Kane County Government Center Elevator Back in Service

After nearly four months of extensive repairs, the only elevator serving all three floors of Building A at the Kane County Government Center is back in service.

The elevator was restored to operation on July 14 following a complex repair project with an estimated cost of over $240,000, pending final invoices.    

While the outage presented challenges for employees and residents who visit the building, it also demonstrated the County's ability to adapt while maintaining public services.

Building A houses dozens of County employees and serves residents conducting business with several departments.  It was originally constructed as a seminary in the 1920s, and was purchased by Kane County in 1975. Throughout the repair project, County staff worked to minimize disruptions by reconfiguring office space and relocating services to ensure accessibility and continuity of operations.

"The elevator outage required flexibility across multiple departments," said Kane County Board Chairman Corinne Pierog. "Employees worked together to quickly adjust office locations and service delivery so residents could continue accessing the services they rely on."

Among the changes:

• The Department of Environmental and Water Resources relocated to a new location on the Government Center campus, creating a more permanent workspace for the department.
• The Kane County Treasurer's Office established a satellite service counter on the building's first floor, allowing residents to continue paying property taxes.
  
• The Development and Community Services Department also created a first-floor satellite office so residents seeking permits and development assistance could continue to receive services in an accessible location.
• Kane County Board meetings were temporarily relocated to a first-floor meeting room to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and maintain public access to County meetings.

"The elevator company told us this type of repair is something they typically see only once every 40 to 50 years," said Roger Fahnestock, Kane County's Executive Director of Building Management and Information Technology. "We believe this new cylinder should keep the elevator running for many years to come."

The elevator outage also prompted County officials to evaluate whether Building A should be retrofitted with a second elevator.  After a brief discussion, a committee of the Kane County Board rejected the idea citing the significant cost and structural challenges with installing a second elevator in the nearly century-old building.

A Complex Repair

The project began on March 17, when the elevator's hydraulic cylinder failed during a routine load pressure test. An inspection determined that both the hydraulic cylinder and jack assembly had failed and required replacement.

A purchase order for replacement components was approved the following day, and fabrication of a new hydraulic cylinder began—a process expected to take six to eight weeks.

Repairs started in mid-May but uncovered an unexpected complication.

As crews prepared to install the new cylinder, they discovered the elevator casing had deteriorated and was damaged beyond repair. The finding required additional engineering approvals and significantly expanded the scope of the project.

To keep the project moving, the County approved emergency work to excavate and drill a completely new elevator shaft. Contractors worked an expedited schedule, including off-hours, to complete the excavation and boring work before installing the new hydraulic cylinder and jack assembly in early July.

The elevator successfully returned to service on July 14, restoring full access to all three floors of Building A.

Elevator Repair Timeline

• March 17: Hydraulic cylinder failed during a routine load pressure test. Inspection determined the jack assembly and hydraulic cylinder required replacement.
• March 18: Emergency purchase authorization approved for replacement components. Fabrication of a new hydraulic cylinder began.
• May 15: Replacement work started.
• May 18: Contractors discovered the elevator casing had deteriorated beyond repair.
• May 19: Additional emergency authorization approved for excavation and drilling of a new elevator shaft.
• May 19–June 15: Drilling and boring crews worked an expedited schedule, including off-hours, to prepare the new shaft.
• June 15–30: Excavation and drilling of the elevator pit and cylinder shaft completed.
• July 6: New hydraulic cylinder and jack assembly installed.
• July 14: Elevator returned to service.

County officials thanked residents, employees and visitors for their patience throughout the project and recognized the collaboration among multiple departments that ensured County services remained accessible while repairs were underway. The experience demonstrated how departments adapted quickly to continue serving the public despite the temporary loss of the building's only elevator.