JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Seniors at Mount Carmel Gardens Apartments are calling for answers as the elevators in their 17-story building repeatedly break down, leaving some residents stuck in their apartments.
Jerrold Baron, who’s lived in the building for 18 months, said one elevator has been out for almost a week while the other has been down for months.
“The elevator people keep coming here, and they keep trying to fix it. They leave, it breaks again. They leave, it breaks again,” Baron said. “It’s just not right. It’s sad.”
Ann Friedman, another resident, said the outages hit those with mobility challenges the hardest.
“You’ve got a lot of handicapped people. They rely on scooters and walkers, and they’re stuck in their apartments,” she said.
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According to a spokesperson for Mount Carmel Gardens, both elevators are out due to water intrusion that damaged the building’s electrical systems.
“Our maintenance team is working closely with certified elevator technicians to restore service as quickly as possible,” the statement read. “Replacement parts have been ordered and are being expedited from the manufacturer. We anticipate arrival and installment early this week.”
The management team said they are helping residents during the outage.
“All residents have been personally contacted to assess their immediate needs,” the statement said. “We are providing food delivery, package delivery, and mobility assistance to all residents who need help. Meals are being delivered to residents. Safety inspections have confirmed all common areas remain secure. Emergency protocols are in place for residents requiring urgent assistance.”
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Still, residents want a permanent fix.
“Somebody needs to come and fix these elevators once and for all,” Baron said.
City officials are now involved. Phil Perry, Chief Communications Officer for the City of Jacksonville, said a citizen alerted the city to the issue, and that a citation was issued for the elevator not working for more than 24 hours. City leaders say they continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the property owner completes the necessary maintenance work.
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