Broken elevators at Wilkinsburg's Wood Towers leaves seniors and disabled residents calling for help
WILKINSBURG (KDKA) — People living in a Wilkinsburg apartment building are calling for help.
They said there have been issues with the building, but nothing is being done.
According to Wood Towers' website, the building is for seniors and people who are disabled. The people living in it said they have been without an elevator for a week.
"They take our rent, nothing is getting done in this building and I'm really fed up," said Wanda Balthazar, who has lived in the building for seven years.
Wanda Balthazar lives on the eighth floor of the building. She has rheumatoid arthritis in both knees and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. With the elevators out, she is walking up and down the stairs.
"Every flight that I walk, I've got to take my inhaler. I have to pray that I get there," Balthazar said.
About 100 people live in the building on Wood Street. They have been waiting for the elevator to be repaired for almost a week, and it's not the first time it has had issues.
"Hard to pay your rent in good faith when both the elevators are out. It's ridiculous," said Michael Knight, who has lived in the apartment building for three years.
It's gotten to the point where borough leaders have stepped in and are working with the building management, Millennia Housing Management.
"This is not the Pittsburgh Zoo. This is a high rise for our seniors," Wilkinsburg Councilwoman Sabrina Gibson said.
Council and Millenia have had meetings since February. According to Gibson, the company has been cited but doesn't comply.
"I'm just so concerned because they are elderly. They're stuck," Gibson said.
When the elevators do work, residents said there are still issues. Knight said he has had to pry open the doors to get people out.
"I can't deal with this anymore. I'm tired of this," Balthazar said.
KDKA-TV reached out the Millenia Housing Management and it provided this statement:
"Millennia had already engaged with an elevator vendor and will continue to work with this vendor to have both elevators repaired. Work on one elevator is anticipated to start toward the end of the week once the necessary permits are in place. It is anticipated that the repairs for one elevator will take a couple of days. Work on the second elevator will start shortly thereafter.
"While the elevators are not working, the building is staffed 24/7 and Millennia is helping the residents with daily needs."