, roof garden, on-site parking, valet service and an 8000 sq. ft. fitness center.
These amenities create high expectations for tenants and visitors, which is why the elevators could not remain in substandard condition. Dunwell Elevator accepted the challenge of bringing The Anthem’s elevators up to match the level of luxury set by the property.
The project’s scope initially called for servicing all seven of the property’s elevators, with modernization work set to begin on four of them. Of the seven elevators, six are gearless and one is hydraulic. Going into the project, Dunwell Elevator knew there would be some unique challenges.
“Working in a fully occupied residential building doing an elevator modernization can be challenging,” said Norma Melendez, Dunwell Elevator’s director of marketing. “You have to install proper barricades, floor and wall protection.”
Considering the daily routines of the tenants and guests is crucial to ensuring the project goes smoothly and without disruptions, she said. However, an unforeseen emergency arose that impacted not only Dunwell Elevator’s project but New York in general.
COVID-19 created major setbacks for the city and forced Dunwell Elevator to work under New York’s and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) guidelines during the project. That meant keeping their distance from tenants, guests and each other while also wearing masks.
The Experience
Despite the challenges brought on by working in a fully occupied property and navigating the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dunwell Elevator said the experience worked out well for them and Anthem Management, the property manager.
While modernization work can create inconveniences for tenants and visitors trying to access the property’s floors, Dunwell Elevator said they kept them to a minimum. Dunwell Elevator tackled the project in a manner that allowed them to work without exposing tenants and guests to their dust and debris.
Using wall protection and barricades created enough separation between Dunwell Elevator’s employees and the tenants and guests. Additionally, Dunwell Elevator didn’t work on all four elevators at once, creating minimal traffic disruption and delays during the project. Once they finished one elevator, they moved on to the next one instead of taking multiple elevators out of service simultaneously.
COVID-19 didn’t dampen the experience, either. It allowed Dunwell Elevator to get creative while also showing Anthem Management that even a pandemic wouldn’t halt the project. The tenacity of Dunwell Elevator employees impressed Anthem Management, a key element when establishing a new relationship.
“This customer is new to us,” Melendez said. “However, they were happy with the work we provided for them.”
The Result
Anthem Management was pleased with the results of the project. Dunwell Elevator brought a touch of luxury to the four modernized elevators, which has given tenants and guests an immersive experience from the lobby to the shared spaces to the units.
Melendez said Dunwell Elevator takes pride in its craftsmanship and work ethic, which helped win them another job at the same building.
“We provided great service with excellent workmanship and cost-effective prices for our services and modernizations,” she said.
The next project for Anthem Management is modernizing the other two gearless elevators. Dunwell Elevator has already started on that project and expects to have the same positive response from Anthem Management upon completion.
