New skyscraper lab will test elevators high above Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) — One of the world’s largest elevator towers will soon be opened to test elevators of the future as well as current ones high above the Atlanta suburbs.

TK Elevators’ 420-foot tower is set to become fully operational early next year, company executives said this week on a tour of the new research lab and elevator testing facility.

“This is going to transform our industry,” said Kevin Lavelle, CEO of the company’s North American operations.

It’s the largest elevator test tower in the Western Hemisphere, according to the company and general contractor Brasfield & Gorrie, which built it.

The tower with its multiple elevator testing shafts looks down into the nearby Atlanta Braves’ stadium and offers stunning views of the Atlanta skyline. It’s next door to the company’s new North American headquarters in Cobb County, just northwest of the city.

Construction on the tower began in 2019 with 3,000 tons of steel, and the structure is now in place, with interior work still ongoing as TKE prepares to fully open it in February.

Among concepts being tested in the high-rise: twin elevators, which use the same elevator shaft but operate independently, with one car above the other, Lavelle said. Twin elevators save space and are able to carry passengers more efficiently, he said.