Optimum 100 Lift Installation – Landmark Building
The Halston Aparthotel in Carlisle is a striking new fixture on Carlisle’s tourism and dining scene, reviving an iconic city centre building, the Old Post Office, in the process.
Luxury apartments, a bar /bistro, function and events rooms as well as a beauty spa form an impressive and important development at the heart of this great city.
Built in the neo classical design back in 1916, the Old Post Office on Warwick Road was a major part of the community of Carlisle until closure in 2008 and therefore the development and design had to remain respectful of the heritage. Retaining many old features and mixing them with clever modern design the results have been spectacular.
At the heart of this great building is the main staircase wrapping around a stairwell climbing 5 floors from basement to the Penthouse level 13metre higher. The existing service lift, originally installed for moving packages and mail, would have to be removed to enable a lift to be installed that would carry passengers between floors.
With limited stairwell space and the inability to create a pit or increase the headroom it was decided that a traditional passenger lift would not be possible so the decision to install a platform lift with the brief that it had to be reliable, spectacular and respectful of the building heritage was taken.
Ability Lifts of Sheffield became involved with the design very early in 2012 with the site developers providing the vision and working with the Ability team to realise their expectation.
In 2014 the vision was achieved by the installation of a very special Optimum 100 Platform Lift, built to suit the client requirements, the lift now takes Aparthotel visitors on a scenic expedition through a grand century old staircase as every side of the lift structure fully glazed.
Further enhanced by a stainless steel platform operating panel the lift is also powder coated to suit the surrounding decor. A coloured lighting system by the client further adds to the appeal.
Ability Lifts, general manager, Roger Perkins, commented ‘we are very proud to have been involved with such a prestigious development and working with the creative nature of the developer has been a joy. The patented drive system of Optimum 100 provides a unique platform lift that has the smallest available footprints along with a floor supported structure that can be glazed on all four sides, thus making it ideal for such a project as this’.
To find out more about the Optimum 100, visit www.abilitylifts.co.uk, or give their helpful staff a call on 0292 168 3207
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