Update (June 4, 2024):
Residents have confirmed to FOX 4 that the elevators were restored hours after this story aired.
However, FOX 4 is still working to hear from the towers' owners, Asset Living, about the longevity of the fix and if residents can expect this to no longer become a regular occurrence.
Original Reporting:
"It's very dangerous," says Antonio Kavouras, a Harbor Grand resident who lives on the 21st floor.
Residents of Harbor Grand called Fox 4's Miyoshi Price frustrated because their elevators are consistently out of order. With four elevators in the tower, only one works.
Kavouras says he can’t use the only working elevator because it does not go to his floor in the south tower.
"So many times, we have so many problems—garbage and dirt everywhere. So we are just very, very frustrated." Kavouras says the elevators have been down since last Saturday.
We all know how hot it gets in southwest Florida. Fox 4 Miyoshi Price walked up 21 flights of stairs with camera equipment to meet Kavouras for an interview.
He was packing luggage to stay at a hotel for a few nights until the elevator was fixed.
I've seen so many times these people come in here and try to fix the elevator, but it just doesn't work.
Price reached out to the company that manages the building called Asset Living, several times by phone, as well as by email and hasn't heard back.
"My understanding the problem is not the managers. The problem is the owners," says Kavouras.
Kavouras says he and other residents called the fire department, hoping they would help.
Fox 4 met with Fire Chief Tracy McMillion and Fire Marshall Rick Reynolds.
They say they understand how difficult the situation is, but they ask people only to call a fire crew for emergencies.
"We don't want to take one of our advanced life support fully fire-capable apparatus and make it become a non-emergency truck that's actually just servicing the inconvenience."
He shared his understanding of what the residents were going through without their elevators, but he ensured the community that his crews were prepared to take the stairs if there were emergencies.
With elevators going in and out, Fox 4's Miyoshi Price wanted to know what exactly the fire department can do in a situation like this.
"No, it's not a whole lot we can do, we understand that the elevator company is involved and parts are on order. So they're waiting for parts" says Fire Marshall Rick Reynolds.
Fire Chief McMillion said he had contacted the building management and recommended that they provide services that would help people get up and down the stairs.
But Kavouras says he'll only come back when the elevators are fixed.
